Celebrating a mentor

College honors faculty members with new award named for the late Mavis Agbandje-McKenna, PhD

By: Emily Mavrakis
Lab photo of the McKennas and trainees. Mavis Agbandje-McKenna, PhD, first row, second from right, and her husband, Rob McKenna, PhD, pose with their shared group of lab trainees, who affectionately call themselves the “McKennites,” in 2005.
Azra Bihorac and Sara Burke at Research Day in the O-Connell Center. Azra Bihorac, MD, MS, senior associate dean for research affairs, left, with Sara Burke, PhD, an associate professor in the department of neuroscience and the inaugural winner of the Dr. Mavis Agbandje-McKenna Distinguished Research Mentoring Award, pose for a photo at the UF College of Medicine Research Day in April. Photo by Jesse S. Jones
Rob McKenna and Mavis Agbandje-McKenna on a cruise in 2009. Rob McKenna, PhD, and Mavis Agbandje-McKenna, PhD, on a cruise in 2009.
“We called ourselves the McKennites because once you’re part of this family, you’re stuck.”
— Antonette Bennett, PhD ’09
Video by Chris Bilowich