Graduate Student Profiles

Each month, The Graduate School shines a spotlight on a graduate student who exemplifies the Think and Do mantra of our great university.

When you pursue a graduate degree at NC State, you aren’t just preparing for the “real world” — you’re shaping it. Our master’s and doctoral students work alongside our faculty to solve the big problems: finding economically and environmentally sustainable energy sources, improving human health, creating prosperity.

Meet Riley Lawson

Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs named NC State among 12 colleges and universities with the highest number of students, faculty, and administrators selected for both the Fulbright U.S. Student and Fulbright U.S. Scholar Programs.

The Fulbright U.S. Scholar program offers teaching and research awards to U.S. citizens in more than 130 countries. We had a chance to sit down with College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Fulbright Scholar Riley Lawson to discuss her graduate education experience and the opportunity to conduct research in France.

Paige Moore Ph.D. graduate in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Paige Moore | May 2024

The spirit of the Wolfpack is alive and well, especially as it relates to this soon to be three-time graduate of NC State. Paige Moore received her undergraduate degree, masters and now set to graduate this spring with her Ph.D. in Public Administration from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Ryan McCune | March 2024

Ryan McCune is a second-year Ph.D. student in civil engineering concentrating on coastal engineering at the College of Engineering. Ryan’s research focuses on chronic coastal flooding in North Carolina as part of the Sunny Day Flooding Project.

Dion Harry | February 2024

Dion Harry is a fourth-year Higher Education Opportunity, Equity, and Justice doctoral candidate. Dion is originally from Lynchburg, SC, and is a proud product of Lee County School District in South Carolina.

Nigar Sultana | January 2024

Nigar Sultana, a fifth-year Ph.D. student in the fiber and polymer science program, is currently developing nanomaterial-based biosensors for biomedical applications. These biosensors are envisioned as non-invasive tools for detecting underlying diseases.

Ankita Gupta | December 2023

Ankita Gupta is a DVM/Ph.D. student in the Comparative Biomedical Sciences graduate program. At the core of her passion lies a relentless pursuit of improving the success of translational research for chronic pain, a condition that plagues countless animals and individuals.

Vanadeep Kaluvagunta | September 2023

Vanadeep Kaluvagunta is pursuing his third master’s degree in climate change and society from the Department of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences. An international graduate student from India, he currently holds a Ph.D. in physics along with a double masters in physics and meteorology.

Margaret Baker | July 2023

Margaret Baker, a Raleigh native and current Ph.D. student in the Communication, Rhetoric, and Digital Media program with the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, recently decided to leave her role as a creative director in the Triangle area to pursue her passion for teaching and research.

Echo Pan | June 2023

Echo Pan, a Ph.D. candidate in functional genomics and a FFAR fellow, graduated with a master’s degree in food science from the CRISPR lab led to Dr. Rodolphe Barrangou. Her current research focuses on CRISPR-based genome engineering in probiotics.

Lily Kile | May 2023

Lily Kile, currently a Ph.D. student in the department of crop and soil sciences and a Goodnight doctoral fellow, worked on her M.S. in soil science at NC State, focusing on sweet potato production. Lily enjoys enjoy rafting, kayaking, weight lifting, camping, timber sports, and many other activities that allow her to get outside and move.