Doctoral Exam Schedule

Dejanell Mittman, ELPHD, “Why I Left: A Phenomenological Analysis Investigating the Experiences of School Counselors Who Have Left the Profession”, July 29, 2024, 9:00 a.m., Remote, Major Professors: Dr. Rolanda Mitchell and Dr. Marc Grimmett.

Katherine Berkowitz, Mechanical Engineering, “Harnessing Polymer-Water Interactions and Machine Learning for Non-Destructive Evaluation of Polymer Composites,” July 29, 2024, 3:00 p.m., Zoom. Major Professor: Dr. Landon Grace.

Meghan Roche, Horticultural Science, “Gene Editing-assisted Generation of Delayed Bolting Lettuce (Laxtuca sativa L.) for High Temperature Controlled-environment Conditions,” July 30, 2024. 10:00 a.m., 121 Kilgore Hall. Major Professors: Dr. Ricardo Hernandez and Dr. Wusheng Liu.

Emilio Jose Balbuena, Molecular and Structural Biochemistry, “The Biochemical Effects of Carotenoids in Orange Carrots on Obesity-Associated Colonic & Haptic Dysfunction,” July 30, 2024. 2:00 p.m., 128A Polk Hall. Major Professor: Dr. Abdulkerim Eroglu.

Roxanne Dsouza-Norwood, Adult & Community College Education, “Raising the Bar in the Dental Hygiene Profession: An Assessment of Current Labor Market Statistics Towards Building a Future for the Profession.”, July 31, 2024, 12:00 p.m., Remote, Major Professor: Dr. Michelle Bartlett.

Chenxing Xie, CRDM, “Transnational Risk Communication of Long Covid Legitimation,” July 31, 2024, 1 p.m., Remote. Major Professor: Dr. Huiling Ding.

Kristen Johnson, Adult & Community College Education, “The Role of Presidential Vision in Community College Faculty Engagement”, August 1, 2024, 9 a.m., Belk Center Room TBD, Major Professor: Dr. Audrey Jaeger.

Evelyn Smith, Adult & Community College Education, “Examining Quintraditional Students’ Viewpoints of Instructional Practices in Community College”, August 5, 2024, 10:00 a.m., Remote, Major Professors: Dr. James Bartlett and Dr. Carrol Warren.

Prottasha Sarker, Chemical Engineering, “Interactions and Rheological Properties of Biopolymer-Based Systems,” August 5, 2024, 11:00 a.m., EBI – 2015. Major Professors: Dr. Saad A. Khan/Dr. Orlando J. Royas.

Sarah E. Elder, Computer Science, “Applying Software Security Assessments in Realistic Contexts,” August 5, 2024, 1:00 p.m., EBII-3265. Major Professors: Dr. Laurie Williams/Dr. Marcelo D’Amorim.

Selene Schmittling, Electrical Engineering, “Integrating Genomic Data and Interpretable Machine Learning Models to Identify Post-transcriptionally Controlled Response Regulators,” August 7, 2024, 11:00 a.m., Room 3338-PSB. Major Professor: Dr. Cranos M. Williams

Shima Hosseininasab, Public History, “The Story of Two Breaches (and a Beheaded Bust): (Re)Shaping Public Memory by Radical Interventions in Monuments,” August 7, 2024, 2 p.m., Withers 358. Major Professor: Dr. Tammy Gordon.

Saqib Gulzar, Civil Engineering, “Towards an Improved Understanding of Viscoelastic, Damage, and Healing Mechanics of Asphalt Binder,” August 8, 2024, 9:00 a.m., FWH-3301. Major Professor: Dr. Shane Underwood.

Isabella Hinks, Geospatial Analytics, “Betting the Farm: Does Homogenization Threaten Smallholders’ Climate Resilience?”, August 8, 2024, 12:00 p.m., Jordan Hall 5103, Major Professor: Dr. Josh Gray.

Austin Lamica, Forestry & Environmental Resources, “The Forest Sector in the Southern United States Under Changing Climate and Trade Dynamics”, August 8, 2024, 11:00 a.m., Jordan Hall Addition 1214, Major Professor: Dr. Rajan Parajuli.

Cristina Lorenzo-Velazquez, Civil Engineering, “Integrating Effects of Local Soil Conditions into System Level Assessments of Civil Infrastructure,” August 8, 2024, 10:00 a.m., FWH-3280. Major Professor: Dr. Ashly Cabas.

Abagael Louise Sykes, Comparative Biomedical Sciences, “The application of machine learning and transmission modeling to elucidate disease risk in the United States swine industry,” August 9, 2024, 8:00 a.m., Remote. Major Professors: Dr. Gustavo Machado and Dr. Cristina Lanzas.

