The Graduate School Newsletter - June 2022

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THE GRADUATE SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

grad.msstate.edu

UPCOMING EVENTS ICE CREAM SOCIAL June 23 VIRTUAL GRADUATE SCHOOL ORIENTATION (optional) July 1 - August 31 FALL GTA WORKSHOP August 8 - 11 IN-PERSON ORIENTATION AND RESOURCE FAIR August 10

TABLE OF CONTENT S AY H E L L O !

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

NEWS

A NOTE FROM THE DEAN Dear Colleagues and Friends of the Graduate School, The 2021-2022 academic year was an exciting and fruitful time for graduate education at Mississippi State University. MSU continued to enjoy strong enrollment and a significant increase in the number of prestigious honors and fellowships awarded to graduate students.

We congratulate all of our spring graduates, over 500 students were awarded degrees at the Doctoral, Master’s and Education Specialist level, a record number for the university. The Graduate School also made some significant gains with the support of President Keenum and the university administration in securing full tuition coverage for students on graduate assistantships. Undoubtedly, this support will enable graduate programs across the university to attract bright and talented students to pursue their graduate work at Mississippi State University.

The warm summer days are now here and I hope graduate students, faculty and staff have made plans to take some time off to enjoy the nice weather and undertake some fun activities, much of which was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic these past few years. It is very important that folks take quality downtime, to relax, rejuvenate and return to their tasks refreshed and invigorated. Many graduate students are busy in their laboratories conducting experiments, out in the fields collecting data, and undertaking archeological digs to answers questions from past lifestyles. Others are in libraries and institutes across the nation and the globe ploughing through archival documents to bring to light exciting and challenging events of the past. To all our graduate student researchers and their faculty advisors we wish you a successful summer. For those students planning on defending theses, dissertations, sitting for qualifying or comprehensive exams with the intention to graduate this August, we wish you every success and congratulate you on your accomplishments and graduation. Please stay connected and share with the Graduate School your exciting adventures so that we may post them on social media or in the newsletter during the fall semester. Stay well and stay safe.

Respectfully, Best Regards,

Dr. Peter Ryan Executive Vice Provost and Dean The Graduate School

AWARDS

In March, The Graduate School welcomed two new team members, Eric Abbott and Lauren Benton. Both will be engaged in recruitment of new students through campus tours, grad fairs, social media, web design, and marketing campaigns.

Lauren Benton,

SAY HELLO! Staf f Spotlight

Eric Abbott,

Lauren holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism

Eric is an alum of Mississippi State University,

from the University of Memphis. She began

with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, emphasis

her career at MSU three years ago as a Social

in Graphic Design. He worked in MSU’s

Media Specialist at the Center for Distance

Office of Public Affairs for 12 years before

Education, now known as Mississippi State

entering his new role of Assistant Director

Online. As an Assistant Director of Graduate

of Graduate Enrollment Marketing. Eric’s

Enrollment Marketing, she supports the team

background in graphic design, advertising,

with the execution of graduate recruitment

marketing, and writing is accompanied by the

marketing initiatives and implements content

vast skill-set of the entire communications

and messaging across social media, online

process.

advertising, newsletters, e-mail, and other

Eric has been married 11 years and has two

channels to improve applicant experience

daughters (5 year old and 3 year old), as well

and engagement. In her spare time, she is a

as numerous pets.

volunteer through the University Professional

He is also a deacon at his local church and he

& Continuing Education Association (UPCEA)

and his family are very active in their church

and serves as the Vice Chair of Diversity and

community.

Inclusion for the Marketing, Enrollment, and

Though they live in Tupelo, Starkville has

Student Success Network. Outside of work,

always felt like home. The University, city, and

she is a dog mom and likes to collect antique

people are what keeps them attached.

cameras. She is excited to keep learning and

Eric is so glad to be a part of MSU and excited

growing in her new role and cannot wait to see

about this new role in the place he loves.

what the future holds!

