- March 13, 2026
- By Silvana Montañola M.A. ’23
A University of Maryland scientist widely known for groundbreaking work with RNA plant viruses, which can threaten crops even as they offer intriguing new therapeutic possibilities, was honored with the inaugural President’s Impact Award at the 2026 Maryland Research Excellence Celebration on Thursday.
Anne Simon, professor of cell biology and molecular genetics, was recognized for her ability to combine the highest levels of academic excellence with a commitment to sharing her expertise to serve the public good.
“Professor Anne Simon exemplifies what it means to be a scholar who not only advances knowledge, but also shares it in ways that inspire and benefit society,” said President Darryll J. Pines.
Her research explores how plant viruses made of RNA—genetic material that carries cellular instructions and guides protein synthesis—are able to infect cells and reproduce and spread. Her work with the new “umbravirus-like” cohort opened the door to developing and using RNA viruses as vectors to deliver therapeutics into plants to mitigate plant diseases.
In 2019, she co-founded the company Silvec Biologics, with her brother, Rafael Simon, to use the technology to fight citrus greening disease, a bacterial infection that has destroyed most of Florida’s citrus crop since it was first documented in the United States in 2005, and is also decimating production elsewhere.
Beyond the lab, Simon is perhaps best known for her connection to the television series “The X-Files.” As a science adviser through all 11 seasons of the iconic show, Simon was able to shoehorn actual scientific principles into plots about believer Fox Mulder and skeptic Dana Scully’s FBI work with “unsolved paranormal cases.” Her book “The Real Science Behind the X-Files: Microbes, Meteorites and Mutants” makes the ideas behind the show accessible to both science enthusiasts and X-Files fans alike.
Simon has also shared her expertise through accessible social media platforms, such as Reddit. In a recent Ask Me Anything (AMA), she highlighted her research in plant virology and citrus greening, while explaining steps everyday people can take to help prevent the spread of these viruses to citrus and other plants.
“This has been just such a wonderful university, it has been incredibly supportive and I really just thank my lucky stars that I ended up here,” Simon told the audience after receiving the award. “I want to personally thank everybody, especially President Pines, for embracing an award like this and I’m so totally honored to be the inaugural recipient of it so thank you very, very much.”
Additional Honorees
Dozens of other UMD faculty were honored during the Maryland Research Excellence Celebration, held each year in the spring. The 2026 honorees were nominated by the deans of their schools and colleges for elevating the visibility and reputation of the University of Maryland research enterprise.
“Each year, the Maryland Research Excellence Celebration provides an opportunity to recognize faculty whose work is shaping their fields and making a difference beyond the university,” said Patrick O’Shea, vice president and chief research officer. “The scholars honored this year reflect the remarkable range of discovery and innovation at Maryland—from fundamental science and engineering to research that informs policy, education and public understanding.”
One faculty member from each school or college was selected for special recognition:
School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation
Jennifer Cotting, director of the Environmental Finance Center, provided exceptional leadership during a period of significant federal funding disruption, securing more than $500,000 in new external support to sustain and advance the work of the Environmental Finance Center. In recognition of her expertise and policy impact, Gov. Wes Moore appointed her to Maryland’s BayStat Program Scientific Advisory Panel.
College of Arts and Humanities
Xiaoli Nan, professor of communication science, is principal investigator on a $2.8 million National Institutes of Health grant from the National Cancer Institute examining how artificial intelligence can support informed parental decision-making about HPV vaccination. Her team is developing a personalized, AI-driven chatbot that tailors health information to parents’ specific concerns and communication styles.
College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Utpal Pal, MPower Professor, Department of Veterinary Medicine, secured four external research awards totaling more than $3.1 million from the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense in 2025. His research advances understanding of Lyme disease pathogenesis and host–vector–pathogen interactions, with direct implications for vaccine and therapeutic development.
College of Behavioral and Social Sciences
Jude Cassidy, professor of psychology, is leading a large-scale, school-based intervention to improve early childhood well-being and readiness to learn in local public schools. Building on initial grant support, she recently secured additional funding to expand a multi-county trial of the evidence-based Circle of Security program across Prince George’s, Montgomery, and Frederick County public schools.
Robert H. Smith School of Business
Albert “Pete” Kyle, Distinguished University Professor and Charles E. Smith Chair in Finance, was selected for the prestigious Wharton–Jacobs Levy Prize for Quantitative Financial Innovation in recognition of his landmark 1985 Econometrica paper, “Continuous Auctions and Insider Trading.” His foundational “Kyle ’85” model remains central to modern market microstructure theory and is actively used in cutting-edge academic research, financial regulation and algorithmic trading strategies worldwide.
College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences
Tom Goldstein, Volpi-Cupal Endowed Professor of Computer Science, is internationally recognized for his outstanding and transformative research in adversarial machine learning. His work bridges mathematical theory and practical implementation, shaping how modern AI systems are trained, optimized and secured. With more than 9,000 Google Scholar citations annually and an h-index exceeding 90, he ranks among the most highly cited scholars in his field.
College of Education
Research by Associate Professor Sarah McGrew examines how middle and high school students evaluate the credibility of online information and how teachers support the development of digital reasoning skills. Supported by the U.S. Department of Education, the National Science Foundation, the Maryland Democracy Initiative and a National Academy of Education Postdoctoral Fellowship, her work has produced research-based curriculum and professional development resources.
A. James Clark School of Engineering
Timothy Koeth, assistant professor of materials science and engineering, is recognized for groundbreaking research in dielectric breakdown phenomena, culminating in a landmark publication in Science this year. His discovery of a previously unknown ultra-fast breakdown mode represents a significant advance in understanding materials behavior under extreme electrical stress.
College of Information
Diana E. Marsh, assistant professor of archives and digital curation, has secured nearly $5 million in competitive external funding from the Mellon Foundation, the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Her research explores emergent archival information tools that reconnect Indigenous communities with collections held in colonial repositories.
Philip Merrill College of Journalism
Sean Mussenden, interim director of the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism and principal lecturer, provided critical leadership, innovation and data expertise for the center’s nationwide investigation into deaths resulting from police restraint. Produced in collaboration with the Associated Press, the series uncovered the national scale of restraint-related fatalities and helped spur reforms in police training and restraint practices. The project was named a finalist for the 2025 Pulitzer Prize in Investigative Reporting.
School of Public Health
Sarah Peitzmeier, associate professor of behavioral and community health, has developed a robust and nationally recognized research program addressing violence against women and in transgender communities. Supported by significant funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Arnold Ventures, she is leading a multisite, multinational randomized controlled trial to advance evidence-based prevention strategies.
School of Public Policy
Katrina Walsemann, professor and Roger C. Lipitz Distinguished Chair in Health Policy, has secured multiple National Institutes of Health awards, including a P30 Aging Center grant that establishes the Southern Population Aging Research Center. This major federal investment strengthens the University of Maryland’s leadership in population aging research and builds critical infrastructure to advance interdisciplinary scholarship.