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2023-2024 Dissertation Fellowship Awardees
The Graduate and Professional School offered 10 fellowships for the fall semester. Awardees are listed below:
Round One
Syahrul Amin is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Teaching, Learning, and Culture in the School of Education and Human Development. Amin’s research aims to explore and examine the state of post-secondary science education for pre-service teachers. Amin’s dissertation furthers empirical study by utilizing more robust data collection, such as classroom observation videos to examine instructors’ pedagogical practices in preparing pre-service science teachers. In his research, utilizing classroom observation videos has proven to have the potential of providing transparency for instructor practices in post-secondary science methods courses. Moreover, by analyzing the methods and approaches used by postsecondary science educators, he aims to identify effective strategies for preparing future science teachers to be effective instructors in the classroom. To this end, findings from his dissertation will provide an analysis of instructor practices and recommendations for the development of evidence-based practices for science teacher education. Through his research, Amin hopes to ultimately help close the gap between theory and practice in science education by promoting effective pedagogical practices in science teacher education, ensuring that future science instructors are prepared to inspire students in their engagement, literacy, and study of science.
Rahul Ghosh is an M.D./Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Biomedical Engineering in the College of Engineering and the School of Medicine. His research focuses on artificial intelligence (AI) methods for diagnosis and treatment of various cerebrovascular diseases, including strokes. Rahul's dissertation work aims to develop AI techniques capable of interpreting real-time intraoperative imaging, emulating the cognitive process of surgeons in visualizing catheters within the human body and inferring their arterial location. By drawing an analogy to GPS navigation, where arteries represent the roads and clots or lesions serve as destinations, his research strives to enhance robotic vascular intervention systems by providing precise GPS-like visualization for intravascular navigation. Ghosh’s work is the first step towards a new paradigm of autonomous robotic neurointerventional surgery, augmenting the physician workforce while addressing a critical gap in patient access to life-saving care.
Claire Grégoire is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Mechanical. Her research entails the conduction of experiments to study combustion processes at the Turbomachinery Laboratory under the supervision of Prof. Petersen. Claire’s dissertation will provide a new laser absorption diagnostic to investigate the chemical kinetics of solid rocket propellants. Utilizing rockets to deliver satellites that ensure the functioning of various applications – along with the possibility of exploring the solar system - her findings will be useful for aerospace propulsion applications. Supported by the Graduate Summer Research Grant Award (2020), several external research grants, the Ralph-James Fellowship (2021), and the J. Mike Walker ’66 Impact Award (2022), Claire’s research will also further the understanding of the combustion processes of rocket propellants, enabling the development of the best technology for defense applications.
Logan Kluis is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Aerospace Engineering in the College of Engineering. His research aims to quantify and optimize human performance during planetary extravehicular activity (EVA). Due to the larger dose of gravity and the required ambulation between mission locations, future planetary EVA missions will likely be more difficult compared to those on the ISS. In response, Kluis’ dissertation quantifies factors that affect EVA operations and performance, such as spacesuit pressure, spacesuit performance, oxygen pre-breathe time, and more. For his dissertation, he is quantifying factors that affect EVA operations and performance: spacesuit pressure, spacesuit performance, oxygen pre-breathe time, and habitat atmosphere. Kluis is also utilizing machine learning to model energy expenditure when ambulating in hypo gravity environments with and without a spacesuit. The metabolic model will be integrated into an EVA path planning tool, which will be the most complex energy cost model to be implemented in such a tool. Logan’s research will ultimately aid in designing future space mission architectures and ensure safer and more efficient planetary operations.
Jessica Lee is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning in the School of Architecture. Her research aims to propose a new model for a comprehensive understanding of socio-spatial inequities in environmental risks, examine disparities in stormwater infrastructure development, and investigate the unequal impacts of stormwater infrastructure development on the extent of localized flood damages. The new model for socio-spatial inequities in flood risks suggested by her dissertation will provide a theoretical framework for flood hazard vulnerability and environmental/climate justice research to understand inequities in flood hazard risks. The findings of her empirical studies will provide implications for equitable stormwater management while developing flood mitigation strategies in capital improvement and land use plans.
Raven McNew is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Kinesiology & Sport Management in the School of Education & Human Development. Her research is focused on the metabolic and functional effects of human obesity with the use of state-of-the-art stable isotope methodology. McNew aims to study changes in whole-body metabolism of amino acids, exercise capacity, and cognitive function that occur with increased body weight and after weight reduction. Her dissertation will ultimately contribute to the understanding of mechanisms underlying obesity when weight is stable during weight loss, providing important data for the development of personalized dietary interventions.
Huyen Nguyen is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Educational Administration and Human Resource Development in the School of Education and Human Development. Her dissertation research aims to explore the lived experiences of female faculty members in Vietnamese Higher Education Institutions with work-life balance (WLB). Nguyen’s research will provide a comprehensive understanding of how female Vietnamese professors navigate their work and personal life, address a longstanding gap in human resources literature, and make a significant contribution to what is known about WLB. Nguyen’s research will also provide valuable information to help policymakers, university leaders, and department heads better optimize their resources to meet the needs and improve the quality of life of female faculty, enhancing the value of the higher education system in Vietnam in the process.
Minjin Park is a doctoral candidate in the Department of English in the College of Arts and Sciences. Her dissertation explores the use of sensory discourses by Victorian women writers as a remedy to emerging modern medicine. Park argues that Victorian female novelists resist male-dominated and materialistic medicine by reconfiguring the senses as a pivotal element in giving and receiving care, examining the ways in which this reconfiguration is embodied in their writing in the process. As a medical humanities project, Park’s research reaffirms the necessity of literature in medical education to train self-reflexive practitioners. As a feminist study of sensory agency in care giving and receiving roles, her research empowers people marginalized from mainstream allopathic medicine by emphasizing the voices of those who are modern Western medicine’s “others” as the key to improving medical care equity.
