welcome from the president
On behalf of the Georgia State University community, it is my pleasure to welcome you to Georgia State’s spring 2025 Ph.D. Commencement and Hooding. What a special occasion for our graduates, their families and friends, and the entire Georgia State community.
To the doctoral candidates, congratulations on a job well done. Earning a doctorate takes dedication, focused study, research and, most of all, a passion for learning. Your years of hard work have paid off.
Whatever the future holds for you, remember you will always be a member of the Georgia State family. Please keep us informed of your achievements as you enter the next chapter of your life.
In addition, I encourage you to become active in the Georgia State Alumni Association. The association will keep you informed about the accomplishments of your university and will provide you with opportunities to network socially and professionally with Georgia State graduates in Georgia, across the nation and around the world.
To the faculty, staff, family and friends who have supported these students, thank you for the important roles you have played. Your graduate’s achievement is a reflection of the support and encouragement you have provided over the years. Their success is your success.
To everyone, thank you for investing in quality higher education, which I believe is the foundation of a bright future for our country and our world.
Sincerely,
M. Brian Blake President
PROCESSIONAL
THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER
WELCOME
The Ph.D. Candidates and Faculty Escorts
“Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1,” Sir Edward Elgar
The Platform Party “Triumphal March” from Aida, Giuseppe Verdi
Members of Georgia State University Symphonic Wind Ensemble
T. Devin Reid, Conductor
Blair Lipham, soprano, Master of Music, Vocal Performance ’25
Members of Georgia State University School of Music
M. Brian Blake, President
INTRODUCTION OF M. Brian Blake, President
COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER
COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS Jonathan Gayles, Professor and Chair, Department of Africana Studies, College of Arts and Sciences
PRESENTATION OF Nicolle Parsons-Pollard, Executive Vice President for CANDIDATES FOR DEGREES Academic Affairs and Provost
CONFERRAL OF DEGREES
HOODING AND RECOGNITION
M. Brian Blake, President
Lisa Armistead, Dean, The Graduate School, and Faculty Escorts OF CANDIDATES
CLOSING REMARKS
ALMA MATER
RECESSIONAL
Accompanied by the Commencement Chamber Ensemble
M. Brian Blake, President
Shaun Gibbons, tenor, Master of Music, Choral Conducting ’26 Members of Georgia State University School of Music
The Platform Party
The Ph.D. Candidates and Faculty Escorts
“Triumphal March” from Aida, Giuseppe Verdi
Members of Georgia State University Symphonic Wind Ensemble
T. Devin Reid, Conductor
PM. Brian Blake, President
nicolle Parsons-Pollard, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost
Jonathan G ayles, Professor and Chair
Department of Africana Studies, College of Arts and Sciences
d onald haMelBerG, Interim Vice President for Research and Economic Development
thoMas J. Vicino, Dean, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies
huanBiao Mo, Dean, Byrdine F. Lewis College of Nursing and Health Professions
l indsey l . cohen, Interim Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
Paul a. a lBerto, Dean and Regents’ Professor in Intellectual Disabilities, College of Education and Human Development
courtney anderson, Interim Dean, College of Law
chester PhilliPs, Dean, College of the Arts
Jian-d onG l i, Director, Institute for Biomedical Sciences
l isa a rMistead, Dean, The Graduate School
sarah cook, Dean, Honors College
r ichard d. PhilliPs, Dean, J. Mack Robinson College of Business
Bar Bara J. Johnson, Dean, Perimeter College
rodney lyn, Dean, School of Public Health
Jeff steely, Dean, University Libraries
Patrick k freer, Chair, Senate Executive Committee, and Mace Bearer
yVes Mck enzie, Nomenclator
shaun GiBBons, Soloist
Blair l iPhaM, Soloist
JONATHAN GAYLES Professor and Chair Department of Africana Studies College of Arts and Sciences
Jonathan Gayles is a professor of Africana Studies and chair of the Department of Africana Studies at Georgia State University.
He graduated from Morehouse College with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, from Winthrop University with a Master of Science in School Psychology and from the University of South Florida with a Ph.D. in Applied Anthropology. His primary areas of interest include the anthropology of education, Black masculinity and critical media studies.
In 2012, he produced the award-winning documentary on African American comic book superheroes entitled “White Scripts and Black Supermen: Black Masculinities in Comic Books” (California Newsreel). In 2013, the American Culture Association/Popular Culture Association awarded the documentary the Peter Rollins Film Award for Best Documentary.
He also produced “The E-Word: A Documentary on the Ebonics Debate.” The film examines the context of the national furor in response to the Oakland Unified School District’s Resolution on Ebonics. The film pursues a more informed understanding of “The E-Word” through the use of archival footage and interviews with former students, teachers, administrators, policymakers and scholars who were directly involved with the resolution and the national debate that ensued.
