Three graduating seniors receive 2026 Comer Medals

Three soon-to-be Auburn University alumni received a particular distinction for their dedication, hard work and contributions to their respective fields on Wednesday.

Hosted by the College of Agriculture in collaboration with the College of Sciences and Mathematics, the Comer Medals for Excellence are presented to students in three areas of study. This year’s medalists are Elizabeth April Koifman (Comer Medal for Excellence in Agricultural Sciences), Will McCurley (Comer Medal for Excellence in Physical Sciences) and Pierce Meinert (Comer Medal for Excellence in Biological Sciences).

Koifman graduates this spring with a Bachelor of Science in environmental sciences. She has a 4.0 grade-point average and served as secretary of the Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Club for six semesters. She was also a member of the 2023-2024 Collegiate Soil Judging Team, which qualified for the national competition. She worked as an undergraduate research assistant in two College of Agriculture labs: the Forest and Fire Ecology Lab and the Paleoecology Lab. Her time at Auburn also included non-academic activities, including co-founding the Auburn chapter of End Overdose in July 2025, serving in the Latin Club, and participating in several dance ensembles over the last four years.

McCurley graduates with two bachelor’s degrees in mathematics and physics and a cumulative grade-point average of 3.97. He works as an undergraduate research assistant in the lab of Assistant Professor Yinong Zhou in computational condensed matter physics, using computational tools like tight-binding models and density functional theory (DFT) to study topological materials. An involved student, McCurley is a member of the Math Club, the Society of Physics Students, and the Quiz Bowl, the latter of which he most recently served as team captain.

Meinert graduates with a Bachelor of Science in microbial, cellular and molecular biology. He has a 4.0 grade-point average and has worked as an undergraduate researcher in the Department of Biological Sciences under Assistant Professor Michelle Gibbs and in the School of Fisheries, Aquaculture & Aquatic Sciences under Professor Alan Wilson. Meinert was also baritone section leader in the Auburn University Marching Band and a member of the Microbiology Club. In addition to the Comer Medal for Excellence, he was the 2025 recipient of the Joseph Kirby Farrington Memorial Award and of an Undergraduate Research Fellowship awarded by the Office of Undergraduate Research. 

Established in 1923, the Comer Medal was given each year until 1970, when it was decided that two medals would be given annually, one in the physical sciences and one in the biological sciences. Then in 1989, a third medal was added to award the excellence of an agricultural sciences student. Each of the medalists are selected by procedures established by the deans of the College of Agriculture and the College of Sciences and Mathematics. 

The award ceremony alternates its host each year, with the College of Agriculture hosting during even years and the College of Sciences and Mathematics hosting during odd years. This tradition not only highlights the collaborative efforts between the two colleges but also underscores the importance of recognizing and rewarding student excellence across diverse scientific disciplines.

Amy Wright, associate dean for instruction in the College of Agriculture, commended the three students for their hard work and achievements during their time at Auburn. 

“It is a privilege to work daily with exceptional students like these three medalists,” she said. “Their hard work reflects remarkable dedication to their fields, and I look forward to seeing their continued success in the future.”