The official biography below was current at the time of the award. See the organization's website for its latest information.

A commitment to diversity in the microbiological sciences at all educational levels is embedded in the programs of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM). Since 1980, ASM has awarded 34 fellowships to minority graduate students to support completion of their doctoral research. 53 percent of the graduate fellows completed advanced degrees in the microbiological sciences; the remaining fellows continue their graduate or postdoctoral training. Nine of the doctoral degree recipients entered the professoriate. At the undergraduate level, ASM partnered with the National Institutes of Health to provide summer research fellowships under the supervision of ASM mentors. 185 research fellowships have been awarded since the program's inception in 1986. Thirty former undergraduate fellows completed doctoral degrees, 18 completed master's degrees and 92 completed baccalaureate degrees. ASM pre-college outreach strategies expose middle and high school students to career opportunities and role models while celebrating the contributions of underrepresented minority scientists.