Awardees to be honored at SACNAS' 2025 National Conference in Columbus, Ohio
SACNAS (Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2025 SACNAS Distinguished Awards. This year’s two awardees have exemplified the SACNAS mission by showing exceptional dedication to excellence in STEM, research, and mentoring. These outstanding individuals were nominated by those who have been impacted by their work and selected by a committee of their peers. Awards will be presented during a 2025 SACNAS NDiSTEM Conference general session.
Since the SACNAS Distinguished Awards program was initiated in 1997, the Society has honored over 135 scientists, educators, and program directors for their commitment to and personification of the spirit of the SACNAS mission: to foster the success Chicano/Hispanic and Native American scientists, from college students to professionals, in attaining attain advanced degrees, careers, and positions of leadership in STEM.
We are honored to present the 2025 awardees:
The SACNAS Distinguished Scientist Award honors excellence in STEM and research. The awardee has a minimum of ten years of experience as a principal investigator, with a demonstrated record of engaging in research and educational activities at the national level including, but not limited to, active funded research projects or funded STEM-based education initiatives, notable STEM contributions, and training the next generation of STEM students and researchers. This year we are proud to recognize:
Jani Ingram, PhD (Dine/Navajo)
Regents' Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Dr. Don Gilbert Endowed Chair in Chemistry, Chair of Chemistry & Biochemistry Department
Northern Arizona University
Jani C. Ingram, PhD is a Regents’ Professor and Dr. Don Gilbert Endowed Chair in Chemistry in the Chemistry & Biochemistry Department at Northern Arizona University and a member of the Navajo Nation. Her research focuses on investigating environmental contaminants with respect to their impact on health in at risk populations. She is the principal investigator of the Partnership for Native American Cancer Prevention and the director of the Bridges to Baccalaureate program. She is fortunate to work with a diverse group of students in her research including many Native American students. She was a staff scientist at the Idaho National Laboratory for twelve years before joining the faculty at Northern Arizona University in 2002. In 2018, she received the American Chemical Society Award for Encouraging Disadvantaged Students into Careers in the Chemical Sciences. In 2024, she received the American Indian Science and Engineering Society Ely S. Parker Award.
The SACNAS Distinguished Mentor Award honors excellence in mentorship. The awardee has a sustained record of at least ten years of participating in educational and/or community outreach activities, encouraging students from backgrounds underrepresented in STEM, to pursue advanced degrees in a science, technology, engineering, mathematics or a related field, and service to SACNAS.
This year we are proud to recognize:
Judith Simcox, PhD (Crow)
Associate Professor of Biochemistry
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Judith Simcox, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Freeman-Hrabowski Scholar. She was born and raised in Montana, she studied biology at Carroll College before earning her PhD at the University of Utah. Her research focuses on lipid metabolism, particularly plasma lipids and their role in regulating metabolic disease. Using tools such as lipidomics, molecular biology, genetics, and population studies, her lab investigates lipid biomarkers that may improve understanding of cardiovascular disease, especially in under-studied populations including African Americans and Native Americans, as well as people with type 1 diabetes. Motivated by her own family’s history with obesity and metabolic illness, Simcox has dedicated her career to exploring lipid signaling pathways that can be targeted for therapeutic interventions. Her achievements have earned her national recognition including the 2024 ASBMB Walter A. Shaw Young Investigator in Lipid Research Award. Beyond her research, Dr. Simcox is passionate about mentorship, diversity, and supporting under-represented groups in science. Her work as a graduate student helped to build the Native American Research Internship at the University of Utah, and as a postdoc she was a founding member of the University of Utah SACNAS Chapter, serving as Vice President of the Chapter. As a Professor Dr. Simcox serves as co-mentor for the AISES Chapter at UW-Madison, co-mentor for the Bridging Wisconsin Oneida Science Outreach Group, mentor for the Indigenous Graduate Student Organization, and co-director of the Center for Indigenous Research to Create Learning Excellence.
SACNAS is also honored to award additional mentors through the 2025 Outstanding Mentor Awards. These awards will be formally announced during the 2025 NDiSTEM Conference. Learn more and register for the conference at sacnas.org/conference.
To learn more about past SACNAS awardees, visit our website at https://www.sacnas.org/honor-excellence/archive
View past SACNAS award acceptance speeches, on our youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSTYnN-PxG8YF57akTqGF4lf7angTWeh_
About SACNAS
For over 52 years, SACNAS has been committed to fostering the success of Chicano/Hispanic and Native American individuals in STEM—from students to professionals—by supporting their pursuit of advanced degrees, meaningful careers, and leadership positions. SACNAS welcomes everyone to join as members and participate in its programs. Today, SACNAS supports a vibrant and expanding community of approximately 8,000 members and more than 150 student and professional chapters across the United States, including Puerto Rico and Guam. The organization strengthens the STEM workforce through outreach, leadership development, and career advancement opportunities—highlighted by its flagship event, the NDiSTEM Conference. Discover more about SACNAS and how to get involved at sacnas.org or connect on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and X.