Ronnakrit "Ronnie" Rattanasriampaipong is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Oceanography in the College of Arts and Sciences. His dissertation research evaluates a long-term history of the global ocean and climate changes using archaeal membrane lipids. His work has utilized modern statistics and machine learning techniques to extend the use of archaeal lipids beyond their typical application. In a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) last year, Ronnie and his advisor, Dr. Yige Zhang, together with collaborators from Harvard and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, introduced a novel approach to study the ecology and evolution of marine archaea using archaeal lipids. His dissertation research also aims to improve the understanding of non-thermal factors that influence the lipid-based temperature proxy. Improvement of the proxy will be useful for the validation of the climate model during past warm periods, which in turn helps constrain future projections of climate models. Ronnie is the first in his family to pursue a doctoral degree. He is proud to be a Fulbright Thai Graduate Scholarship Grantee, a Schlanger Ocean Drilling Fellow, and a finisher of several ultra-distance running races.
Round Two
Donnie Secreast is a doctoral candidate in the Department of English within the College of Arts and Sciences. Her research delves into the intersection of embodied experiences with nature, exploring how these experiences align, diverge, or are sometimes disavowed in relation to pastoralist definitions of nature. Donnie's work focuses on grotesque literary depictions of the environment and scientific renderings, including the often slimy substances they produce. Through this, she aims to present new images and experiences that challenge anthropocentric modes of environmental engagement. Donnie believes that understanding the intersection of fiction and science in capturing the public imagination can contribute to envisioning more sustainable, inclusive, and joyful futures. Her research broadens conceptions of nature by pairing the literary grotesque with scientific perspectives.
Francesco Bromo is a doctoral Candidate in the Department of Political Science within the Bush School. His doctoral dissertation addresses the empirical evidence gap regarding the use and consequences of "votes of confidence" in parliamentary governments. Francesco's research explores the factors influencing leaders' incentives to rely on this procedural device and investigates how voters react to its use. Additionally, he delves into the process of government formation in parliamentary democracies. By providing the first cross-national, quantitative analysis of government-initiated votes of confidence, Francesco's work contributes to understanding executive power and voters' evaluations of leaders. His research highlights differences in government formation in parliamentary systems, prompting a reconsideration of existing knowledge.
Hyein Kim is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Anthropology within the College of Arts and Sciences. Her research focuses on cognitive cultural approaches to measuring cultural changes during migration, with the aim of promoting the valid representation of those experiencing displacement and their well-being. Hyein's dissertation seeks to validate the protective effect that ethnic communities can provide on the mental health of immigrants, emphasizing shared ethnic cultural models. Through her work, she aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the dynamics and consequences of migration. Hyein explores how the interlocking relationship between culture and social structures leads to immigrant health disparities. Her research endeavors to shed light on the role of cultural factors in shaping the experiences and well-being of individuals undergoing migration.
Jordan Salomon is a doctoral candidate enrolled in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Interdisciplinary Program, affiliated with the Veterinary Integrative Biosciences Department in the School of Veterinary & Biomedical Sciences. Jordan's research focuses on the dynamics of parasites, blood-feeding insect vectors, and animal hosts in natural ecosystems. She investigates seasonal patterns of activity exhibited by vectors and parasites, along with host preferences. Jordan explores how infection with the agent of Chagas disease influences the preferences of kissing bugs for humans, dogs, or chickens. Through an interdisciplinary approach, her goal is to characterize natural transmission cycles of infectious agents and identify innovative approaches to disrupt transmission, particularly in zoonotic vector-borne diseases.
Manasa Hegde is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Architecture within the College of Architecture. Her research examines the disparities in the locations of multi-family subsidized housing and their impact on residents' physical activity. Manasa aims to identify environmental attributes influencing spatial disparities in supporting physical activity among residents. Her dissertation provides insights for targeted policy recommendations related to environmental justice and design strategies promoting healthy communities. Manasa's work contributes to understanding the social determinants of health, aligning with global health initiatives. It expands knowledge on housing/neighborhood livability, mobility, and residents' quality of life, offering tools for shared challenges in other cities and countries.
Milton Torres-Ceron is a doctoral candidate in the interdisciplinary Ecology and Evolutionary Biology program within the College of Arts and Science. His research focuses on the effects of climate change on fish species in Texas estuaries. Milton explores how gradual environmental changes influence fish growth patterns and the ecological interactions between different fish species. His findings on how weather affects fish growth inform potential modifications to fishing ban seasons and benefit aquaculture projects along the Gulf of Mexico. Milton's research contributes to understanding fish population responses to environmental changes, informing future estuarine ecosystem conservation and management decisions.
Zihao "Scott" Li is a doctoral candidate in the Zachry Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the College of Engineering, focusing on addressing operational and safety challenges in Connected Automated Vehicle (CAV) systems. Zihao's research aims to create a cyber-physically resilient CAV system by understanding, evaluating, and mitigating external disturbances, including those from human-driven vehicles and potential cyberattacks. Employing traffic flow theory, Monte Carlo simulation, and control theory, he proposes a comprehensive framework for analyzing disturbances and developing a reliable cooperative control strategy for vehicular platoon stability. Zihao's work promises to enhance the resilience of CAV systems, improving traffic safety, efficiency, and stability in mixed traffic environments.