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Doctoral Exam Schedule

Qianyu Hang, Biological and Agricultural Engineering, “Long-term Water Quality Impacts of an Agricultural Stream Restoration in the Coastal Plain of North Carolina: Context, Quantification, and Uncertainties,” July 21, 2025, 9:00 a.m., Weaver Admin 101. Major Professor: Dr. Francois Birgand.

Vishnu Punithavel, Civil Engineering, “Crack Behavior of Reinforced Concrete Deep Beams Designed Using Strut-and-Tie Models,” July 23, 2025, 10:00 a.m., FWH 3280. Major Professor: Dr. Giorgio T. Proestos.

Hannah McQueen, Sociology, “Persuasive Communication and Relational Emotion Work in Online
Dispute Resolution Platforms,” July 23, 2025, 1 p.m., 1911 Building, Room 129. Major Professor: Dr. Steve McDonald.

Shannon Connard, Comparative Biomedical Sciences, “Advancing Treatment Strategies for Tendonitis and Tenosynovitis: A Translational Approach Using Equine Models,” July 24, 2025, 1:00 p.m., D239. Major Professor: Dr. Lauren Schnabel.

Dilawer Ahmed, Computer Science, “Analyzing Traffic from Voice Assistant to Assess and Prevent Information Leakage,” July 24, 2025, 2:00 p.m., EBII – 2240. Major Professor: Dr. Anupam Das.

Jeremy Park, Computer Science, “Deep Learning-Based Computer Vision for High-Throughput Plant Phenotyping,” July 25, 2025, 10:00 a.m., PSB 3158/Zoom. Major Professor: Dr. Edgar Lobation.

Zubin Chacko, Mechanical Engineering, “Thermo-mechanical performance of Composite Metal Foam,” July 25, 2025, 1:00 p.m., EBIII-3115. Major Professor: Dr. Afsaneh Rabiei.

Bryson Kagy, Mathematics, “Algebraic and Combinatorial Problems in Mathematical Phylogenetics,” July 28, 2025, 10 a.m., Remote. Major Professor: Dr. Seth Sullivant.

Yassir Abdalla, Nuclear Engineering, “Computational Analysis of Diffusion Mechanisms and Mechanical Properties in U3Si2 Fuel for Microstructural Evolution Modeling,” July 28, 2025, 11:00 a.m., Zoom. Major Professors: Dr. Kostadin Ivanov/Dr. Abderrafi Ougouag.

Krysten Lambeth, Biomedical Engineering, “Toward Safe, Data-Driven Gait Assistance: Incorporating Ultrasound-Derived Fatigue and Volition for Hybrid Neuroprosthesis Control,” July 29, 2025, 10:00 a.m., EBIII-4142. Major Professor: Dr. Nitin Sharma.

Ravikanth Appalabhotla, Chemical Engineering, “Optogenetics and computational biology reveal mechanistic insights underpinning mesenchymal motility,” July 29, 2025, 1:00 p.m., EBI – 2015. Major Professor: Dr. Jason Haugh.

Sakthi Kumaran Sambasivam, Computer Engineering, “Relative Persistent Pointers,” July 30, 2025, 1:00 p.m., EBII – 2095. Major Professor: Dr. Gregory Byrd.

Joseph Koelbl, Chemical Engineering, “Haptotactic Signaling and Response: Experimental Frameworks, Quantitative Analysis, and Modeling Approaches,” July 31, 2025, 10:00 a.m., EBI – 2018. Major Professor: Dr. Jason Haugh.

Kenya Gordon, Physics, “Investigating Conformational Dynamics and Ion-Dependent Cleavage of RNA by Nsp15: A Single-Molecule PIE-FRET and FCS Approach,” July 31, 2025, 1 p.m., Riddick 315. Major Professor: Dr. Sharonda LeBlanc.

Priya Raghuraman, Electrical Engineering, “New Protection and Communication Techniques To Facilitate Integration Of Inverter-Based Resources (IBRs) On A Distribution System,” July 31, 2025, 3:00 p.m., Hybrid/FREEDM Systems Center/Zoom. Major Professors: Dr. Mesut Baran/Dr. Ismail Guvenc.

