Awards & Recognition

How this work has been recognized

This page brings together recognition for my research, scholarship, academic work, and research communication, along with the certificates, ceremonies, posters, and projects behind it.

University of Pennsylvania · State University of New York · Binghamton University · 2022–2026

Research Funding & Support

Support for independent research

Competitive undergraduate research support that made independent, faculty-sponsored fieldwork and analysis possible.

2024

Harpur Edge Student Support Fellowship

Binghamton University

Support for independent, faculty-sponsored undergraduate research.

Related research Honors thesis
Research Funding
2023

Undergraduate Research Award

Binghamton University

Awarded in support of undergraduate research in geography and geospatial analysis.

Related research
Research Funding

Academic & University Honors

Recognition not tied to a single project

Honors that closed out the undergraduate degree at Binghamton University in May 2024.

2024

Phi Beta Kappa

Inducted 2024 · Binghamton University

Elected to the academic honor society. This is an academic honor rather than a conventional award.

Academic Honor
2024

Highest Departmental Honors in Geography

Binghamton University

Awarded on the undergraduate honors thesis in geography.

Undergraduate honors research
Departmental Honor
2024

Distinguished Senior Recognition Award in Geography

Binghamton University Foundation · Presented April 2024

Departmental senior recognition in geography, awarded through the Binghamton University Foundation.

Supporting materials
Binghamton University Foundation certificate recognizing Zhanchao Yang as recipient of the Distinguished Senior Recognition Award in Geography, presented April 2024
Certificate
Departmental Honor
2022

Gamma Theta Upsilon

International Geographical Honor Society · Inducted 2022

Honor Society
2024

Summa Cum Laude

Binghamton University · B.A. in Geography, May 2024

Degree Honor
Gamma Theta Upsilon induction ceremony at Binghamton University, with inductees wearing the honor society's stoles
Gamma Theta Upsilon induction · International Geographical Honor Society
Commencement honor cords, stole, and Chancellor's Award medal laid out for the Binghamton University Class of 2024 ceremony
Commencement regalia · Binghamton University, Class of 2024

Also university honors, featured above

Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence · 2024 President’s Award, Honorable Mention · 2024

Research & Professional Recognition

Recognition inside the discipline

Awards tied to disciplinary work in planning and geography.

2023

Paul F. Gorman ’73 Memorial Scholarship

Binghamton University Foundation · Presented September 2023

Awarded annually to a full-time Harpur College undergraduate student with a declared major in geography. Established in 1999 in honor of Paul F. Gorman ’73.

Supporting materials
Binghamton University Foundation certificate recognizing Zhanchao Yang as recipient of the Paul F. Gorman '73 Memorial Scholarship, presented September 2023
Certificate

Selection criteria and award terms as stated in the Binghamton University Foundation award letter, September 2023.

Scholarship

Also disciplinary recognition, elsewhere on this page

C. Britton Harris Award · 2026 Harpur Edge Student Support Fellowship · 2024 GIS Day poster recognition · 2022–2023

Research Communication & Presentation

The posters and talks that carried the work

This section covers student poster competitions and conference presentations, along with the projects behind them.

2024

Outstanding Undergraduate Conference Presentation Award

Recognition for undergraduate research presentation

Zhanchao Yang presenting Accessibility or Environmental Conservation? at the AAG Annual Meeting in Honolulu, April 2024
Related presentation: Accessibility or Environmental Conservation? · AAG Annual Meeting, Honolulu, April 2024

The undergraduate research behind it

Evaluating the relationship between environmental protection and hiking-trail accessibility using LiDAR and remote sensing.

Conference presentations Honors thesis
2023

GIS Day, First Place in the Student Poster Competition

Department of Geography & GIS Core Facility · Eighth Annual GIS Day, Binghamton University · November 17, 2023

Zhanchao Yang presenting the poster Accessibility or Environmental Conservation? at Binghamton University GIS Day 2023
Presenting the poster at Binghamton University GIS Day, 2023
First Place · Undergraduate

Recognized work

Accessibility or Environmental Conservation? Evaluating the Relationship Between Environmental Protection and Hiking Trails Accessibility via LiDAR & Remote Sensing

First Place undergraduate certificate, Student Poster Competition, Eighth Annual GIS Day, Binghamton University, November 17, 2023
Certificate · 2023
Scholarly output
2022

GIS Day, First Place and People’s Choice

Department of Geography & GIS Core Facility · Seventh Annual GIS Day, Binghamton University · November 18, 2022

Zhanchao Yang and project team presenting the invasive species poster at Binghamton University GIS Day 2022
Presenting the invasive-species project at GIS Day, 2022
First Place · Undergraduate People’s Choice

Recognized work

Tracking the Spread of Invasive Species in the Binghamton University Natural Preserve

With S. O’Day, P. McCann & I. Lu. The project received two recognitions at the same competition.

People's Choice Award and First Place undergraduate certificates from the Seventh Annual GIS Day student poster competition, Binghamton University, November 18, 2022
Certificates · 2022
Scholarly output

Recognition Timeline

The record, in order

A compact chronology for quick scanning. The sections above carry the context.

  1. 2026

    • C. Britton Harris Award University of Pennsylvania

  2. 2024

    • Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence State University of New York
    • President’s Award for Undergraduate Student Excellence, Honorable Mention Binghamton University
    • Outstanding Undergraduate Conference Presentation Award Research communication
    • Harpur Edge Student Support Fellowship Binghamton University
    • Phi Beta Kappa Inducted 2024
    • Highest Departmental Honors in Geography Binghamton University
    • Distinguished Senior Recognition Award in Geography Binghamton University Foundation
    • Summa Cum Laude Binghamton University

  3. 2023

    • Undergraduate Research Award Binghamton University
    • Paul F. Gorman ’73 Memorial Scholarship Binghamton University Foundation
    • GIS Day, First Place in the Student Poster Competition Binghamton University

  4. 2022

    • GIS Day, First Place in the Student Poster Competition Binghamton University
    • GIS Day, People’s Choice Award Binghamton University
    • Gamma Theta Upsilon, Inducted International Geographical Honor Society

The CV has my full academic record, including publications, research, teaching, and service.

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