This year, DSI recognized four graduating students with Senior Awards for Academic Achievement, Public Service, and Excellence in Research during our annual Commencement Lunch celebration.
DSI instituted Senior Awards for the first time this year, having DSI faculty nominate graduating students who have excelled in research, leadership, and academics. Awards nominees were voted on by the DSI Faculty and announced during our Commencement Lunch with undergraduate students and families on Friday. Each award recipient will also receive a $250 prize.
Congratulations to our 2025 Senior Award Recipients!
2025 Data Science Institute Senior Award for Academic Achievement:
Anna Lapre
BSc in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science
Data Science DUG Leader & DATA Courses Teaching Assistant
Nominated by: Karianne Bergen (Honors Thesis Advisor)
Anna Lapre has been an integral part of the undergraduate data science community at Brown during her time here. She has received the inaugural DSI Senior Award for Academic Achievement, recognizing her impressive honors thesis, valuable leadership within the DSI Departmental Undergraduate Group (DUG) (which she founded), and her contributions as a TA for several DATA courses. After graduation, Anna will be heading to San Francisco to pursue her passion for climate action as a software engineer at Watershed.
2025 Data Science Institute Senior Awards for Public Service in Data Science:
Michelle Ding
BA in Computer Science
SRC Handbook Project Founder and Director & Incoming CNTR PhD Student
Nominated by: Suresh Venkatasubramanian (CNTR Director and Concentration Advisor), Julia Netter (Faculty Advisor for the SRC Handbook Project), and Meredith Mendola (CNTR Program Manager)
Michelle L. Ding is a graduating senior in Computer Science who has worked closely with DSI and the CNTR during her time at Brown, and she’s not done with us yet. Michelle found her niche in AI governance and socio-technical computing through research projects, clubs, and internships while at Brown, notably founding and leading the CNTR’s Socially Responsible Computing Handbook project. Michelle will be returning this fall as a student in the CNTR’s PhD program. Michelle has received the inaugural DSI Senior Award for Public Service in Data Science, recognizing her tireless work and leadership on the Socially Responsible Computing Handbook.
Catie Manning
BA in History & Data Fluency Certificate
Data Science Fellow and DATA Courses Teaching Assistant
Nominated by: Linda Clark (Advisor and Instructor)
Catie Manning has studied History and pursued the Data Fluency Certificate during her time at Brown. Through coursework and research projects, Catie has learned how to incorporate data science and technical skills into her work with history, social science, and public policy. Catie has received the inaugural DSI Senior Award for Public Service in Data Science, recognizing her interdisciplinary focus, significant involvement with the Data Science Institute through the Data Fellows program, and her strong academic abilities as a Teaching Assistant.
2025 Data Science Institute Senior Award for Excellence in Data Science Research
Gabriela Becher
Bachelor’s in Computer Science
Research Assistant with Dr. Diana Freed
Nominated by: Diana Freed (Research Advisor)
Gabriela Becher, a graduating senior in Computer Science, is receiving the inaugural DSI Senior Award for Excellence in Data Science Research, recognizing her outstanding contributions to research within Diana Freed's lab. Her co-authorship on two research papers is a testament to her dedication and insightful work in investigating the commodification and surveillance of reproductive health data post-Dobbs.