Kayla Bell Citizenship Award

In August 2020, the BUSM Pulmonary Center community experience the shocking and sudden loss of Kayla Bell, a research technician in the Maglione laboratory of the Pulmonary Center. Not only was Kayla a highly talented scientist and aspiring immunologist, she was a consummate team player always looking for ways to help out in the Pulmonary Center. In the spirit of Kayla’s thoughtful and eager generosity, we would like to establish a Kayla Bell Pulmonary Center Citizenship Award. This award will be an occasion to celebrate and commemorate the time that Kayla shared with us, bestowed annually to a member of the Pulmonary Center who most embodies Kayla’s kind and helpful manner.

Congratulations to our Past Winners!

2025: Kara Vasilew, PhD Student

“an instrumental member of the Pulmonary Center” “I most admire how active she has been in the BU community advocating formally and informally to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion” “She is a true team player, working to ensure the smooth running of multiple aspects of the research lab. Always willing to lend a hand, she goes above and beyond to support her colleagues” “a talented scientist and an aspiring immunologist” “Kara achieves all of this while navigating the challenges of being a deaf student in STEM. She skillfully utilizes hearing aids, lip reading, and interpreter assistance to excel in her work, setting an inspiring example of resilience and perseverance. Deaf individuals remain an underrepresented minority in higher education, with only a small percentage obtaining advanced degrees. Kara’s success and leadership break barriers, making her an invaluable advocate for accessibility in academia”

2024: Riley Pihl, PhD Student

“an active member of the CCR committee” “always helping out”  “has a great attitude and is always positive!” “a generous Pulmonary Center citizen” “truly engaging in our center’s academic research conference”

2023: Mary Lou Beermann, CReM Lab Manager

“goes above and beyond in helping everyone in the CReM” “always willing to help anyone with their experiments and always has helpful advice – both science and life advice!” “routinely goes above and beyond to help anyone who asks for it” “goes out of her way to identify lab members that are struggling either in science or in life, to improve their quality of life” “goes above and beyond to help trainees” “a key player in supporting the mental health of those around her” “an invaluable member to the center and lab”

2022: Neelou Etesami, MD/PhD student

“embodies all of the traits that we miss so much about Kayla” “Brings her community together both academically and socially” “Always willing to lend a hand and is incredibly helpful” “An exceptional scientist, and her work on the role of B cells in heterotypic immunity is an extension of Kayla’s research in the Maglione Lab” “Works to foster a more collegial and equitable environment” “Brings a wonderful sense of joy and an atmosphere of fun that is, no pun intended, infectious” “Always ensures that new pulmonary center personnel are made to feel welcome and invited to social gatherings” “exemplifies what it means to be a great lab citizen!”

To support the Kayla Bell Pulmonary Center Citizenship Award:

1. Online: Please go to BUSM Development Giving Page to donate, select the Other Fund and indicate in the comments/notes section you’d like to support “Kayla Bell Pulmonary Center Citizenship Award”
2. By check: Make payable to Trustees of Boston University, and in the memo on your check (or an accompanying note) list “Kayla Bell Pulmonary Center Citizenship Award” or in memory of Kayla Bell to ensure your donation is deposited to the correct fund.  You can mail the check to the address below:

Boston University Gifts & Records
595 Commonwealth Ave., Suite 700, West Entrance
Boston, MA 02215

For any questions about donations, please contact busmdev@bu.edu.