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Indian American professor receives national faculty mentor award
Shubhik DebBurman was honored for his transformative mentorship and lasting impact on students’ scientific careers.
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Professor Shubhik DebBurman. / Image – Lake Forest College
The Disque D. & Carol Gram Deane Professor of Biological Sciences at Illinois’ Lake Forest College, Shubhik DebBurman, was honored with the 2024 Biology Division Faculty Mentor Award (Advanced Career) from the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR), a national organization devoted entirely to promoting undergraduate research.
The award recognizes his commitment to mentoring undergraduates, particularly those from underrepresented and marginalized backgrounds, and his significant impact on their academic and professional trajectories.
Over his 26-year tenure, DebBurman has mentored 106 undergraduates in his D-Lab, guiding many of them to secure fellowships, grants, and opportunities to present their research at national and regional conferences. More than 90 percent of his mentees have pursued graduate studies and advanced to careers in academia, research, and healthcare, a news release noted.
“The work we do with students is central to our mission,” DebBurman said, crediting the supportive environment at Lake Forest College for his achievements in mentoring. “I am so fortunate to be at Lake Forest College, where I am surrounded by like-minded faculty across disciplines that share this passion, and where motivated students from all backgrounds come to be educated and then head to strong STEM careers,” he further added.
Chair of the CUR Biology Division Mentor Awards Committee, Jessica Clark, praised DebBurman’s transformative influence, noting that his mentorship continues to support students long after graduation. “This prestigious award recognizes Dr. DebBurman’s exceptional commitment to undergraduate research mentorship and his transformative impact on students’ scientific careers,” Clark noted.
In addition to his individual mentorship, DebBurman has been a catalyst for broader institutional change. He has implemented innovative programs such as course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs), launched an undergraduate peer-reviewed life sciences journal, and developed new interdisciplinary majors and dual-degree pathways. His efforts have expanded research opportunities for over 220 undergraduates, with a focus on fostering diversity in STEM fields.
Lake Forest College provost and vice president for academic affairs, Tara Natarajan, expressed pride in DebBurman’s contributions, highlighting his role in promoting lifelong learning and social mobility. “We are so proud and privileged to have such committed faculty who serve as role models to so many of our students and the College community.”
DebBurman, who also received the Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience (FUN) Distinguished Mentor Award in 2023, described the CUR honor as “incredibly personal and humbling,” acknowledging the students who nominated him.
DebBurman earned his Ph.D. in neuroscience from Northwestern University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in molecular genetics and cell biology at the University of Chicago. He holds a B.A. in biology and economics from Wittenberg University and has also pursued advanced courses in yeast genetics and neurological diseases at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories.
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