Dr. Gayles has won numerous community and university awards for his service.
THE PRESIDENT’S MEDALLION
The President’s Medallion is one of the grand traditions of higher education, symbolizing the eminence, authority and responsibilities of the university’s highest office. The medallion, bearing the college seal, is passed from president to president upon inauguration and is an integral part of ceremonial regalia. The Georgia State University Medallion, made with sterling silver and 14-karat gold, was designed in 1990 by Julia Woodman (M.F.A. ’95).
THE MACE
The Mace, inspired by a medieval weapon, is a traditional symbol of sovereignty that dates back to antiquity. It is carried in front of the processional for convocations, presidential inaugurations, commencement and other significant university events. The Georgia State University Mace, featuring a variety of symbols unique to the institution, was created in 1990 for the university’s first presidential inauguration ceremony.
A
The history of academic regalia dates back almost 800 years to medieval times, when the robes that people wore in the fashion of the day were often distinguished with certain styles and colors to denote a particular status, profession or religious order. This tradition persisted among clerics (the original scholars, who wore hoods, caps and gowns to stay warm in big, unheated buildings) and was later continued at universities such as Oxford and Cambridge. Over time, the robes and caps became distinctive for associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctor’s degrees, with every detail prescribed and controlled by the institution.
Academic regalia were first used in the United States in 1883 at Williams College in Massachusetts. As more U.S. colleges began to adopt the tradition, it became apparent that standards were necessary, and in 1895 the Intercollegiate Commission defined guidelines and specifications (changed somewhat since then) for cut, style, material and color based on degree and academic discipline. Even so, the variety of styles and colors displayed in faculty processions reflects each university’s latitude in designing unique and distinctive regalia for its master’s and doctoral robes.
The most elaborate academic costume is the doctoral gown, with velvet panels down the front and three bars of the same material across the sleeves. The velvet is usually black, but it may be a color designating degree subject. The hood bears a larger symbolic burden, with the width of its velvet trimmings designating the level of the degree and its color indicating the major field of learning. The lining of the hood identifies the degree-granting institution. Georgia State University is symbolized by a lining of royal blue with a crimson chevron.
Hoods are trimmed in colors that represent the disciplines as follows:
White arts and letters, including journalism
Scarlet theology
Purple law
Green medicine
Dark Blue philosophy
Yellow science
Brown architecture and the fine arts
Lilac dentistry
Apricot nursing
Pink music
Orange engineering
Olive pharmacy
Light Brown business
Lemon Yellow library science
Light Blue education
Peacock Blue public administration
Citron Yellow social work
Teal physical therapy
Salmon Pink public health
Patricia anne Dooley
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND CRIMINOLOGY
B.S., 2012, University of North Georgia
M.A., 2015, University of North Dakota
Dissertation: Making Choices: The Influence of Media Coverage on Police-Community Relationships
Chair: Dr. Joshua C. Hinkle
r eginalD Bryan H eBert
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
ECONOMICS
B.A., 2008, University of Louisiana at Lafayette
A.A., 2016, Austin Community College
B.A., 2020, Texas State University
B.S., 2020, Texas State University
M.A., 2022, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Three Essays on Health Economics and Policy
Chair: Dr. Michael F. Pesko
Danye negasH MeDHin
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND CRIMINOLOGY
A.A., 2010, Wake Technical Community College
B.S., 2014, North Carolina Central University
M.S., 2016, North Carolina Central University
Dissertation: Green Light: Investigating CannabisRelated Public Health and Public Safety Shifts in the Era of Legalization
Chair: Dr. Eric Sevigny
Andrew Young School of Policy Studies
DEAN THOMAS J. VICINO
saMuel sturM
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
ECONOMICS
B.A., 2018, Bluffton University
M.A., 2020, The University of Texas at Austin
Dissertation: Essays on Public, Health, and Labor Economics
Chair: Dr. Daniel Kreisman
Murat uzer
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND CRIMINOLOGY
B.S., 2017, Northeastern University
Dissertation: Three Studies on Arson Investigators’ Job Attitudes and Perceptions
