2009 University Libraries Distinguished Student Employee Award Winner - Dengfei Yu

Congratulation Dengfi on being one of this year’s Award Recipients, we wish you much success in your future!

Dengfei was employed in the Interlibrary Loan Department from January 2005 until his graduation this May 2009. He credits I.L.L. with learning the importance of responsibility, punctuality, teamwork and communication; these are skills he will carry with him the rest of his life. Dengfei evolved into an essential part of the I.L.L. team, and will be surly missed. Dengfei majored in biology with a neuroscience track, and will continue his education to Dental School. Dengfei was the treasurer of the Stony Brook Film Club; the film club promotes film making on campus, promoting appreciation of film, film criticism and holds discussions on themes and movie plots, using various clips and film styles. He was an active member of the Pre-dental Society and was involved in several community service events: cancer walks, blood drives, visiting hospitals. He also participated in community service through the Long Island Alliance Church in which he worked with Chinese exchange students attending Farmingdale State College and Stony Brook University whose lives were affected by the Sichuan earthquake in 2008. He volunteered his time to work with handicap children over the break to teach them snowboarding. Dengfei was the undergraduate teaching assistant for Biology 105 and was given the responsibility for a group over 50 students. He was accepted into a research position in the Anesthesiology Department of Stony Brook Medical Center where he was involved in a project that required intense study of both the structure and stereochemistry of morphine and related opioids that evokes analgesia and euphoria to release both acute and chronic pain. He obtained hands on experience in conducting experiments as well as being part of a team which performed pain-relieving operations upon patients. He also, was part of the shadowed a dentist program which helped him acquire his love for dentistry. The person who influenced Dengfei’s life the most was Franklin Delano Roosevelt because he overcame his disabilities, and was able to accomplish so much with his life, this inspired Dengfei to success in his life and overcome life’s obstacles with a never give up attitude. Dengfei plans on becoming a compassionate, dentist, still volunteering and possibly working aboard with the disadvantaged.