Pearl Sutter and Tyler Dorrity recognized for lectures on original research.
Enlarge

June 2018 – Two 2018 graduates of Drew University earned top honors at the national convention of the biology honor society Beta Beta Beta.
Pearl Sutter and Tyler Dorrity were recognized for their lectures at the convention, which took place in California. Sutter won first place for the Frank G. Brooks Award in Organismal Biology and Dorrity finished first for the Frank G. Brooks Award in Molecular Biology.
The national recognition came after Sutter and Dorrity captured first place honors at regional TriBeta conventions in 2018 and 2017, respectively. Their lectures described original research that they conducted at Drew for their honors theses.
“I believe that the biggest challenge a modern scientist faces is convincing others—especially the general public—that the research being done is important and interesting,” Dorrity said. “Winning this award really let me know that this is a challenge I can truly tackle.”
Sutter said that she “could not have achieved this award without the help and support from my professors, my family and my friends,” adding that the recognition “is evidence that with hard work and a supportive team, anything is possible.”
Sutter and Dorrity also earned several college awards at Drew—in Baldwin Honors, biology and Jewish studies. In addition, as undergraduates they participated in the Drew Summer Science Institute and the Research Institute for Scientists Emeriti program, which enables students to work one-on-one with retired scientists on original research. The mentoring program is intensive and unique, particularly at a liberal arts school like Drew.
Post Drew, Dorrity and Sutter are continuing their studies at graduate schools. Dorrity is pursuing a PhD in microbiology, immunology and infection at Columbia University and Sutter is working toward an MD at the University of Connecticut.