Chair: Dr. Volkan Topalli
MarsHall l orraine WHite
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND CRIMINOLOGY
B.A., 2014, Louisiana State University
M.S., 2019, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Dissertation: The Impact of Legal Debt on Perceptions of Procedural Justice, Legal Cynicism, and Legitimacy in People Sentenced to Misdemeanor Private Probation
Chair: Dr. William J. Sabol
College of the Arts
gail a. McFarlanD
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
COMMUNICATION
B.A., 2017, Georgia State University
M.A., 2019, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Unraveling the Cinematic Black Social Cut
Chair: Dr. Alessandra Raengo
DEAN CHESTER PHILLIPS
sunDos a l suBHi
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
COMPUTER SCIENCE
B.S., 2018, University of North Texas
M.S., 2024, Georgia State University
Dissertation: System for Ontology Learning and Extraction (SOLE)
Chair: Dr. Armin Mikler
DiPak BaraM
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
CHEMISTRY
M.S., 2016, Tribhuvan University, Nepal
Dissertation: Space Charge Tunning in the Ion Transport Through Single Nanopore and Membranes
Chair: Dr. Gangli Wang
FeliPe Benitez
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS
B.Sc., 2016, University of Concepción, Chile
Dissertation: Rank Structured Matrices: Description and Implementation of a Rank Structured QR Decomposition and a Rank Structured Linear Solver
Chair: Dr. Michael Stewart
ezekiel Black
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
ENGLISH
B.A., 2006, University of Georgia
M.F.A., 2008, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Dissertation: Road to Recovery: Literary Representations of WWI Female Ambulance Drivers
Chair: Dr. Marilynn Richtarik
anDreW BroWne
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
CHEMISTRY
B.S., 2016, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Towards Point of Care Diagnostics to Monitor Inflammatory and Viral Biomarkers
Chair: Dr. Suri S. Iyer
tyrell collins
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
ENGLISH
B.A., 2015, Dillard University
M.F.A., 2017, Columbia College Chicago
Dissertation: The Rhetorics of Contemporary LGBTQ+BIPOC
Memoirists: Perspectives of Narrative Writing
Chair: Dr. Mary Hocks
a r Den cooPer
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
PSYCHOLOGY
B.S., 2018, Christopher Newport University
M.A., 2022, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Associations Between Positive and Negative Empathy and Interpersonal Guilt in Middle Childhood
Chair: Dr. Erin Tully
College of Arts and Sciences
INTERIM DEAN LINDSEY L. COHEN
nicole casin De l os r eyes
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY APPLIED LINGUISTICS
B.A., 2015, The College of New Jersey
M.S.Ed., 2020, University of Pennsylvania
Dissertation: L2 Constructions in the Digital Age: Connecting Corpus-Informed Materials Design and Technology for the Autonomous Learning of Tagalog
Chair: Dr. Ute Römer-Barron
Mary geer DetHero
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
ASTRONOMY
B.S., 2019, Lehigh University
M.S., 2022, Georgia State University
Dissertation: The Shape of Stellar Convection
Chair: Dr. Jane Pratt
k evin DonalDson
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
NEUROSCIENCE
B.S., 2002, University of Maryland, College Park
M.S., 2015, University of Maryland, College Park
M.S., 2021, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Behavioral and Cellular Mechanisms
Underlying Experience-Dependent Plasticity of Cold Nociception
Chair: Dr. Daniel Cox
aMany elsHarkaWy
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
BIOLOGY
B.S., 2020, Rochester Institute of Technology
Dissertation: SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern and Their Translational Impact on COVID-19 Vaccine Development
Chair: Dr. Mukesh Kumar
Jieqiong Fang
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
CHEMISTRY
B.Eng., 2015, East China University of Science and Technology, China
M.S., 2020, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Development of Point-of-Care Assays to Monitor Biologically Relevant Analytes
Chair: Dr. Suri S. Iyer
Jorge garcia a lvarez
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
CHEMISTRY
B.S., 2019, Universidad de La Habana, Cuba
Dissertation: Assessment of Computational Quantum Models’ Accuracy for the Description of UV-Vis Light Absorption Intensity by Organic Molecules in Solution
Chair: Dr. Samer Gozem
a rMita g HoBaDi
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
PSYCHOLOGY
B.S., 2014, University of Tehran, Iran
M.S., 2017, University of Tehran, Iran
Dissertation: Multi-Modal Expression of Events by Bilinguals: Do Proficiency, Elicitation Context, and Event Type Matter?