Jasmine Jackson, Textile Technology Management, “Exploring Middle School Students’ Perceptions of Racial Identity in STEM Using Diverse Avatars in Fashion Technology Learning,” August 1, 2025, 9:00 A.M., WCOT Room 3437. Major Professors: Dr. Anne Porterfield and Dr. Marguerite Moore.

Jaime Preciado, Civil Engineering, “Multiscale Characterization and Modeling of Recycled Asphalt Concrete,” August 1, 2025, 10:30 a.m., FWH 4280. Major Professor: Dr. Shane Underwood.

Kate Simon, Comparative Biomedical Sciences, “Measure of Cognitive Decline in Dogs Across Clinical, Research and Translational Settings,” August 1, 2025, 1:00 p.m., CVM Main Building D239. Major Professor: Dr. Natasha Olby.

Arjun Earthperson, Nuclear Engineering, “Massively Parallel, Hardware-Accelerated Monte Carol Methods for Quantifying Risk using Probabilistic Circuits,” August 4, 2025, 11:00 a.m., BU- 1121. Major Professor: Dr. Mihai A. Diaconeasa.

Tri Nguyen, Computer Engineering, “From Theory to Practice: Leveraging Finite State Transducer Theory to Accelerate Data Transformation on Modern Computing Platforms,” August 5, 2025, 11:00 a.m., EBII-3075. Major Professor: Dr. Michela Becchi.

Jie Hu, Electrical Engineering, “Statistical Efficiency in a Non-Markovian Era: Improving Machine Learning and Distributed Optimization,” August 7, 2025, 1:00 p.m., Zoom. Major Professor: Dr. Do Young Eun.

Juliana Pin, Operations Research, “Optimizing a Nationwide Supply Chain for Oilseeds in Sustainable Aviation Fuel Production: Pennycress, Camelina, and Carinata,” August 8, 2025, 11:45 a.m., PSB 4152. Major Professor: Dr. Daniela Jones.

Mariela Perez Sepulveda, Soil Science, “The Impact of Salinity on Soil Nitrogen Transformations and Microbial Symbiosis on Soybean Cultivars,” August 8, 2025, 2:00 p.m., WMS 2223. Major Professors: Dr. Mike Mullen and Dr. Kevin Garcia.

Julia Harrison, Civil Engineering, “Monitoring and Modeling Fecal Contamination in Coastal Systems and Assessing Microbial Health Risks from Flooding,” August 11, 2025, 9:00 a.m., FWH 3280. Major Professors: Dr. Angela Harris/Dr. Natalie Nelson.

Emily Brown, Chemistry, “UV and Visible Light Photoactivation of Parahydrogen Induced
Hyperpolarization and Signal Amplification by Reversible Exchange,” August 11, 2025, 11 a.m., Plant Sciences Building Boardroom. Major Professor: Dr. Phil Castellano.

Aman Kaushik, Mechanical Engineering, “Numerical Framework for Mechanical Response of Composite Metal Foam under Various Conditions,” August 12, 2025, 9:00 a.m., EBIII – 3115. Major Professor: Dr. Afsaneh Rabiei.

Alexander Fullmer, Physics, “Phonon Modes in Liquids and Disordered States,” August 15, 2025, 10 a.m., Riddick 106. Major Professor: Dr. Jacob Eapen.

Carlos Cofre, Forestry and Environmental Resources, “Expanding the Frontiers of Genome Editing: Innovations in CRISPR-Cas Systems for Forestry Applications”, August 18, 2025, 9:00 a.m., Partners II Room 2500, Major Professors: Dr. Jack Wang and Dr. Rodolphe Barrangou.

Stephanie Fiocca, TELS, “K-12 Educators’ Experiences with Environmental Education Certification Programs: A Mixed Methods Study”, September 2, 2025, 10:00 a.m., Center for Technology and Innovation Room 317, Major Professor: Dr. Sarah Carrier.

Mariana Vedoveto, Forestry and Environmental Resources, “Climate Change Adaptation and Economic Mobility in Rural Settlements of the Brazilian Amazon: Long-Term Evidence from 1996 to 2019”, September 19, 2025, 9:00 a.m., Jordan Hall Addition Room 1214, Major Professor: Dr. Erin Sills.

Allie Guerra, Chemistry, “Progress Towards the Total Synthesis of Abyssomicin C,” October 13, 2025, 10 a.m., DAB 210. Major Professor: Dr. Joshua Pierce.