The AISES Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Dr. Mary Jo Ondrechen is the winner of the 2026 Ely S. Parker Award, the organization’s highest honor. Dr. Ondrechen is a Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Northeastern University in Boston.
“Dr. Mary Jo Ondrechen embodies the very essence of dedication and leadership that the Ely S. Parker Award seeks to honor,” says Mike Laverdure, chair of the AISES Board of Directors. “I have personally known Mary Jo since her impactful tenure as AISES board chair in 2013. Her steady leadership during that era was instrumental in helping our organization thrive and survive through some incredibly challenging years. As a fierce advocate for the academic community, Mary Jo reminds us that educators and education are a core, indispensable pillar of the AISES family.”
A citizen of the Mohawk Nation (Kahnawake Band), Dr. Ondrechen earned a PhD in Chemistry from Northwestern University in 1978 and a BA in Chemistry from Reed College in 1974. With over four decades of research and teaching, she has influenced generations of students and professionals across the globe. She is a world-renowned researcher and a beloved professor.
As both a Sequoyah Fellow and a Firekeeper, Dr. Ondrechen has been a pillar of AISES for decades, providing unwavering financial support and serving in numerous leadership roles, including chair of the Board of Directors and chair of the Academic Advisory Council. Mary Jo has left a legacy at AISES through her endowed scholarship fund named after her mother, ‘The Jacqueline Katsitsaroroks Ondrechen (Mohawk) Endowed Scholarship’ that supports Indigenous students pursuing a STEM degree. She has generously shared her expertise as a mentor, most notably through the Lighting the Pathway for Faculty Careers for Natives in STEM Program, inspiring future Indigenous faculty and researchers. Her legendary mentorship and leadership of generations of STEM focused students and professionals has left an indelible impact in her STEM field, her community and university, and other’s lives. Dr. Ondrechen says,
“It is humbling to receive an award named for a Haudenosaunee hero. It is indeed moving to receive recognition from AISES, an organization that has touched the lives of so many people, including me, in a good way. The best paths to solve the world’s problems are those that combine the techniques of modern science with the knowledge, tradition, creativity, resilience and values of our Indigenous People; AISES is the place where those two powerful forces come together.”
As a Fulbright Faculty Research Fellow, Dr. Ondrechen advanced critical research on a kinase cancer target at the Technical University in Budapest in 2021. Starting as early as February of 2020, she and her students contributed to scientific understanding of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her consequential, interdisciplinary work demonstrates a deep commitment to applying scientific research to urgent global health challenges and improving outcomes for humanity. Throughout her career, Dr. Ondrechen has built an extraordinary record of scientific achievement, leadership, and service. Her honors include an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellowship, Northeastern University’s Excellence in Teaching Award, the 2024 AISES Technical Excellence Award, the 2026 AAAS Lifetime Mentor Award, and election as a Fellow of The Protein Society.
Her contributions in STEM have not only opened doors but have created lasting pathways for underrepresented communities to thrive.
“Whether through her research, award-winning teaching, or lifelong dedication to mentorship, Dr. Ondrechen has demonstrated an extraordinary ability to uplift others while advancing the frontiers of science,” says AISES President Sarah EchoHawk, a member of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma. “Her legacy is one of excellence, empowerment, and enduring impact. AISES would not be who we are without Dr. Ondrechen’s reach and influence. We are forever grateful for her light, laughter, and leadership.”
Dr. Ondrechen will be honored at the closing banquet of the 2026 AISES National Conference on Saturday, October 17, in Portland, Oregon. Click here to access a list of past distinguished recipients.
About AISES – Advancing Indigenous Science & Engineering Society
AISES is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to substantially increasing the representation of Indigenous peoples in the United States, Canada, and the Pacific Islands in science, technology, engineering, and math studies and careers. For decades, AISES has served students and professionals through scholarships, chapters, professional development, and its flagship National Conference, building pathways to Indigenous leadership across STEM fields.