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

SHE’S GOT GAME From State to Southern Pines, North Carolina, Lauren Miller is U.S. Women’s Open bound. The graduate student golfer is notable on the course and in the classroom. She is a dual-enrolled master’s student in sports administration and business administration and was recently named the 2022 Master’s Student of the Year in the Department of Kinesiology.

The 77th U.S. Women’s Open will be hosted at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club from June 2-5, 2022. The event will include 12 features and 24 of the top 25 players globally.

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Photo by Lauren Miller @HailStateWG

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Pictured left to right: Research Professor K. Raja Reddy, Agronomy - Environmental Plant Physiology, S M Asger Ali, and Professor Shrinidhi Ambinakudige, Department of Geoscience.

S M Asger Ali A Ph.D. candidate in the Department of

of Health (SDH) by utilizing CDC’s Social

Geoscience recently attended the Mississippi

Vulnerability Index and County Health

Academy Science (MAS) conference in

Rankings & Roadmaps (CHRR) dataset. Using

Biloxi, MS, and received First Prize in the

spatial statistics and exploratory regression,

Oral Presentation Category (Geology and

he is analyzing the relationship between

Geography Division) for his paper titled “

COVID-19 health outcomes with various

Spatial Exploration of Social Vulnerability

socio-economic and environmental variables

and COVID-19 Related Health Outcomes in

(diabetes prevalence, adult obesity, income

Mississippi.”

inequality, poverty, race, and smoking). The

Asger is developing his doctoral dissertation

strengths of his research lie in its empirical

in consultation with Dr. Kathleen Sherman-

contributions and its demonstration of the

Morris. In his research, he is examining the

utility of the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI)

spatial pattern of COVID-19 in the USA and

and SDH in predicting the spatial burden of

its associations with Social Determinants

COVID-19 disease and mortality in the USA.

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THE GRADUATE SCHOOL IS EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE NEW DEGREE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE SUMMER 2022

Master of Public Policy & Administration/

Master of Science/Agriculture/Engineering

Public Policy & Administration

Technology Certificate / Applied Behavior Analysis AVAILABLE FALL 2022 Plant and Soil SciencesDoctor of Philosophy

Concentration

in

Fashion

and

Plant & Soil Sciences / Agronomy

Merchandising, Master of Science / Fashion

Doctor of Philosophy

Design & Merchandising / Research in

Plant & Soil Sciences / Horticulture

FDM

Doctor of Philosophy Plant & Soil Sciences / Weed Science

Master of Teaching

Master of Science

AVAILABLE SPRING 2023

Plant & Soil Sciences / Agronomy

Master’s

Master of Science

Systems

Plant & Soil Sciences / Horticulture

Science / Industrial and Systems Eng /

Master of Science

Data Analytics

Plant & Soil Sciences / Weed Science

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concentration and

in

Engineering,

Industrial Master

of

NEWS

All MSU graduate teaching, service assistantships to cover full tuition costs Mississippi State will cover the full cost of tuition

high-caliber students from across the state, nation

for all graduate teaching and service assistants

and world. I want to thank the Graduate Studies

beginning in the fall semester, university leaders

Task Force for identifying several ways we can

announced this week.

continue to improve our graduate programs and

The increase in financial support for graduate

President Keenum for his quick action to address

teaching and service assistants was identified

this need for our students.”

as a top priority by the Graduate Studies Task

Graduate teaching assistants support academic

Force, which was commissioned by the Office

instruction by assisting with classroom tasks such

of the Provost and Executive Vice President in

as exam preparation, grading, record maintenance,

2020. While individual departments and offices

along with leading lectures, discussion groups and

on campus manage graduate assistantship awards

laboratories, or serving as instructor of record on

and stipends, the university-wide support ensures

courses. Graduate service assistants aid faculty

full tuition coverage for any student receiving a

and staff members with administrative functions,

graduate teaching or service assistantship.

with duties based on the needs of the campus

“Graduate

unit providing the assistantship.

