Graduate Dean’s Award Recipients Embody Research, Creative Excellence

Eight graduate students will be honored with the Graduate Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research and Creative Work at an annual ceremony hosted by the Graduate School on Wednesday, March 5. The event will also include brief presentations from the awardees about their research or creative work. The campus community is invited and encouraged to attend.

This year’s honorees, selected by members of the Graduate Faculty Council from a pool of nearly 60 applicants from across the University, are:

• Caroline Charles, English, College of Arts and Sciences: “Black Family Photography in Syracuse: Assembling a Community Collection with Family Photo-Sharing”
• Bramsh Khan, social science, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs: “Gendered Politics of Infrastructure Violence in Balochistan, Pakistan”
• Natalie Petryk, bioengineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science: “Biodegradable and Bioactive Polyurethane Foams to Improve Traumatic Wound Healing”
• Frank Sicong Chen, computer and information science and engineering, Engineering and Computer Science: “Enhancing Security and Health Monitoring on Wearable Devices through Multi-Modal Continuous Monitoring”
• Lily Holloway, creative writing, Arts and Sciences: “Always I Am Wanting and Wanting: A Literary Reading”
• Benjamin Valen, social psychology, Arts and Sciences: “Health Disparities Among Transgender, Nonbinary and Cisgender Undergraduate Students”
• Jersey Cosantino, cultural foundations of education, School of Education: “Resisting Pathologizing Discourses: (Re)claiming Mad, Neurodivergent and Trans* Narration via a Mad Trans* Studies Oral History Method(ology)”
• Yasmine Tiana Goring, television, radio and film, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications: “222 Macon Street”

“The depth and breadth of our graduate students’ portfolios are truly impressive,” says Peter Vanable, dean of the Graduate School. “We are proud to honor them, and look forward to hearing more about their work during their presentations at the awards ceremony.”

The awards 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.

Student who earned honorable mention were:

• Azadeh Ghanizadeh, composition and cultural rhetoric, Arts and Sciences
• Pardha Sourya Nayani, electrical and computer engineering, Engineering and Computer Science
• Tevvon Hines, film, College of Visual and Performing Arts
• Elina Ruiqi Sun, social psychology, Maxwell School
• Tosin Alabi, business administration, Martin J. Whitman School of Management

The ceremony and presentations will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. in 312 Lyman Hall. A reception will follow. For more information, contact Holly Johnson at hjohns02@syr.edu.