Doctoral Exam Schedule

Stephen Paul, Psychology, “Prompt Engineering in Scale Development: Leveraging Large Language Models for I-O Psychology Research,” January 24, 2025, 9 a.m., Remote. Major Professor: Dr. Adam Meade.

Abdullah Al Shafe, Material Science & Engineering, “Organic solar cell designs to improve mechanical resilience,” January 24, 2025, 12:00 p.m., EBIII-3115. Major Professors: Dr. Brendan O’Connor/Dr. Yaroslava Yingling.

Logan Williams, Nuclear Engineering, “Design Optimization and Dynamic Modeling of Nuclear Integrated Energy Systems for Remote Microgrid Applications,” January 27, 2025, 10:00 a.m., Remote. Major Professor: Dr. J. Michael Doster.

Ramandeep Narwal, Electrical Engineering, “Power Conversion Systems enabled by Bidirectional Switches,” January 27, 2025, 2:00 p.m., Energy Board Room, Keystone Science Center. Major Professor: Dr. Subhashish Bhattacharya.

Raj Kumar Kokkonda, Electrical Engineering, “Wide Band Gap Device Enabled Power Conversion Systems for Medium Voltage and Pulsed Power Converter Applications,” January 29, 2025, 2:00 p.m., Energy Board Room-FREEDM Center. Major Professor: Dr. Subhashish Bhattacharya.

Setu Kumar Basak, Computer Science, “Towards Risk-based Secret Management in Software Artifacts, January 30, 2025, 9:00 a.m., EBII-2240. Major Professor: Dr. Laurie Williams.

David Cruz, Forest Biomaterials, “Catalytic Upgrading of Carbohydrates in Waste Streams to Hydrocarbons”, January 30, 2025, 2:30 p.m., 1003 Biltmore Hall, Major Professors: Dr. Sunkyu Park and Dr. Ronalds Gonzalez.

Fei Teng, Electrical Engineering, “Optimizing Insulation Design for Transformers in Medium Voltage Power Conversion Systems,” February 3, 2025, 12:00 p.m., Keystone Science Center, FREEDM Systems Center. Major Professor: Dr. Srdjan Lukic.

John Wesley Hostetter, Computer Science, “Gradient-Based Neuroplastic Adaptation for Concurrent Optimization of Neuro-Fuzzy Networks,” February 3, 2025, 1:00 p.m., Remote. Major Professor: Dr. Min Chi.

Amanda Melniczek, ELPHD, “Diffusing Innovation Through Communication: A Comparative Case Study Analysis of Stakeholder Communication for Department Chairs Implementation of the Compressed Academic Term”, February 6, 2025, 1:00 p.m., Remote, Major Professor: Dr. Audrey Jaeger.

Tiffany Scott, Educational Leadership, “What Lies Beneath? A Case Study of Administrators Perceptions of Race, Discipline, Cultural Match and its Influence on Discipline Decision-Making”, February 6, 2025, 1:00 p.m., Remote, Major Professor: Dr. Jenn Ayscue.

Jennifer Wisely, Adult & Community College Education, “The Silent Heroes: Exploring the Perspectives and Experiences of Military Spouses Within the Community College Transfer Process”, February 7, 2025, 1:00 p.m., Remote, Major Professor: Dr. Audrey Jaeger.

Natasha Newson, Psychology, “Effects of the AMPPS Mathematics Intervention on Students’ Complex Computation, Word Problem Solving, and Math Self-Concepts,” February 13, 2025, 11:30 a.m. Remote. Major Professor: Dr. John Begeny.

Alena Joignant, Chemistry, “Sampling Innovations for High Resolution Metabolite Analysis by IR-MALDESI,” February 13, 2025, 12 p.m., Cox 400. Major Professor: Dr. David Muddiman.

Yug Chandra Saraswat, Chemical Engineering, “Combining Visualization with Rheology In Designer Composite Gels and Dense Suspensions,” February 14, 2025, 10:00 a.m., EBI-2018. Major Professor: Dr. Lilian Hsiao.

Sabila Kader Pinky, Materials Science & Engineering, “Morphology of Complex Materials,” February 19, 2025, 11:00 a.m., EBI-3003. Major Professor: Dr. Yaroslava Yingling.

