“This year’s honorees are incredible trailblazers who have built remarkable careers, demonstrated exceptional leadership, and continue to inspire those who follow in their footsteps,” says Susan Lozier, dean and Betsy Middleton and John Clark Sutherland Chair of the College of Sciences and professor in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. “It is a privilege to recognize these extraordinary individuals and celebrate the many ways they reflect the strength and spirit of the College of Sciences.”
Honorees will be recognized at the second annual Distinguished Alumni Awards Celebration on Thursday, Oct. 22, from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. at the Renaissance Atlanta Midtown Hotel.
Recognition categories include the Distinguished Alumni Awards, honoring one graduate from each school; the Distinguished Young Scientist Award, recognizing early-career excellence; and the College of Sciences Impact Award, honoring transformative contributions to the College’s mission and future.
“The large response to our call for nominations was a powerful reminder of how deeply our alumni contribute to their fields and communities,” says Director of Alumni Relations Leslie Roberts. “We are excited to recognize this year’s amazing honorees and celebrate the lasting influence they have had both within and beyond Georgia Tech.”
B.S. Earth and Atmospheric Sciences 1996
B.S. Applied Biology 1972
Ph.D. Chemistry 2003
M.S. Applied Mathematics 1973
B.S. Physics 1965, M.S. Physics 1967, Ph.D. Physics 1969
Ph.D. Psychology 2000
B.S. Psychology 2014
B.S. Physics 1978
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Dr. Shi received the award for the paper “Selecting Mediators in a Bayesian Exploratory Mediation Model,” co-authored with Dexin Shi and Amanda Fairchild. The award was presented in connection with the 2026 ISDSA Annual Meeting in Beijing, China.
The award-winning work addresses an important methodological challenge in mediation analysis: identifying which variables help explain the mechanisms through which one variable influences another. The researchers develop a groundbreaking exploratory Bayesian mediation modeling framework that improves the selection of potential mediators for dimensionality reduction and quantifies their effects on a continuous scale, a powerful statistical approach that can help researchers analyze complex relationships in psychological, behavioral, and other data-intensive sciences.
ISDSA brings together researchers, practitioners, and educators from around the world to share advances in data science and analytics and discuss emerging directions for the field.
Shi’s research focuses on the development and application of advanced quantitative methods for psychological and behavioral science. Her work strengthens the School of Psychological and Brain Sciences’ growing expertise at the intersection of psychology, quantitative methodology, and data science.
“I am grateful for being part of the community and having the opportunity to represent Georgia Tech and the School of Psychological and Brain Sciences,” Shi said. “It has been an amazing experience coming to Atlanta.”
Tansu Celikel, chair of the School of Psychological and Brain Sciences, said the recognition reflects both the quality of Shi’s scholarship and the School’s commitment to advancing rigorous, innovative approaches to psychological science.
“Dingjing’s achievement highlights both the excellence of her research and the importance of methodological innovation in our field,” Celikel said. “Her work equips researchers with more powerful ways to understand complex psychological, neural, and behavioral processes. It is wonderful to see her scholarship receive this international recognition, and we are fortunate to have her as part of our Georgia Tech community.”
Learn more: The full list of 2026 ISDSA Best Paper Award recipients is available on the ISDSA Annual Meeting website. https://isdsa.org/meeting/index
]]>Dr. Shi received the award for the paper “Selecting Mediators in a Bayesian Exploratory Mediation Model,” co-authored with Dexin Shi and Amanda Fairchild. The award was presented in connection with the 2026 ISDSA Annual Meeting in Beijing, China.
The award-winning work addresses an important methodological challenge in mediation analysis: identifying which variables help explain the mechanisms through which one variable influences another. The researchers develop a groundbreaking exploratory Bayesian mediation modeling framework that improves the selection of potential mediators for dimensionality reduction and quantifies their effects on a continuous scale, a powerful statistical approach that can help researchers analyze complex relationships in psychological, behavioral, and other data-intensive sciences.
ISDSA brings together researchers, practitioners, and educators from around the world to share advances in data science and analytics and discuss emerging directions for the field.
Shi’s research focuses on the development and application of advanced quantitative methods for psychological and behavioral science. Her work strengthens the School of Psychological and Brain Sciences’ growing expertise at the intersection of psychology, quantitative methodology, and data science.
“I am grateful for being part of the community and having the opportunity to represent Georgia Tech and the School of Psychological and Brain Sciences,” Shi said. “It has been an amazing experience coming to Atlanta.”
Tansu Celikel, chair of the School of Psychological and Brain Sciences, said the recognition reflects both the quality of Shi’s scholarship and the School’s commitment to advancing rigorous, innovative approaches to psychological science.
“Dingjing’s achievement highlights both the excellence of her research and the importance of methodological innovation in our field,” Celikel said. “Her work equips researchers with more powerful ways to understand complex psychological, neural, and behavioral processes. It is wonderful to see her scholarship receive this international recognition, and we are fortunate to have her as part of our Georgia Tech community.”
Learn more: The full list of 2026 ISDSA Best Paper Award recipients is available on the ISDSA Annual Meeting website. https://isdsa.org/meeting/index
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