assistantships

provide

valuable

training opportunities and allow students to

For more on MSU’s graduate assistantships, visit

pursue advanced degrees with a substantially

https://www.grad.msstate.edu/funding-tuition/

reduced financial burden, and I am incredibly

assistantships.

proud that we are able to provide this additional

MSU offers more than 200 graduate programs,

level of support,” said MSU Provost and Executive

including many online options, to help meet

President David Shaw. “We have strong graduate

almost anyone’s career goals. For more, visit

programs across campus, and this investment will

www.grad.msstate.edu.

make them even more competitive as they recruit BAC K T O M E N U

NEWS

AACSB Re-accredits College of Business and Adkerson School of Accountancy Sharon Oswald, PhD Dean College of Business

“AACSB re-accreditation is the marker of distinction in business education. It is a continual improvement process to assure that we are achieving excellence in teaching, research, and societal impact,” College of Business Dean Sharon Oswald said. “This is a college-wide effort. We could not be successful without an engaged faculty and staff. This re-accreditation is a tribute to their hard work and sincere interest in achieving excellence.”

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NEWS

McNair Scholar Preview Day Success The Graduate School and the Division of Access, Diversity, and Inclusion at Mississippi State University welcomed 16 current undergraduate McNair Scholars from Alcorn State University, Tougaloo College, University of Mississippi, Henderson State University, Grambling State University, and Rust College to explore all the diverse academic opportunities MSU has to offer.

MSU’s Graduate School is proud to be the school of choice for McNair Scholars. All McNair Scholars receive a one-time $2,500 fellowship during their first semester at MSU. This can be stacked with additional funding students may receive. MSU strives to provide all McNair Scholars opportunities to connect, engage, and expand their network by being a part of a cohort of scholars from across the nation.

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NEWS

The Graduate School awarded the largest graduating class of Ph.D., Masters, and Education Specialists ever

with 536 graduates this spring compared to spring 2021, with 434 graduates.

The Graduate School Hosted its 3rd annual Mardi Grad Open House BAC K T O M E N U

Photo by Megan Bean

NEWS

“Congratulations continue long and loud for our ‘magnificent seven’ ChemDawg Ph.Ds.” “Let the congratulations continue long and loud for our Dennis Smith Professor of Chemistry & Departmental Head

‘magnificent seven’ ChemDawg Ph.Ds. hooded during the impressive and well-executed ceremony and gratifying reception. These seven (out of 13 total Chemistry Ph.Ds. this year); their families, colleagues, and many well-wishers, experienced something very special.”

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NEWS

New graduate student association Officers Elected

Lilli Harris Advisor

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C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S TO O U R 2 0 2 2 - 2 0 2 3 O F F I C E R S !

KarLee McNeel

NEWS

President

Chathuranga Rathnamala Vice President

Margaretta Campbell Vice President of Meridian Affairs

Amy Wilber Secretary

Ashik Amin Treasurer

Chiquita Price

Service and Outreach Coordinator

Shaylin Williams

Technology and Marketing Coordinator BAC K T O M E N U

NEWS

MISSISSIPPI FAMILY CELEBRATES GRADUATION AS DAD, TWO KIDS ALL EARN MASTER’S DEGREES Three family members earned graduate degrees in education from Mississippi State University, Meridian campus

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NEWS

Three members of a family have something special to celebrate — plus, they have a calendar date that will forever be meaningful to them all.

A father and his two children all graduated together from Mississippi State University, Meridian campus.

Each of them earned a master’s degree in education, the Associated

“They’re all mine! They MASTERED it!!”

Press reported.

Commondre Cole, son Ja’Coby Cole

“We accomplished this and we’re all

and daughter Iesha Gully were among

walking together,” said Commondre

the 153 graduates at MSU-Meridian’s

Cole at the commencement ceremony,

spring commencement.

referring to the completion of his master’s degree as well as his two kids’

Commondre

Cole

teaches

at

accomplishments as well.

