Olivia Kowalczyk, a senior majoring in both Biology and East Asian Languages and Cultures, with a minor in Design, receives the 2026 Harrison D. Stalker Award from the Department of Biology in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis.
The Harrison D. Stalker Award is given annually to a graduating biology major whose undergraduate career combines outstanding scientific scholarship with significant contributions in the arts and humanities. The award honors the late Harrison D. Stalker, a renowned evolutionary biologist and world-class photographer.
Kowalczyk completed research in the Weber Lab investigating potential druggable targets for refractory triple-negative breast cancer resulting in her thesis Comparing DHX9i and PARP1i’s Effects on Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells.
In his nomination letter, Senior Lecturer & Coordinator of Undergraduate Research Experiences Anthony Smith wrote, “What I most admire about Olivia, beyond her numerous talents, academic strengths, and beautiful personality, is her desire to build others up via a multidisciplinary lens and creative expression, whether through academic tutelage as a TA or PLTL leader, through advances in research and scientific knowledge that has the power to improve cancer treatments, or through dynamic cultural expression in fashion apparel and dance entertainment. Many of Olivia’s endeavors are centered around imparting wisdom and joy to her fellow students and community. She truly embodies the spirit of the Stalker award and has exquisitely blended science, humanities, and the cultural arts to embody the essence of a liberal arts education.”
Kowalczyk says, “I am honored and grateful to receive this award, especially since it serves as a reminder that you can study and be passionate in subjects that don't seem inherently related like the humanities, arts, and science. These subjects shape one another in more ways than one, as I have shown by studying what seems to be a random batch of subjects: Biology, East Asian Languages and Cultures, and Fashion Design. For example, even purely aesthetically, biology is beautiful and artwork/clothes can take inspiration from it, as in my own work in fashion. In the future, I hope to continue bringing together art and science and am thankful for my teachers, peers, and family who have supported me along the way.”
She will receive a prize and formal acknowledgement at a celebration of biology honors and research emphasis students in May.
