Yidan Gao and Yushu Cheng, both advised by Huichun (Judy) Zhang, have both received a 2023/2024 ACS Division of Environmental Chemistry C. Ellen Gonter Award. This is the most prestigious award given by the division to graduate students (up to seven each year) and is presented to those who submit the highest-quality research papers to the awards committee.
In addition, Dr. Kuan Huang, one of Judy’s former Ph.D. students, founded Aropha LLC based on his dissertation work on high throughput biodegradation testing of polymers, gaining over 30 customers within a year and earning recognitions such as being named "2023 Forbes Cleveland Leaders 30 under 30".