Northwest Middle School and his son, Ja’Coby Cole, teaches at Oakland

Commondre Cole said his wife, Jessica

Heights Elementary, both in the

Gully-Cole, also teaches — and that

Meridian Public School District.

it was she who encouraged him to return to college with their children.

Daughter Gully is a teacher as well — at Northeast Elementary in the

Congratulations to a well deserving

Lauderdale County School District.

Bulldog Family!

Mary Cole, mother of Commondre Cole, shared with her Facebook followers,

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NEWS

photo by Associate Dean, Dr. Brien Henry

MSU MCNAIR SCHOLAR MEMORIES Mississippi State Graduate School Director of Graduate Admissions & Enrollment Marketing, Lindsey Shelton (left) shares smiles and dinner at the Little Dooey to celebrate the end of the Spring 2022 semester with MSU’s current McNair Scholars, (left to right) Shaylin Williams, Alexis Jackson, Timothy Sellars, and Courtney Welch.

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AWARDS

Alumni Association Outstanding Graduate Student Mentor Award John Ramirez-Avila, associate professor in the Richard A. Rula School of Civil and Environmental Engineering in the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering.

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AWARDS

Space Grant Consortium Graduate Research Fellows

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AWARDS

Two Mississippi State engineering graduate students have been selected as Mississippi Space Grant Consortium Graduate Research Fellows for the 2022-2023 academic year.

Durant Fullington and Christian Zamiela have each been awarded $26,250 from MSSGC for the upcoming academic year. MSSGC offers fellowships for U.S. citizens enrolled in a full-time graduate program. Recipients are selected based on academic success, research activity, and interest in the fellowship.

“I am very excited to have been chosen as one of the NASA-MSSGC Graduate Research Fellows for 2022-2023,” Fullington said. “This is an excellent opportunity to highlight my research and become further involved with K-12 outreach programs, inspiring the next generation of engineers!”

“I am thrilled to be selected as a 2022-2023 NASA MSSGC Graduate Research Fellow and this opportunity will have a lasting impact on my career,” Zamiela said. “I am excited to pursue my goals in quality control of additive manufacturing while inspiring the next generation’s interest in STEM-related fields within my community.”

https://www.bagley.msstate.edu/news/two-engineering-students-receiveprestigious-fellowship/

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AWARDS

Congratulations to our MSU students awarded an NSF Graduate Fellowship The National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Fellowship is highly sought after but very selective. With upwards of 13,000 applicants, roughly only 2,000 are chosen. We are extremely proud to announce MSU has three students who have been awarded this honor.

Felicity Singleton Felicity is working with one of the most common organisms (an amoeboid microbe). Due to its common occurrence in nature, and its genus name (Vannella), it is often jokingly referred to as “vanilla”, but Felicity has uprooted the notion that they are an ordinary boring amoeba.

She has generated her own collection of these organisms from all over the USA and has started to show that they can be used to examine important traits such as the transition from salt water to fresh water or even to terrestrial environments. Her data has already shown that an interesting dispersal mechanism (sporocarp fruiting) occurs in at least two different lineages of this genus.

Her work as a graduate student will examine macroevolutionary transitions to different environments and help flesh out species concepts in microbes by looking at genomic differences in species that display different traits.

An added bonus, Felicity is also quite committed to working with grade school children to bring STEM into the classroom through outreach and tutoring activities.

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AWARDS

David Korba David has already made significant contributions to the research community with seven high-quality journal papers and one book chapter. During his Undergraduate and Graduate career, he received seven awards at MSU. The research David is focusing on now as described by the NSF review board, “…could have high impact and multiple applications.”

The main contributions from his work can be summarized in two aspects: (1) improved fundamental understanding of the coupled reaction-transport in microscale materials, and (2) design of novel solar reactors and recommendation of operating conditions through high-fidelity simulations and close collaboration with experimentalists. Both are essential for next-generation materials/structures/devices design and innovation for high-efficiency thermochemical energy storage (TCES) to enable zero-carbon and sustainable energy technology deployment.