Jillian Cross, ELPHD, “Understanding Sense of Belonging for Single-parent College Students: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study”, February 25, 2025, 11:00 a.m., Remote, Major Professor: Dr. Keon McGuire.

Olivia McGough, Psychology, “Examining the Effects of Signal Words and Motivation on Vigilance,” February 26, 2025, 11 a.m. , Remote. Major Professor: Dr. Christopher Mayhorn.

Sydney Welch, Chemistry, “Synthetic Biology of Commercially Relevant Polyketides,” February 26, 2025, 1:30 p.m., COX 400. Major Professor: Dr. Gavin Williams.

Inga Meadows, Entomology and Plant Pathology, “Impact of Disease Management Practices in North Carolina Floriculture Crop Production on Phytophthora Species, Soilborne Diseases,” February 28, 2025, 9:00 a.m., PSB Boardroom. Major Professor: Dr. Jean Ristaino.

Joshua Larsen, Electrical Engineering, “Electro-Optical Systems for Polarimetric and Spectral Remote Sensing in Agriculture,” February 28, 2025, 10:00 a.m., EBII-3110. Major Professor: Dr. Michael Kudenov.

Shiyue Yao, Economics, “Essays on Renewable Energy, Agrivoltaics, and Groundwater Sustainability”, February 28, 2025, 1:00 p.m., Nelson Hall 4302, Major Professors: Dr. Zachary Brown and Dr. Justin Baker.

Kari Harding, Prestage Department of Poultry Science, “Evaluating the Impact of Different Ventilation Shutdown Techniques for Emergency Depopulation,” March 3, 2025, 8:00 a.m., Scott Hall 216. Major Professor: Dr. Kenneth Anderson.

Jill Dana Mugisa, Biological and Agricultural Engineering, “Evaluating Climate Resilience of Corn and Soybean in NC,” March 3, 2025, 10:00 a.m., DSW 101. Major Professors: Dr. John Classen and Dr. Chad Pool.

Tripp Rogers, Crop Science, “Characterization of Herbicide Resistant Weeds and Herbicide Efficacy in Turfgrass Systems,” March 3, 2025, 10:30 a.m., WMS 2223. Major Professor: Dr. Travis Gannon.

Sera Harold, Learning and Teaching in STEM, “Native Plants-Focused Facebook Groups’ Impacts on Users’ Norm Perception, Efficacy, and Pro-Environmental Behaviors”, March 5, 2025, 11:00 a.m., Center for Technology & Innovation Room 317, Major Professor: Dr. Carla Johnson.

Cody Taylor, Public Administration, “Three Essays on Managing Publicness,” March 6, 2025, 12 p.m., SPIA Conference Room. Major Professor: Dr. Jeffrey Diebold.

Manaswini Ganjam, Forestry and Environmental Resources, “Modeling Forest Carbon Sequestration to Understand the Influence of Stand Age, Management Practices, and Climate Inputs”, March 7, 2025, 10:00 a.m., Partners II Conference Room, Major Professors: Dr. Justin Baker and Dr. MAricar Aguilos.

Vanessa Rondon Berrio, Biological and Agricultural Engineering, “Advancing the formate bioeconomy via microbe discovery, metagenomics, genetic engineering, and techno-economic analysis,” March 11, 2025, 1:00 p.m., Weaver Admin 101. Major Professor: Dr. William Joe Sagues.

Joseph Gakpo, Agricultural Education & Human Services, “A Predictive Model for Student Success and Recommendations to Enhance Equity and Improve Training of Agricultural and Life Sciences Professionals,” March 12, 2025, 11:00 a.m., Ricks 220. Major Professors: Dr. John Dole and Dr. Katherine McKee

Enrique Pena, Electrical Engineering, “Integrating Low-Cost, High-Throughput Phenotyping Systems in Post-Harvest Operations of Sweet Potatoes and Peanuts,” March 12, 2025, 12:00 p.m., PSB-4152. Major Professors: Dr. Michael Kudenov/Dr. Cranos Williams.

Doreen Mushi, TELS, “Exploring the Development of Learning Analytics Skills in STEM Education Researchers: An Instrumental Case Study of a Community of Practice”, March 17, 2025, 10:00 a.m., Remote, Major Professors: Dr. Kevin Oliver and Dr. Shiyan Jiang.