Chair: Dr. S¸eyda Özçalıs¸kan
Jessica g roM
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
PSYCHOLOGY
M.S., 2016, Villanova University
Dissertation: Marijuana Use and Psychological Intimate Partner Aggression Perpetration: The Moderating Effect of COVID-19 Stress
Chair: Dr. Dominic Parrott
a lFreD Hart
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS
B.S., 2002, Berry College
M.S., 2010, Western Carolina University
Dissertation: The Rank Preserving Transversality Property
Chair: Dr. Zhongshan Li
MuHaMMaD i F te k Hairul islaM
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
COMPUTER SCIENCE
B.Sc., 2018, Daffodil International University, Bangladesh
Dissertation: Mining Local and Global Structure on Static and Dynamic Graphs
Chair: Dr. Esra Akbas
cHristina M. k iessling
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
BIOLOGY
B.S., 2017, North Greenville University
M.S., 2021, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Genetic and Metabolic Mechanisms of Anaerobic Degradation of Aromatic Compounds and Plastics in Geotalea Daltonii Strain FRC-32
Chair: Dr. Kuk-Jeong Chin
HyunJi k iM
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
PSYCHOLOGY
B.A., 2015, Kyungpook National University, South Korea
M.A., 2017, Kyungpook National University, South Korea
Dissertation: Age-Related Differences in Recall Performance for Emotional Pictures Across Repeated Tests
Chair: Dr. Sarah Barber
eMily k iMBell
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
ENGLISH
B.B.A., 2012, Georgia State University
M.A., 2017, Georgia State University
Grad. Cert., 2022, Georgia State University
Dissertation: “The Fruit of My Own Pen”: Rhetorical Agency and the Enduring Legacy of College Temple
Chair: Dr. Lynée Lewis Gaillet
Hanna H lail
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
CHEMISTRY
B.S., 2020, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Unveiling the Neurobiological Role of Endogenous Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 (FGF21) as an High-Fat Diet-Stimulated Stress-Response Hormone
Chair: Dr. Desiree Wanders
Daniel lanni
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
PSYCHOLOGY
B.A., 2016, Oakland University
M.S., 2019, Oakland University
Dissertation: A Latent Class Analysis of Male Perpetrated Intimate Partner Violence: Associations With Emotion Regulation and Heavy Episodic Drinking
Chair: Dr. Dominic Parrott
Marisa Manuel
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
ENGLISH
B.A., 2013, Oglethorpe University
M.F.A., 2019, The University of Memphis
Dissertation: All Eyes on Me
Chair: Dr. Sheri Joseph
a lireza MareFatvaygHani
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
COMPUTER SCIENCE
B.S., 2013, Asia Pacific University, Malaysia
B.S., 2013, University of Staffordshire, United Kingdom
M.S., 2017, University of Malaya, Malaysia
Dissertation: Leveraging Natural Language Interactions for Computer Network Design and Management
Chair: Dr. Ashwin Ashok
erin McDonalD
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
PSYCHOLOGY
B.A., 2017, Barnard College
M.A., 2022, Georgia State University
Dissertation: The Associations Between Positive and Negative Affective Empathy and Worry in Middle Childhood
Chair: Dr. Erin Tully
a lexia M into
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
PSYCHOLOGY
B.A., 2013, Columbia University
M.A., 2021, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Predictors of Cognition Across the Menopausal Transition: A Multigroup Structural Equation
Modeling Approach
Chair: Dr. Vonetta Dotson
a BBaas a liF MoHaMeD nisHar DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
COMPUTER SCIENCE
B.Tech., 2020, Vellore Institute of Technology, India
M.S., 2025, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Methods for Improving Fidelity of Optical Camera Communication
Chair: Dr. Ashwin Ashok
DeePa MuraliDHar
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
COMPUTER SCIENCE
B.S., 1991, Thiagarajar College of Engineering, India
M.S., 1995, Kennesaw State University
Dissertation: Operationalizing Transparency in AI Systems Through Progressive Disclosure in User Interface Design
Chair: Dr. Ashwin Ashok
Melany Myers
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
PSYCHOLOGY
M.A., 2020, Georgia State University
Dissertation: The Effects of Writing, Mindfulness, and Prayer Interventions on Attention Network Task Performance
Chair: Dr. Erin Tone
Bita nezaMDoust
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
SOCIOLOGY
B.S., 2009, University of Guilan, Iran
M.S., 2020, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Assessing the Social Consequences of Long COVID in the U.S.: Disparities, Financial Strain, and Mental Health Impacts
Chair: Dr. Erin Ruel
tyler noWell
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
HISTORY
B.S., 2015, East Carolina University
M.A., 2018, East Carolina University
Dissertation: The Common Crusade: Comtism, Sociology, and Eugenics in Victorian and Early Edwardian Britain
Chair: Dr. Gregory Martin Moore
Busra nur ozguler a ktel
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
POLITICAL SCIENCE
B.A., 2013, Bog aziçi University, Turkey
M.S., 2017, Middle East Technical University, Turkey
Dissertation: Choosing the Lesser Evil: Tribal Alignments in Civil Wars
Chair: Dr. Louis-Alexandre Berg
l ouise PalMer
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
SOCIOLOGY
B.S., 1999, University College London, United Kingdom
M.A., 2006, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Investigating Multiple Sclerosis Racialized Disparities Using Intersectionality, the Life Course Perspective, and Critical Sociological Theories
Chairs: Dr. Erin Ruel and Dr. Wendy Simonds
