Announcing the 2025 SSMN Award Recipients
The Sloan Scholars Mentoring Network is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2025 SSMN Awards: Karen Lozano, PhD; Jessika Ava, MS, MPA; Malika Grayson, PhD; Daniela Jones, PhD; and Maria Isaza, PhD.
With the generous support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, these awards recognize the dedication, impact, and accomplishments of exemplary Sloan Legacy, UCEM, and SIGP alumni. Join us in congratulating these outstanding scholars!
SSMN Higher Education Professional of the Year
The Higher Education Professional of the Year Award recognizes a Sloan Scholar alum who has made major contributions to their field and/or the areas of teaching, mentoring, or other forms of service in higher education.
Karen Lozano, PhD
Department Chair and Trustee Professor of Materials Science and NanoEngineering, Rice University
PhD in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Rice University
Since January 2025, Dr. Karen Lozano has been the Trustee Professor and Department Chair of Materials Science and NanoEngineering at Rice University. Previously, she was the Julia Beecherl Endowed Mechanical Engineering Professor at the University of Texas–Rio Grande Valley, where she founded and directed the UTRGV Nanotechnology Center and the university's first PhD program in the College of Engineering and Computer Science.
Dr. Lozano earned her BS in Mechanical Engineering from Universidad de Monterrey (UDEM) in Monterrey, Mexico, and her MS and PhD degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Material Science from Rice University.
Dr. Lozano has creatively combined undergraduate education with state-of-the-art research projects. Through strategically designed projects and work environment, she has driven an exciting educational/social/economic mobility experience for hundreds of at-risk students, all now leading successful careers in industry, academia, or government labs. She has seen 100% retention and graduation rates for over seven hundred students who worked on her NanoTeam, including over 50 students from her team that have pursued PhD degrees in Engineering. While at UTRGV, her research team, composed primarily of undergraduate students, published more than 180 peer reviewed scientific journal articles and more than 600 proceedings/conference presentations.
Dr. Lozano is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, a recipient of the U.S. Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM), and a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors. She is a TEDx speaker and was named Engineer of the Year by Great Minds in STEM. Most recently, she was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She is a prolific inventor and has co-founded two companies, one of which received international awards, including the R&D 100. Her technology, Forcespinning®, leads the industrial production of nanofibers. Connect with Karen and learn more about her work on LinkedIn.
SSMN Professional of the Year
The Professional of the Year Award recognizes a Sloan Scholar alum who has made major contributions to their field through research, mentoring, public/community service, business, philanthropy, and/or other areas of achievement.
Jessika Ava, MS, MPA
Chief Executive Officer, Thrive Philanthropy
MS in Biostatistics, University of Arizona
As CEO and founder of Thrive Philanthropy, Jessika Ava has dedicated her career to transforming global food systems through equitable philanthropy, by dismantling funding barriers to historically marginalized groups and expanding grant access to plant-based food-systems organizations worldwide. A citizen of the Choctaw Nation, Jessika is one of the first Native Americans to sit in a leadership position in the vegan philanthropic space and has combined her background and extensive international experience to bridge cultural and geographical divides. Jessika states that her work demonstrates that effective philanthropy must be rooted in cultural understanding, equity, and genuine partnership with local communities.
Jessika founded Thrive Philanthropy in 2022 after observing how power dynamics and inequitable grantmaking approaches were leading to challenges at the intersection of social justice and plant-based food systems. Thrive Philanthropy contributes to expanded plant-based food systems in half the world's countries and directs a grantmaking portfolio of 100+ grants in 80+ countries annually.
As an international speaker and workshop leader, Jessika has shared expertise with thousands of participants across North America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. Her leadership extends to several board and advisory positions; she is the co-founder and a sitting board member of A Just World, an organization that strengthens food justice organizations across India, and she serves on the boards of directors for Animal Alliance Asia and Out to Pasture Animal Sanctuary, in addition to serving on the advisory boards of multiple organizations. Jessika has been a Rockwood Leadership Equity in Philanthropy Fellow, a Sloan Indigenous Graduate Partnership Scholar at the University of Arizona, and an American Indian Graduate Fellow. Connect with Jessika and learn more about her work on LinkedIn.
SSMN Early Career Excellence Award
The Early Career Excellence Award recognizes outstanding Sloan Scholar alumni who have graduated with their PhD or Master's degree (as a Sloan Scholar) within the last 10 years. Awardees have demonstrated that they have made or are poised to make significant contributions to their field and/or the areas of teaching, mentoring, diversity, and public/community service.
Malika Grayson, PhD
Technical Program Manager, Northrup Grumman
PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Cornell University
Dr. Malika Grayson is the founder of STEMinist Empowered, LLC, an organization shaped by her personal experiences in academia and industry. Through STEMinist Empowered, she is dedicated to bridging the representation gap and fostering a more inclusive STEM community through keynotes, workshops, and mentorship. Dr. Grayson is also the co-founder of Career Factory 360, a dynamic platform designed to empower professionals and students through coaching, mentoring, and strategic guidance.
