Susquehanna University Charles B. Degenstein Professor of Chemistry Geneive Henry has been awarded the Henry McBay Outstanding Educator Award from the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers.
Named in honor of Dr. Henry Ransom Cecil McBay, renowned chemist and educator, the award annually recognizes a STEM educator who has demonstrated outstanding contributions to the education and mentoring of young scientists.
“This honor reflects not only Geneive’s extraordinary achievements as a teacher and researcher but also her deep commitment to mentoring students and expanding opportunities in the sciences,” said Kathy Straub, dean of Susquehanna School of Natural & Social Sciences. “Her impact on Susquehanna and the broader scientific community is profound, and we congratulate her on this well-deserved recognition.”
The award is the latest accolade for Henry. In recognition of her mentorship of STEM students, she has received the following awards: Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) Fellows Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research Leadership (2024), CUR Chemistry Division Outstanding Mentorship Award (2020), and Susquehanna University John C. Horn Award for Distinguished Scholarship and Creative Activity (2009). She has also received a Joseph Priestley Service award from the American Chemical Society (ACS) Susquehanna Valley Section (2017).
Henry’s research focuses on synthesizing new natural product-inspired organic molecules and evaluating their anticancer, antioxidant, antiviral and antibacterial properties. She has directly mentored 80 undergraduate research students with majors in chemistry, biochemistry, biology, biomedical sciences, earth & environmental sciences, neuroscience and psychology, and 44 of these students have served as co-authors on peer-reviewed journal articles.
Henry’s mentorship activities extend beyond her own research lab. She has formed several collaborative partnerships with researchers at Susquehanna University and other institutions. These partnerships have resulted in interdisciplinary research opportunities, both traditional and course-based, for over 70 additional students, and she has served as a co-mentor to some of these students. Additionally, she is a member of the mentoring team for the Susquehanna Women in STEM program.
Henry received her bachelor’s and doctoral degrees from the University of the West Indies, Mona, and completed postdoctoral training at Michigan State University and Harvard University. She was a Visiting Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Lincoln University of Pennsylvania prior to starting her independent academic career at Susquehanna University.