sHari Marie P iotroWski scHWartz
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
ENGLISH
B.S., 1990, Syracuse University
M.S., 1995, Syracuse University
Dissertation: The Singularity of Belonging: Self-Referential Narratives in the Fiction of Janet Frame
Chair: Dr. Tanya Caldwell
ernesto PotDevin
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
PHYSICS
B.S., 1963, Pontificia Javeriana University, Colombia
MBA, 1977, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
M.I.T., 2002, American InterContinental University
M.S., 2015, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Performance Characterization of Cosmic Ray
Muon Detector in Santa Marta for Monitoring Dynamic Changes in Space and Terrestrial Weather
Chair: Dr. Xiaochun He
a BDelra HMan r asHDan
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
POLITICAL SCIENCE
B.A., 2006, The American University in Cairo, Egypt
M.I.A., 2011, Columbia University
Dissertation: Military Norms of Political Supremacy as Conditions for Coup D’état: A Normative Argument on Military’s Behavior in Politics
Chair: Dr. Michael Herb
BHaskar r ay
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
COMPUTER SCIENCE
B.Sc., 2015, International Islamic University Chittagong, Bangladesh
M.S., 2023, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Integrating Genetic and Multimodal Brain Imaging Data for Finding Linear and Non-linear Complex
Genetic-Brain Imaging Association During Brain Development
Chair: Dr. Jingyu Liu
Musta Fa salaMa
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
POLITICAL SCIENCE
B.A., 2007, The American University in Cairo, Egypt
M.A., 2012, The American University in Cairo, Egypt
Dissertation: International Counter Revolution: A Study of Interstate Resistance to Regime Change
Chair: Dr. Andrew Wedeman
cHristoPHer tHoMas searles
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
PSYCHOLOGY
B.S., 2016, Furman University
M.S., 2020, Georgia State University
Dissertation: The Impact of Perinatal Morphine Exposure on Alcohol Reward and Anhedonia in Rats
Chair: Dr. Anne Murphy
i Fra H sHeik H
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
PSYCHOLOGY
B.A., 2014, University of Southern California
M.Sc., 2017, The University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
M.A., 2022, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Investigating the Protective Potential of Muslim Identity on Experienced Islamophobia and Trauma
Symptomatology Among Muslims in the U.S.
Chair: Dr. Sierra Carter
caitlin sHneiDer
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
PSYCHOLOGY
B.A., 2016, University of Michigan
M.A., 2021, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Illness Identity in Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes: An Examination of Mechanisms and Outcomes
Chair: Dr. Lindsey L. Cohen
k aren siMs
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
ENGLISH
B.A., 2016, Davidson College
M.A., 2019, New York University
Dissertation: Have You Eaten?: Stories
Chair: Dr. John W. Holman
setH siMs
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
COMPUTER SCIENCE
B.S., 2007, Southern Polytechnic State University
B.S., 2013, Kennesaw State University
Dissertation: Methods for Molecular Epidemiological Investigation of Hepatitis Viruses
Chair: Dr. Alexander Zelikovsky
a kansHa siroHi
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
COMMUNICATION
B.Tech., 2015, Uttarakhand Technical University, India
M.A., 2020, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Social Norms Associated With Sexual Violence Against Women: Exploring Young Adults’ Perception of Sexual Consent in India
Chair: Dr. Holley Wilkin
tiFFany sMitH
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
ENGLISH
B.G.S., 2003, University of Kansas
M.A.T., 2004, Webster University
M.E.T., 2007, Webster University
Dissertation: The Rhetorical Theory of Duality
Chair: Dr. Baotong Gu
stePHanie steinBerg
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
PSYCHOLOGY
B.S., 2019, Cornell University
M.A., 2021, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Within-Individual BOLD Signal Variability in an N-Back Task: Relation to Neuropsychological Assessments of Attention and Working Memory in Survivors of Pediatric Brain Tumor
Chair: Dr. Tricia Z. King
sHannon stone
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
BIOLOGY
A.A.S., 2013, Whatcom Community College
B.S., 2017, University of Hawai‘i at Ma¯noa
M.S., 2019, University of Hawai‘i at Ma¯noa
Dissertation: SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern Pathogenesis and Prevention
Chair: Dr. Mukesh Kumar
qian Wan
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY APPLIED LINGUISTICS
B.A., 2015, Beijing Normal University, China
M.A., 2018, Peking University, China
Dissertation: Discourse Elements Classification in Argumentative Essays: Exploring Differences Across Writing Quality, Tasks, Prompts, and Author Demographics
Chairs: Dr. Sara Cushing and Dr. Scott Crossley
niMna WiJeWantHa
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
BIOLOGY
B.Sc., 2015, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka
M.S., 2019, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Glycogen Granules Are Degraded by NonSelective Autophagy As Neutral Substrates in Nitrogen
Starved Komagataella Phaffii
Chair: Dr. Taras Nazarko
P eter Wysocki
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
ASTRONOMY
B.S., 2014, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
M.S., 2019, San Diego State University
M.S., 2022, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Modeling Asymmetries in Be Star Disks Using Spectro-Interferometric Ha Observations From the CHARA Array’s VEGA Instrument