Nidhi M. Diwakar, Chemical Engineering, “New principles and applications of active particle propulsion driven by electrical and chemical gradients,” August 9, 2024, 9:00 a.m., EBI-2015. Major Professor: Dr. Orlin D. Velev.

Yanhua Lu, Design, “Exploring the Effects of Augmented Reality Wayfinding Tools on Perceived Urban Walkability and Pedestrian Behavior in the Digital Era,” August 9, 2024, 9 a.m., Remote. Major Professor: Dr. Celen Pasalar.

Siyi Liu, Statistics, “Treatment Effect Evaluation in Longitudinal Studies with Missing Data and Data Integration,” August 9, 2024, 11 a.m., Remote. Major Professor: Dr. Shu Yang.

Jianing Chu, Statistics, “Advances in Policy Evaluation and Learning: Targeting, Truncation by Death, and One-sided Feedback,” August 9, 2024, 3 p.m., Remote. Major Professors: Dr. Wenbin Lu and Dr. Shu Yang.

Yuwen Cheng, Statistics, “Advanced Statistical Causal Inference and Individualized Treatment Regime Learning: Data Integration, Inference, and Matching,” August 12, 2024, 10 a.m., Remote. Major Professor: Dr. Shu Yang.

Md Tanjim Hossain, Fiber and Polymer Science, “Evaluation of Cleaning Methods and Products to Effectively Remove Chemical Contaminants from Turnout Gear,” August 12, 2024, 10:00 a.m., WCOT Room 3438. Major Professor: Dr. R Bryan Ormond.

Yuhan Chen, Electrical Engineering, “Healthcare AI System Design for Physiological Signal Processing on Wearable and Portable Devices,” August 12, 2024, 10:30 a.m., EBII-3053. Major Professor: Dr. Edgar Lobaton.

Halston Deal, Biomedical Engineering, “Engineering and application of microphysiological systems to monitor coagulation and cellular responses to fibrin matrices,” August 12, 2024, 10:30 a.m., EBIII-4142. Major Professors: Dr. Ashley Brown/Dr. Michael Daniele.

Xin Dong, Chemical Engineering, “Modulating peptide aggregation: Insights from coarse-grained simulations,” August 12, 2024, 11:00 a.m., EBI-3018. Major Professor: Dr. Carol K. Hall.

Jovica Todorov, Chemistry, “Advancing Electroanalytical Techniques for Real-Time Monitoring of Neurochemical Dynamics in Striatal and Adrenal Tissue,” August 12, 2024, 12 p.m., COX 400. Major Professor: Dr. Leslie Sombers.

Danny Krafft, Electrical Engineering, “Bidirectional Reflectance Correction using Polarization in Maize Remote Sensing,” August 12, 2024, 12:00 p.m., PSB-3338. Major Professor: Dr. Michael Kudenov.

Ujjwal Pratik, Electrical Engineering, “Modeling and Application of a Back-to Back Diodes-Based Linear Variable Capacitor in Resonant Converters,” August 12, 2024, 1:00 p.m., Energy Board Room, FREEDM Systems Center. Major Professor: Dr. Zeljko Pantic.

Tasmia Shahriar, Computer Science, “Facilitating Tutor Learning Through Constructive Questions: Scaffolding Knowledge-Building,” August 12, 2024, 1:00 p.m., Venture IV-420. Major Professor: Dr. Noboru Matsuda.

Nigel Thomas Amoafo-Yeboah, Mechanical Engineering, ” Fire Protection Properties of Composite Metal Foams,” August 13, 2024, 9:00 a.m., EBIII-3115. Major Professor: Dr. Afsaneh Rabiei.

Tavila Sharmin, Industrial Engineering, “Characterization of 3D Printed Auxetic Scaffolds with Design-Induced Elasticity for Tissue Engineering Applications,” August 13, 2024, 11:00 p.m., FWH – 4280. Major Professor: Dr. Rohan Shirwaiker.

Jabeen Ahmad, Plant Biology, “Examination of the Microbial Diversity and Nutrient-Related Functionality of the Wheat Rhizosphere,” August 14, 2024, 12:00 p.m., 3158 PSB. Major Professor: Dr. Amy Grunden.

Zahra Sadri Moshkenani, Computer Science, “Testing Cyber-Physical Systems: A New Strategy Based on Hybrid Models,” August 14, 2024, 1:30 p.m., EBII-3211. Major Professor: Dr. Gregg Rothermel.

