Campus & Community

Graduate Dean鈥檚 Awards Recognize Excellence in Research and Creative Work

Monday, March 4, 2024, By Diane Stirling

Nine students will be honored with the Graduate Dean鈥檚 Award for Excellence in Research and Creative Work at a ceremony hosted by the on .

Winners were selected from a pool of 72 nominees by a panel of faculty members who serve on the Graduate Faculty Council. The awards are presented annually to recognize overall academic excellence and outstanding research and creative activities by master’s and doctoral students. Honorees receive a certificate of recognition and a $500 award.

person with suit and tie looking forward

Peter Vanable

鈥淭he creativity, innovation and broad range of concepts and interests represented by the entire group of submissions was extremely impressive this year. Our 2024 honorees presented especially exciting talent and capability in their academic work and creative projects, and we congratulate them,鈥� says , dean of the Graduate School.

The award winners will present brief overviews of their research or creative work at the awards ceremony.聽This year鈥檚 honorees are:

  • Fatima Dobani, a doctoral candidate studying clinical psychology in the : 鈥淢ultiracial Youth Alcohol Misuse鈥�
  • Kellan D.L. Head, doctoral candidate, philosophy, College of Arts and Sciences: 鈥淓valuating Beliefs and Epistemic Value鈥�
  • Jingjing Ji, doctoral candidate, chemical engineering, : 鈥淒esigning Tomorrow’s Therapies Through Advances in Computational Modeling鈥�
  • Qingyang Liu, doctoral candidate, human development and family science, : 鈥淒ifferential Growth Trajectories of Behavioral Self-Regulation from Early Childhood to Adolescence: Implication for Youth Domain-General and School-Specific Outcomes鈥�
  • Jessie Codell McClanahan, a master鈥檚 degree candidate in studio arts in the : 鈥淗ollers, Hills, & Buckshot: Anthologies of Appalachia.鈥�
  • Emily Pifer, doctoral candidate in composition and cultural rhetoric, College of Arts and Sciences: 鈥淧ulling Up the Tangled Roots of Rural Nostalgia鈥�
  • Ashley Schiros, doctoral candidate in clinical psychology, College of Arts and Sciences: 鈥淢isinformation Mayhem: The Effects of TikTok Content on ADHD Knowledge, Stigma and Treatment-Seeking Intentions鈥�
  • Ryan Wen, doctoral candidate, mass communications, : 鈥淭he Model Minority Stereotype Imposed on Asians in the United States and Their Neglected Health Disparities鈥�
  • Julia Zeh, doctoral candidate, biology, College of Arts and Sciences: 鈥淚nvestigating Vocal Development in Humpback Whales.鈥�

Eight other candidates were also named for honorable mention recognition:

  • Aatif Abbas, doctoral candidate, philosophy, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Mary Helander, doctoral candidate, social science,
  • Yushan Liu, master鈥檚 degree candidate, film, College of Visual and Performing Arts
  • Abigail Long, doctoral candidate, composition and cultural rhetoric, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Samantha Maguire, doctoral candidate, school psychology, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Teresa Ott, master鈥檚 degree candidate, creative writing, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Ashley Prow, doctoral candidate, earth sciences, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Laura Streib, doctoral candidate, earth sciences, College of Arts and Sciences