Chair: Dr. Douglas Gies
anna yu
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS
B.S., 2016, University of Colorado Denver
M.S., 2021, Illinois State University
Dissertation: Graph Edge Coloring and Extensions of Edge Colorings
Chair: Dr. Guantao Chen
DazHi zHao
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS
B.S., 2017, Jinan University, China
M.S., 2020, University of Science and Technology of China, China
Dissertation: Empirical Likelihood Methods for Survival
Analysis and Generalized Linear Models With External Auxiliary Information
Chair: Dr. Yichuan Zhao
College of Education and Human Development
DEAN PAUL A. ALBERTO
Jiyun WenDy a Hn
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
KINESIOLOGY
B.S., 2018, Cha University, South Korea
M.S., 2020, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Effects of Body Adipose Distribution on Fall Risks and Motor Learning Among Older Adults With Obesity
Chair: Dr. Feng Yang
erin anDerson
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY
B.A., 2006, University of Georgia
M.A., 2010, Columbia University
Dissertation: Examining Two Participatory Design
Approaches to Mixed-Reality Simulation Teacher Training
Development
Chair: Dr. Brendan Calandra
natalie BuncH
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
KINESIOLOGY
B.A., 2018, University of Georgia
M.S., 2021, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Like I See the Same Girl in a Different Font All the Time: Counter-Narratives of Black Women’s Experiences in Division I Volleyball
Chair: Dr. Beth A. Cianfrone
scott coHen
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
TEACHING AND LEARNING
B.S., 2009, Gallaudet University
M.S.S.E., 2014, Rochester Institute of Technology
Dissertation: Teaching Science With Deaf Students: A Mixed-Methods Investigation of Teacher’s Pedagogical Content Knowledge
Chairs: Dr. Patrick J. Enderle and Dr. Jessica A. Scott
Wellington a. De luna vazquez
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
KINESIOLOGY
B.A., 2018, University of Puerto Rico
M.Ed., 2020, University of Puerto Rico
Dissertation: Athlete-Centered Coaching in Goalball: Coaches’ Approaches and Youth Athletes’ Psychological Needs
Chair: Dr. Deborah Shapiro
anDrea M icHelle Dziengue
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
EDUCATIONAL POLICY STUDIES
B.A., 1990, Spelman College
M.A., 1994, Clark Atlanta University
Ed.S., 2021, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Leading in the Shadows: Counter Stories of Black Women Principals Navigating Neoliberalism and School Closures in Atlanta, Georgia
Chairs: Dr. Jennifer Esposito and Dr. Natalie S. King
liya enDale
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
B.A., 2005, University of Georgia
B.S., 2005, University of Georgia
M.Ed., 2012, University of Georgia
Dissertation: Exploring African American Male Adolescents: Processing in an Afrocentric Place-Based Service-Learning Program in Ethiopia
Chair: Dr. Ann C. Kruger
k risty g irar Deau
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
TEACHING AND LEARNING
B.S.E., 2011, Georgia State University
M.Ed., 2014, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Is There Space for Black Girls? ElementaryAged Black Girls’ Ethnic-Racial Identity Development and Literacy Practices in a Literacy Collaborative
Chair: Dr. Nadia Behizadeh
Hanna H WenDel g riFFey
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
COMMUNICATION SCIENCES AND DISORDERS
B.S., 2017, Brigham Young University
M.S., 2020, University of St. Augustine
Dissertation: Examining Perceived Stress and Anxiety in Post-Stroke Aphasia: Exploring Self-Reports, Proxy Ratings, Qualitative Patient Experiences, and Non-Modifiable Predictors
Chair: Dr. Jacqueline Laures-Gore
siMon i ra Jenkins
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
TEACHING AND LEARNING
B.M.E., 1999, Georgia State University
M.Ed., 2007, Kennesaw State University
Ed.S., 2018, University of Georgia
Dissertation: Stakeholders: Perspectives of Student Leadership in High School Band
Chair: Dr. Patrick Freer
Megan leWis
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
LANGUAGE AND LITERACY EDUCATION
B.A., 2007, University of Georgia
M.Ed., 2010, University of North Georgia
Dissertation: A Case Study of Conversation and the Middle School Fanfiction Writer
Chair: Dr. Ewa McGrail
teresa ann Massey
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
TEACHING AND LEARNING
B.S., 1980, Tennessee State University
M.A., 1994, Clark Atlanta University
Ed.S., 1998, Georgia State University
Dissertation: I Should Know, I Once Was a Black Girl: The Positionality of Black Women Science Teachers to Engage Black Girls
Chair: Dr. Renée S. Schwartz
M i’k ayla neWell
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
B.S., 2018, Oklahoma State University
M.S., 2021, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Racial Microaggressions and Science Identity: Exploring the Relationship Between Racial Microaggressions and Black Students Science Identity and Persistence in STEM
Chair: Dr. Ann C. Kruger
lynDa lee osBorne
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
B.A., 1991, Rutgers University
M.S., 2007, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Math Talk: An Exploration of Verbal Scaffolding During Middle School Mathematics Instruction
Chair: Dr. Miles Irving
eliza BetH H icks sanDers
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
B.S., 1979, Auburn University
M.Ed., 2008, University of North Georgia
Ed.S., 2011, University of North Georgia
Dissertation: Teaching Strategies, Methods, and Scaffolds
Recommended by Mathematics Standards: Are They Reflective of Best Practices in Multilingual Pedagogy?
