SUNY's highest student honor goes to Raven Baxter for COVID-19 education

The State University of New York gave its Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence to Raven Baxter in a virtual ceremony released April 14, 2021. Baxter, then a doctoral candidate at the University at Buffalo, was named in a new Special Service category. According to UBNow, the honor recognized "her efforts to educate the community about the facts related to COVID-19 and safety."

The award came as federal data showed the pandemic's uneven toll. Two weeks earlier, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that COVID-19 was the third leading cause of death in the United States in 2020. The age-adjusted COVID-19 death rate was 151.1 per 100,000 for non-Hispanic Black people and 72.5 for non-Hispanic White people. A KFF poll released March 30 found that 55% of Black adults had been vaccinated or wanted to be as soon as possible, up from 41% in February.

Dr. Frank Middleton of Upstate Medical University presents the award. Baxter is not pictured. Image: State University of New York video

Dr. Frank Middleton, director of the neuroscience program at Upstate Medical University, presented the award. He cited The STEMbassy, whose weekly YouTube broadcast features STEM professionals talking about their careers. He also cited Black in Science Communication, which she founded, and her national COVID-19 education effort. He said it was "intended to reach the community so often left out and yet so disproportionately affected by COVID-19."

In her recorded remarks, Baxter said music was her answer to the crisis. "When the pandemic began and I realized how important it was to get information out to the public in an accessible way, in a fun and engaging way, so I put out a music video," she said. The video, "Wipe It Down," "went viral around the world," she said.

"Everyone has a place in science, no matter what you look like, no matter where you come from, what accent you have," Baxter said. "Everybody has a place here. And a part of that is allowing people to be creative, allowing scientists to show their multi-dimensionality."

Baxter said she builds community around social issues and current events first. "When I do have things to talk about that are related to science, there's already a community here supporting a scientist, and is ready to listen to science and to learn science," she said. She called that what she is most proud of. "I think that our science culture needs more of that," she said, pointing to the social and cultural side of science.

SUNY's title card for Baxter's award, with the University at Buffalo's nomination statement. Image: State University of New York video

UBNow calls the award, created in 1997, "the highest honor bestowed upon a student by SUNY." In 2021 SUNY honored 135 students and added four categories, for diversity, equity and inclusion, military service, overcoming the odds, and special service related to COVID-19. The University at Buffalo's other recipients were Gianna Damico, Jacqueline Hannan and Matthew Taboni.

University at Buffalo President Satish K. Tripathi called Baxter "a nationally recognized science communicator who is passionate about sharing her knowledge with others." He added that "she has demonstrated a deep and abiding commitment to serve the greater good."

Baxter earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in biological sciences at SUNY Buffalo State. The previous September, Fortune named her to its 2020 40 Under 40 in health.

UBNow's story is also kept as an archived copy. SUNY's full ceremony is below, and Baxter's award begins at 8:40.

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