Chapman ASBMB hosting one of their workshop events during the Spring 2026 semester. Photo Credit: Chapman ASBMB

The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology honored Schmid College with two major awards this year, recognizing students and faculty on a national level.

The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) is a national, non-profit, professional organization for researchers and science educators working in the molecular sciences. The society has been fostering its community of scientists for over a century and, according to its website, has over 11,000 registered members nationwide. Each year, ASBMB recognizes researchers and chapters of the society with various awards and fellowships, and this year, Schmid College students and faculty won two major ASBMB awards.

ASBMB selected Dr. Daniel Dries, assistant professor and associate program director of chemistry at Schmid College, as one of their 2026 Fellows of the Society. Chapman’s student chapter of ASBMB also won the society’s Outstanding Chapter Award, out of over 100 student chapters nationwide.

Chapman Professor Selected as an ASBMB Fellowship 

Dr. Dries and one of his students presenting their research. Photo courtesy of Dr. Dries

Dr. Daniel Dries, assistant professor and associate program director of chemistry at Schmid College, has been named an ASBMB 2026 Fellow. The ASBMB Fellowship honors “members who have a history of exceptional and sustained service to the society, as well as a distinguished record of professional accomplishments that advance the molecular life sciences,” according to ASBMB’s official magazine. Dr. Dries is one of sixteen new fellows from across the US announced in March 2026.

Since 2013, Dr. Dries has been studying the factors in test writing and classroom experiences that influence how STEM students perform on exams, as well as how to make exams more equitable for students with learning differences and diverse backgrounds. He is a part of the team that writes test questions for ASBMB’s exam, which assesses skill level in the molecular sciences for students in ASBMB-accredited degree programs such as Chapman’s. Schmid students take the exam as part of the chemistry and biochemistry programs.

“As I wrote the ASBMB exam, I had conversations with colleagues very early on about how the way one person writes an exam is not the way someone else writes an exam. Grades and performance can seem really arbitrary sometimes, because the same student in two different people’s classes could have gotten very different grades. It could have been the difference between a B and an A, or maybe even more. So I started thinking ‘wouldn’t it be better if we had some sort of more scientific way of doing these things?’” says Dr. Dries.

His lab at Schmid focuses on data analysis and creating new and better ways to teach STEM subjects to the next generation. Dr. Dries’ research and innovation in science education for the ASBMB and beyond earned him his spot as a 2026 ASBMB Fellow.

Chapman ASBMB Wins the 2026 Outstanding Chapter Award

Schmid students attending one of Chapman ASBMB’s workshops in the 2026 spring semester. Photo Credit: Chapman ASBMB

Schmid students also caught the attention of ASBMB on a national scale this year, winning the Outstanding Chapter Award out of over 100 student chapters across the country. Chapman’s ASBMB Chapter organizes mixers, panels, and workshops to build community among students in chemistry and biochemistry. This semester, the club has hosted events ranging from resume workshops to making ice cream and celebrating Pi Day with the mathematics department. The club also does community outreach, working with the Tustin school district to help get kids excited about STEM, as well as running a booth at the weekly Orange Homegrown Farmers’ Market.

Chapter co-presidents Joanna Lee and Kalli Lim (Biochem, ‘27) say that this award has helped build recognition for the club nationally and within the Schmid community.

“We want Chapman to also become a school that’s kind of known for science. And I think getting this award really does put us on the page for that. We want to provide a community not just for biochem majors, but for anyone of any major to join us. We’re a community for students to get to know one another, make some friends, and get to know a little bit more about the field that they want to go into,” says Joanna.

“Science is for everyone. I think that showing other people the opportunities that we’ve gotten from this outstanding award and just opportunities at Chapman  to other people is really in our future. There’s also fun events just for people in Schmid to meet other people in their major. Or we’ll just make friends, because that’s how Joana and I became friends, too,” says Kalli.

Both co-presidents are first-generation students. They credit Chapman’s ASBMB chapter with helping them find their path, including getting into research as undergrads and finding internships through the ASBMB network.

Chapman ASBMB members sharing their love of science with kids in the Tustin School District as part of the clubs community outreach. Photo Credit: Chapman ASBMB

Dr. Dries served as faculty advisor to the ASBMB student chapter at his previous institution. He encouraged Chapman’s chapter to apply for the Outstanding Chapter Award.

When I came to Chapman, I saw all the fantastic programming. I told them, ‘y’all need to apply for this award because you’re doing great work.’ They’re always putting on great events for students around the clock. It’s really a social place where people can gather and talk about their science. In that process, you get more excited about your science, which builds up motivation for continuing on those paths. They truly earned this award with their blood, sweat, and tears,” says Dr. Dries.

Check out these links to learn more about Dr. Dries’s research or Chapman ASBMB.