Mir Mulla called UC Riverside home for nearly 70 years. Shortly after receiving his Ph.D. in entomology and parasitology, Mulla, who was born in Zangawat, Afghanistan, accepted a postdoc position at the Citrus Experiment Station as a junior research entomologist in 1956. From there, he helped establish the medical entomology program at UCR, taught, trained dozens of graduate and postdoctoral students, pioneered insect control methods that positively impacted the health of people worldwide, served as an advisor for institutions including the World Health Organization, and was recognized with numerous fellowships and awards before his death in 2023 at the age of 97.

“As an immigrant from Afghanistan who came here on an international scholarship and received both his B.S. and Ph.D. from American universities, Dr. Mulla and his wife were always aware of the importance of financial support for those struggling economically,” said Brian Federici, distinguished professor in the Graduate Division of the UCR Department of Entomology and a colleague of Mulla’s. “Through various grants he obtained, he supported numerous undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral fellows during his long career, thus supporting student scholarships for UCR students is part of the Mulla family character and DNA.”

Mulla and his wife, Lelia (who passed away in 2019), met at UC Berkeley, where she received a B.A. in social welfare. Together they established multiple funds at UCR, including the Dr. Mir S. Mulla and Lelia Mulla Endowed Scholarship Fund, which supports undergraduate and graduate students majoring in entomology and related fields.

“Students funded under this program are fulfilling and continuing the work that Mir established in all those decades working at UCR,” said Peter Atkinson, interim dean for the College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences. “It provides them with recognition that they are exceptional scholars and exceptional trainees and have a great scientific career ahead of them.”

Since its founding in 2012, the scholarship has been awarded to 13 students. Thanks to the funding provided, recipients are relieved of some of their financial stress and are therefore able to dedicate more time to their studies and research.

“This scholarship afforded me the opportunity to focus on finishing my dissertation research without having to work in the lab to financially support myself,” said Linton Freund ’24. “This is an immense privilege that not many doctoral students are provided, and I am extremely grateful to have had the ability to focus strictly on my dissertation during the last quarter of my Ph.D.”

Having that additional time for coursework and research is not only benefiting scholarship recipients during their time at UCR, it’s also positively impacting their careers.

“The Mulla scholarship greatly helped me because it allowed me to focus more uninterrupted time on my doctoral studies,” said Lauren Conroy ’20. “Completing my Ph.D. gave me a competitive edge in the job market and helped me secure my position as a tenured professor at a community college.”

Recipients also experience intangible benefits from earning the award. In addition to offering financial assistance, the scholarship established by the Mullas provides encouragement to recipients as they pursue their degrees.

“I really can’t convey what it means to me to experience that level of support and trust,” said Beth Peacock ’23. “I feel more capable and determined every time I reflect on the fact that someone was willing to invest so much support in my education.”