Chair: Dr. Lisa Domke
Jackson sears
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
KINESIOLOGY
B.S., 2019, University of Florida
M.S., 2020, University of Florida
Dissertation: Sport Gambling Consumer Behavior:
A Scoping Review and the Proposal of a Consumption Model
Chair: Dr. Beth A. Cianfrone
k elly e. stanDriDge
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
EDUCATION OF CHILDREN WITH EXCEPTIONALITIES
B.A., 1995, Emory University
M.S., 1997, Boston University
M.S., 2000, Georgia State University
Ed.S., 2006, North Georgia College and State University
Dissertation: Motivational Factors in Choosing To Be a Special Education Teacher
Chair: Dr. David Houchins
Jason tHoMas DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
KINESIOLOGY
B.A., 1996, Oglethorpe University
M.S., 2016, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Heart Rate Validity of Photoplethysmography
Fitness Devices During Sustained Isometric Muscular Contractions
Chair: Dr. J. Andrew Doyle
JosHua villaloBos DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY KINESIOLOGY
B.A., 2006, Furman University
M.S., 2014, Georgia State University
Dissertation: The Effect of Team Competition Level on Youth Female Soccer Players’ Training Activity and Response
Chair: Dr. J. Andrew Doyle
ryan Warren
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
EDUCATIONAL POLICY STUDIES
A.A., 2011, Jefferson Community and Technical College
B.S., 2012, University of Louisville
M.A., 2018, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Soul(ed) Out: A Sociohistorical Counternarrative Concerning the Processes of Education
Reform and Gentrification in South Memphis, Tennessee
Chairs: Dr. Chara Bohan and Dr. Kristen Buras
k evin P HilliPPe g iang Barrera
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
MARKETING
B.S., 2003, Universidad Nacional Experimental del Táchira, Venezuela
MBA, 2018, Fundação Getúlio Vargas, Brazil
M.S., 2019, Georgia State University
Dissertation: Essays on Customer Experience Management
Chair: Dr. Denish Shah
k aitlin HuDsPetH
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
ACCOUNTING
B.S., 2016, Southeastern Louisiana University
M.P.A., 2018, The University of Texas at Austin
Dissertation: AI in the Workplace: How Managerial Perceptions of AI Shape Expectations and Attributions in the Performance Evaluation Process
Chair: Dr. Ivo D. Tafkov
cazeMBe MonDs
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
MARKETING
B.S., 2018, Morehouse College
Dissertation: Multilevel Mixed-Methods Exploration of Trust Dynamics Inside, Outside, and Between International Organizations
Chair: Dr. Leigh Anne Liu
aManDa Marie BleicHroDt
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
PUBLIC HEALTH
B.A., 2020, Miami University
M.P.H., 2022, The Ohio State University
Dissertation: Application of the N-Sub-Epidemic Framework to Real-Time and Retrospective Forecasting Efforts for Two Primarily Sexually Transmitted Pathogens
Chair: Dr. Gerardo Chowell
Briana eDison
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
PUBLIC HEALTH
B.A., 2017, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
M.P.H., 2019, University of Pittsburgh
Dissertation: Sexual Health Communication as Prevention for Sexual Risk and Associated Outcomes
Chair: Dr. Dennis Reidy
J. Mack Robinson College of Business
DEAN RICHARD D. PHILLIPS
youngseok Moon
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
ACCOUNTING
B.B.A., 2017, Yonsei University, South Korea
M.S., 2019, Yonsei University, South Korea
Dissertation: Semantic Progression in Firm Disclosure: The Role of Accounting Conservatism
Chair: Dr. Matthew DeAngelis
Jialin qian
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
FINANCE
B.S., 2015, Wuhan University, China
M.S., 2018, Hunan University, China
Dissertation: Scientific Talent and Firm Growth: Evidence From Scientific Breakthroughs
Chair: Dr. Baozhong Yang
r enzHi zHao
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS
B.B.A., 2019, University of Cincinnati
Dissertation: Role of Human Expertise in Influencing Human-AI Delegation and Task Performance Under Environmental Uncertainty
Chair: Dr. Likoebe M. Maruping
School of Public Health
DEAN RODNEY LYN
susan Mclaren
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
PUBLIC HEALTH
B.A., 1994, Emory University
M.P.H., 1996, Emory University
Dissertation: Exploring How Medical Legal Partnerships (MLPs) Utilize a Social Ecological Approach to Addressing Social Determinants of Health
Chair: Dr. Ashli Owen-Smith
a leksanDr sHisHkin
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
PUBLIC HEALTH
B.S., 2010, Voronezh State University, Russia
M.S., 2010, Voronezh State University, Russia
Dissertation: Analysis and Prediction of Infectious Disease Outbreak Incidence and Related Mortality by Integrating Diverse Data Sources Using Statistical Modeling and Machine Learning Methods
Chair: Dr. Alexander Kirpich
connected
Dear Graduates,
Welcome to the Georgia State University Panther alumni family!