Morgan Barnes, Toxicology, “Modulation of Vitamin D Receptor Signaling in Neurodevelopment and Toxicology,” August 14, 2024, 2 p.m., TOX 2104/2102. Major Professor: Dr. Seth Kullman.

Anirudh Seshadri, Computer Engineering, “Delinquent Loop Pre-execution Using Predicated Helper Threads,” August 15, 2024, 9:00 a.m., EBII-2095. Major Professor: Dr. Eric Rotenberg.

Morgan Arteman, Forestry & Environmental Resources, “Ecophysiology and Carbon Dynamics Five Years Following an Experimental Harvest in Mixed-Oak Forests of the Southern Appalachians”, August 15, 2024, 1:00 p.m., Jordan Hall Addition 3214, Major Professors: Dr. Jodi Forrester and Dr. Tara Keyser.

Hayden Rudd, Forestry & Environmental Resources, “Using high resolution mass spectrometry to support groundwater management & public health”, August 15, 2024, 8:30 a.m., Jordan Hall Addition 3214, Major Professor: Elizabeth Nichols.

David Elsheimer, Statistics, “Flexible Machine Learning Methods with a Multinomial Choice Model and their Applications to Financial Markets,” August 16, 2024, 1 p.m., Remote. Major Professor: Dr. Wenbin Lu.

James Browning, Physics, “Measurements of CEvNS with Germanium: First Light with Ge-mini and Beyond,” August 19, 2024, 1 p.m., Riddick 202. Major Professor: Dr. Matthew Green.

Partha Pratim Das, Electrical Engineering, “Next generation fault tolerant motor drive for transportation applications,” August 20, 2024, 2:00 p.m., Energy Board Room/FREEDM System Center. Major Professor: Dr. Subhashish Bhattacharya.

Mashael Aljumaah, Microbiology, “The Emerging Link Between Microbial Derived DPP-4 and Cognitive Health: The Gut-Microbiome Perspective,” August 21, 2024, 10:00 a.m., TH 3503. Major Professors: Dr. M Andrea Azcarate-Peril and Dr. José M. Bruno-Bárcena.

Yuhe Gao, Statistics, “Advances in Causal Decision Making and Graphs,” August 23, 2024, 11 a.m., Remote. Major Professors: Dr. Rui Song and Dr. Wenbin Lu.

Jessica Hernandez, Psychology, “A Meta-Analysis of STEM Interventions for Multilingual Learners,” August 23, 2024, 1 p.m., Remote. Major Professor: Dr. Kate Norwalk.

Jose Scarparo de Sanctis, Crop Science, “Confirmation, characterization, and management of Paraquat-resistant Italian ryegrass in North Carolina,” August 26, 2024, 1:00 p.m., WMS 2223. Major Professors: Dr. Charles Cahoon and Dr. Wesley Everman.

Subhransu Satpathy, Electrical Engineering, “Design and Control of GaN-based Three Level Active Neutral Point Clamped Inverter for High Switching Frequency DC-AC Power Coversion,” August 29, 2024, 2:00 p.m., Energy Board Room/FREEDM System Center. Major Professor : Dr. Subhashish Bhattacharya.

Lin Ge, Statistics, “On Sequential Decision Making: Online Optimization and Offline Evaluation,” August 30, 2024, 1 p.m., Remote. Major Professors: Dr. Rui Song and Dr. Luo Xiao.

Jennifer Lecorchick, Educational Leadership, “The Whole Principal: Self-Care Practices of Principals Leading in Title 1 Schools”, September 4, 2024, 10:30 a.m., Remote, Major Professor: Dr. Jenn Ayscue.

Ye Shen, Statistics, “Causal Inference for Enhanced Individual Decision-Making: Advances in Policy Learning and Evaluation,” September 13, 2024, 11 a.m., Remote. Major Professors: Dr. Rui Song and Dr. Marie Davidian.

Youlonda Wynn, Educational Leadership, “The Influence of School Culture on the Academic Performance of Multilingual Learners in a Rural High School in Southeastern North Carolina”, September 17, 2024, 11:30 a.m., Remote, Major Professor: Dr. Lisa Bass

Katina Townsend, Adult and Community College Education, “A Process Evaluation of a Partnership between an Education-Centric Nonprofit Organization and HBCUs and PBIs: A Study in Partnership Strategy and Success”, September 25, 2024, 10:30 a.m., Remote, Major Professor: Dr. Carrol Warren.

Erica Prentice, Educational Leadership, “Charter School Leader Experiences with the Implementation of Weighted Lotteries in North Carolina Charter Schools”, October 7, 2024, 11:00 a.m., Remote, Major Professor: Dr. Jenn Ayscue.