Alecia Septer was awarded the William (Jack) and Jane Payne Graduate Fellowship for 2009. This Fellowship, which was established in recognition of the many contributions by Jack and Jane Payne to the Department of Microbiology, recognizes Microbiology graduate students who demonstrate excellence in research and professional presence. Anyone who has interacted with Alecia knows that she exemplifies professionalism in academic science. Alecia has two publications in Journal of Bacteriology and one paper in BMC Microbiology from research conducted at Ohio State before starting graduate school at UGA. Recently she had a first-author paper on her work with Vibrio fischeri in Eric Stabb's lab accepted in FEMS Microbiology.

Alecia also showed initiative in applying for NSF and NDSEG Pre-doctoral Fellowships and was rewarded with the NDSEG Graduate Fellowship. Her leadership and organizational skills have benefited the Microbiology Department and other organizations at UGA. Her hard work as President of the Microbiology Graduate Student Association (MGSA) and Co-founder/Associate Executive Chair of the association for Graduate Students and Postdocs in Science (GSPS) has resulted in two highly praised Career Symposiums and other professional development forums for students and postdocs in the sciences at UGA.

Congratulations, Alecia, on your many accomplishments and recognition with with the Jack and Jane Payne Graduate Fellowship!