Last weekend, Friday through Sunday, October 6-8, Princeton University's Department of Molecular Biology welcomed over 250 students, postdocs, and faculty to its 39th Annual Departmental Retreat, this year at the Jersey Shore at Ocean Place Resort in Long Branch, NJ. The annual retreat is an opportunity for departmental and associated labs to share research progress through short talks and posters, to promote discussion and collaboration among labs, and to renew community esprit de corps with activities, dining, and dancing. This year's retreat chairs were assistant professors John Brooks II and Cameron Myhrvold.

And, there were award winners!

Because of the greater number of graduate student talks and the very high quality of these two speakers, two graduate student talk awards were conferred (in alphabetical order):

Best retreat talk by a graduate student:

• Talia Akoh-Arrey (Brooks lab)
• Ezra Levy (Shvartsman and Posfai labs)

Best retreat talk by a postdoctoral researcher:

• Yujiao Han (Kang lab)

Best retreat poster by a graduate student:

• Micah Burton (Jonikas lab)

Best retreat poster by a postdoctoral researcher:

• Megan Rothstein (Mallarino lab)

2023 Teaching Award winners, nominated by their students and supported with glowing letters of recommendation:

• Benjamin Brack (Mallarino lab)
• Jacob Marogi (Myhrvold lab)
• Matthew Tyl (Cristea lab)

Distinguished Postdoc Service Award - For the researcher who has shown outstanding dedication and service to the Postdoc program in the Department of Molecular Biology:

• Beatrice Ramm (Toettcher lab)

Thomas J. Silhavy Award - For the student who has shown outstanding dedication and service to the Graduate Program in the Department of Molecular Biology:

• Vanessa Gonzalez (Burdine lab)

Congratulations to all honorees, and "well done!" to all speakers and poster presenters!