The Review board also had this to say, “The student has excellent academic experience and is well-prepared to conduct the proposed research project.”

James Wehsener Jimmy has always been passionate about wildlife conservation and has had the opportunity to work with some amazing animals over the years! He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley where he earned a B.S. in Molecular Environmental Biology. While at Berkeley he developed an undergraduate research project investigating the drivers of foraging behavior in an invasive gecko population in French Polynesia.

Currently Jimmy is a member of the Welch Evolutionary and Conservation Genetics Lab researching the anthropogenic impacts on the mating system of the endangered Turks and Caicos rock iguana. Through this work the hope is to identify a critical nesting habitat for the species and assess how humans have disrupted reproductive behaviors that are vital to the species survival.

Jimmy also strives to communicate scientific findings and the importance of wildlife conservation to the public through artwork, apparel, and social media (@wezwildlife).

Another one of our MSU students, Taylor Szasz, was recognized as an honorable mention

by NSF. BAC K T O M E N U

AWARDS

Image of Research Winners Announced

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AWARDS

FIRST PLACE

Lorena Chavarro-Chaux A master’s student in the Richard A. Rula School of Civil and Environmental Engineering for “Assessing Effects of Livestock Production on Stream Water Quality.”

SECOND PLACE (TIE)

Rebecca Bracken

A doctoral student in the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture from Austin, Texas, for “A Feeling Like No Other.”

SECOND PLACE (TIE)

Macy Gosselaar

A master’s student in the Department of Forestry from Olathe, Kansas, for “Frozen in Time; A Snapshot of an Environmental Moment.”

PEOPLE’S CHOICE

Varsha Singh

A doctoral student in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences for “Study of Sweet Potato Root Exudates for Sustainable Weed Management.”

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AWARDS

GRADUATE STUDENT AWARDS BANQUET AWARDS WERE PRESENTED TO: GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT OF THE YEAR Ernesto Borrego, Chemistry (not pictured) DONALD ZACHARIAS GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANT OF THE YEAR Angel Jimenez, Geosciences GRADUATE SERVICE ASSISTANT OF THE YEAR Alexis Jackson, Human Development and Family Sciences GRADUATE STUDENT ASSOCIATION EXCELLENCE AWARD Rebecca Bracken, Forest Resources Lorena Chavarro Chaux, Civil and Environmental Engineering OUTSTANDING GRADUATE STUDENT ADVISOR OF THE YEAR Chaomin Luo, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

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Ernesto Borrego

Angel Jimenez

AWARDS

The 2022 Graduate Awards Ceremony was held on April 13th, at the Hunter Henry Parker Ballroom.

The ceremony celebrated the many accomplishments of our graduate students, as well as the outstanding faculty that supported them throughout the year. MSU Vice President for Research and Economic Development, Dr. Julie Jordan, served as the keynote speaker for the evening, providing those in attendance with encouragement and accolades as they continue to leave their mark on MSU.

Alexis Jackson

Rebecca Bracken

Lorena Chavarro Chaux

Chaomin Luo, Ph.D.

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AWARDS

THE GRADUATE STUDENT

HALL OF

FAME SCHOLAR AWARDS

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Nicole Reeder

AWARDS

A food science, nutrition, and health promotion doctoral, representing the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Marissa Bello A kinesiology doctoral student representing the College of Education

Devin Chen A forest resources doctoral student, representing the College of Forest Resources

Karen Kelley A psychology doctoral student representing the College of Arts and Sciences

Ethan Woodyard A veterinary medicine sciences doctoral student, representing the College of Veterinary Medicine.

Shuvam Saha An aerospace engineering doctoral student, representing the Bagley College of Engineering;

Vitaliy Skorodziyevskiy A management and information systems doctoral student, representing the College of Business; BAC K T O M E N U

THE GRADUATE SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

grad.msstate.edu BAC K T O M E N U