With nearly a decade of experience in the aerospace and defense industry, Dr. Grayson is a Program Manager, leading a team of engineers who develop and deliver cutting-edge technologies to solve their customers' toughest challenges.
Dr. Grayson earned her Bachelor’s degree in Physics from Adelphi University before completing a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at Cornell University, where she specialized in Wind Energy. A global speaker and bestselling author, she has delivered dozens of workshops and keynotes and has been recognized with numerous honors, including the SWE Advocating Women in Engineering Award, the Zellman Warhaft Commitment to Diversity Award, Adelphi University’s Top 10 Alumni Under 10, and BEYA STEM’s Modern Day Technology Leader Award. She was also named one of Trinidad and Tobago’s 40 Under 40 Youth Influencers by the Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs for her impactful work in STEM.
As the author of the best-selling book Hooded: A Black Girl's Guide to the PhD, Dr. Grayson has been featured in multiple publications, further amplifying her voice in the STEM community. Her commitment to increasing the number of women in STEM led her to establish ASPIRE STEM, a program that provides financial assistance to young women from high school and secondary school who aspire to pursue STEM at the university level.
Beyond her own initiatives, Dr. Grayson holds leadership roles in several organizations, serving as vice president of DiscoverE’s Board of Directors, a member of the STEMNoire Advisory Council, the Corporate Leadership Council at the National Girls Collaborative Project, and the Alumni Advisory Board at Cornell University.
Daniela Jones, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, North Carolina State University
PhD in Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Texas A&M University
As PI of the Intelligent Data for Energy and Agriculture Logistics and Supply Chains lab (IDEALS) at North Carolina State University, Dr. Daniela Jones develops large-scale heterogeneous and geo-temporal data-intensive models to better understand and enhance the sustainability of intensifying agricultural systems. Previously, Dr. Jones was a postdoctoral associate at Duke University, where she performed research on student interventions and supported career and community development programming for underrepresented students in the biosciences. As a faculty member, Dr. Jones has mentored numerous students and was recognized for her achievements with the 2024 SSMN Outstanding Mentor Award.
Dr. Jones is nationally and internationally recognized as a rising expert in agricultural data analytics. She was invited to deliver the keynote at the People Around the World 2024 International Congress at the University of Saskatchewan, where she spoke on leveraging data science to advance research in the Food-Water-Energy Nexus. Dr. Jones will also serve as a plenary speaker at the 2025 Canadian Society of Plant Biologists Annual Meeting, where she will present on AI advancements in plant biology research.
She has been recognized by the National Science Foundation (NSF) for contributions to AI education, by the United States Department of Agriculture for agricultural research, and by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) with a Superior Paper Award in 2019. Dr. Jones was selected as NCSU's 2025 institutional nominee for the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research New Innovator Award. Additionally, she was named an NCSU Office of Research and Innovation Fellow, a prestigious recognition for advancing team science and cross disciplinary collaboration.
SSMN Excellence in Community Engagement Award
The Excellence in Community Engagement Award recognizes an outstanding Sloan Scholar alum who has shown excellence in community engagement and/or public service. Awardees have demonstrated how their work or service has positively affected or is poised to make positive change within their chosen community.
Maria Isaza, PhD
Dean of the School of Health Professions and Natural Sciences, County College of Morris
PhD in Biomedical Science, Rutgers University
Dr. Maria Isaza was born in Colombia and came to the United States at age 21. She began her academic journey at the County College of Morris (CCM) in New Jersey, later earning a biology degree from the University of Saint Elizabeth. She completed a PhD in biomedical science as a Sloan Scholar at Rutgers University.
Dr. Isaza started as an adjunct at CCM and steadily advanced to full-time faculty, assistant chairperson, and chairperson of biology/chemistry, and in 2021, she was appointed Dean of the School of Health Professions and Natural Sciences.
For the past decade, Dr. Isaza has been deeply engaged in community service in her established hometown of Dover, New Jersey. Since 2015, she has served on the board of the Morris County Organization for Hispanic Affairs (MCOHA), becoming board chair in 2020. In this role, she oversees the board of directors, ensures effective governance, and functions as a liaison between the board and executive director. She is actively involved in initiatives including food distributions, the Three Kings Celebration, and senior support. Working with the executive director, Dr. Isaza has helped MCOHA expand its outreach efforts, develop programs, and strengthen partnerships with local organizations and stakeholders. MCOHA's programs now serve more than 20,000 individuals per year.
Beyond MCOHA, Dr. Isaza has served on the Advocacy Committee at Employment Horizons since 2019 and was appointed to the Morris Area Paratransit System Citizens Advisory Committee. Her contributions have been recognized with awards including the Sloan Scholars Mentoring Network Travel Grant (2019), the CCM’s Innovation Award (2019), the SHINE Award (2024), the Impact Award from the National Society of Leadership and Success (2024), and she is a 2025 Honoree of the Hispanic Resource and Information Center.
