Congratulations to Léa Bourgade '20 and Shravya Gurrapu '20 who were recently named two of the 2020 Dean's Award Recipients.
Léa Bourgade is a senior majoring in Human Biology. Having played the violin for 17 years, she seeks to combine her musical background with her love of neuroscience to study the intersections between art and the mind. As a passionate science storyteller, she is also pursuing a Notation in Science Communication with the hopes of advancing science literacy in the public sphere. In the past two years, she has applied her communication skills in the field of neuro-technology, creating content for companies like Halo Neuroscience and Neosensory. Beyond her academic studies, Léa continues to be an active violinist on campus, studying under Robin Sharp and pursuing a Performance Certificate. She has been concertmaster of Stanford’s two major orchestras and has won several awards, including Stanford’s Concerto Competition and the Dan Robinson Prize in Instrumental Performance.”
Shravya Gurrapu is a senior double majoring in Human Biology and Computer Science. Shravya has devoted herself to studying gender-based violence in South Asian communities through qualitative, quantitative, and technical research in India. To build on these findings, she continues to manage Dr. Newberry’s lab, to understand the intersection between immigration policy and intimate partner violence in South Asian American communities. As a captain for Stanford Noopur, Stanford’s Indian classical dance team, Shravya choreographed a showcase, highlighting critical misrepresented narratives within South Asian societies to explore cultural change through art. She led We Continue, an organization to spread suicide prevention education and awareness throughout Stanford and local high schools, and she developed mobile applications for sexual violence and mental health support. She currently is a project manager for the leading non-profit organization, TeachAids, working on creating concussion education and support for individuals across the United States and Canada. After Stanford, she hopes to integrate her experiences at the intersection of legal, medical, and cultural systems with her technical background to improve systemic health challenges for globally marginalized communities.”
About the Dean's Award
The Deans' Award for Academic Achievement, inaugurated in Spring 1988, is given each year to between five and ten extraordinary undergraduate students. These students deserve campus recognition for academic endeavors that might not otherwise be celebrated.
The Deans' Award honors students for exceptional, tangible accomplishments in the following areas:
- Independent research
- National academic competitions
- A presentation or publication for a regional or national audience
- Superior performance in the creative arts
- Students selected for the awards have more than a high grade point average or success in coursework. Outstanding transcripts are usually recognized by honorary societies (Phi Beta Kappa, for example, or Tau Beta Pi). Also excellent honors theses are rewarded with prizes, such as the Firestone or Golden Medals.