Congratulations on becoming the newest of more than 299,000 Georgia State alumni worldwide. Graduation is a significant accomplishment that deserves celebration!
Chair
Randall Kent, B.B.A. ’08
Vice Chair
Dr. Marcia Oglesby, B.A. ’93
Treasurer
Jim Dykhouse, MBA ’75
Directors
Samone Boss, MBA ’22
Dr. LaTonya Brown, A.S. ’92, B.S.E. ’95, M.Ed. ’98
W. Imara Canady, B.A. ’08
Steve Echard, B.S. ’94
Suman Gera, B.B.A. ’82
Dr. Alisha Hill, B.A. ’00, M.Ed. ’02
Andy Kearney, B.S. ’94
Denise Kennedy, B.A. ’06, M.A. ’14
Dr. Robin Moore, M.I.S. ’18, Ph.D. ’20
Sherrill Moss, B.A. ’75
Chinwe Okoronkwo Gaines, M.H.A. ’15, MBA ’15
George Perez, B.S. ’14
Dr. Tony Price, B.S. ’12, M.S. ’14, Ph.D. ’24
Bryant Springer, B.B.A. ’96
Frank Strickland, B.B.A. ’71, MBA ’72
Joel Thibodeaux, M.P.P. ’12
Grace Victor, B.I.S. ’08
Here are four ways to immediately engage with the Georgia State alumni community:
1. Stay connected! Engage with the Alumni Association by participating in the Young Alumni Council, attending Third Thursday Happy Hours, joining the STATE to State: Regional Series held in Dallas, Houston, New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., and participating in other beneficial networking and professional development opportunities.
2. Commit time and resources to help the university and its students. Serve as a volunteer, donate to a scholarship or mentor a student. Large impacts often start with small efforts.
3. Chart the course for the alumni experience. Set aside five minutes to visit alumni.gsu.edu/newgrad and share your ideas on what the Alumni Association can do for you and how you prefer to keep in touch.
4. Show Panther Pride in your community, workplace or wherever your journey takes you by sharing your experience and with others.
We look forward to seeing you at an upcoming event. Go Panthers!
Georgia State University Alumni Association Board of Directors
Stay engaged!
Alma Mater, we are loyal to the name of Georgia State. Love and honor we accord thee, and devotion from our hearts. In respect and veneration we shall always hold thy name. Nurturer of light and knowledge, we shall ever tell thy fame.
Happy are thy sons and daughters spread abroad throughout the land. Knowing that we are forever part of thine own faithful band. Where the paths of life are crowded, we have known thy pleasant bond. And the love of Alma Mater we shall never pass beyond.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
UNIVERSITY SENATE COMMENCEMENT COMMITTEE
M. Brian Blake, Chair
Mesha Brown
Rubena Cela
Sabrina Champion-Wilson
Tomeka Davis
Kalah Hawley
COMMENCEMENT COUNCIL
Chandler Apple
Christopher Bernard
Mesha Brown
Nicholas Buchs
Kevin Chappell
Wayne Clanton
Joseph Corrigan
Grace Davenport
William Davis
Kevin Hsieh
Neil Kinkopf
Anthony Lemieux
Tarrah Mirus
Sean Richey
Christopher Robertson
Yolande Duncan
William Gaston III
Fred Hammett
Brandon Hortman
Bruce Johnson
Paul Kany
Justen Keeney-Ritchie
Damon Lynch
Michael Mays
CONTRIBUTING DEPARTMENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS
The 1913 Society
Alumni Association
Athletics Department
Facilities Management Services
Instructional Innovation and Technology
Office of the Registrar
Parking and Transportation
Public Relations and
Marketing Communications
Rialto Center for the Arts
School of Music
Student Center
University Bookstore
The commencement program is printed prior to the submission of final grades for some applicable academic terms. Therefore, the program lists students who are candidates for degree conferral. A listing does not constitute conferral of the degree.
Glenwood Ross
Michael L. Sanseviro
Cynthia Stappenbeck
Theodore Wadley
James Wilson
Vincent Yao
Kristina Martinez
Dyren Morris
Robert Paltz
T. Devin Reid
Christopher Robertson
Anthony Russell
Amy Walker
University Events Management
University faculty
University Police Department
University Senate
University staff and volunteers