2024 Karff Award Winners selected
The McGovern Center is pleased to announce the winners of the 2024 Karff Awards. These awards are given to graduating seniors at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. These awards are made possible through the Samuel Karff Chair, which is held by Reverend Dr. Nathan Carlin, Director of the McGovern Center.
Samuel Karff, for whom these awards are named, was Rabbi Emeritus at Congregation Beth Israel in Houston, TX. Rabbi Karff was among the most influential rabbis of his generation, especially for his interfaith and social justice work in Houston. Of interest is a monument dedicated to Rabbi Karff (along with two of his friends and colleagues) in Downtown Houston.
The prize amount for each award is $250. This year there are two awards and winners were recognized at the Annual Humanities Graduation Banquet held on March 26, 2024.
Best Humanities Project
This award goes to a graduating senior who created an exceptional humanities-based project. Papers can be in clinical ethics, history, literature, law, the social sciences, and more, or these projects also can be practical in nature, such as the creation of learning materials or curricula.
Bronson Ciavarra
“Exploring the Intersection of Philosophy of Mind and Neurosurgery: Bridging the Gap for Enhanced Understanding and Patient Care”
Best Artistic Project
This award is for the graduating senior who created an exceptional piece of art that relates to life in medicine, broadly conceived. The student also writes a brief academic paper related to the creative project.
Purujit Chatterjee
“Beyond the Boundaries: The Pediatrician’s Role in Advocating for LGBTQ+ Health”
