Meet Our Graduate School Fellows

Name: Samantha Frisk
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
Department: Sociology
Degree Sought: PhD, 2029
What is your favorite flavor cookie?: An anise pizzelle!
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: I am profoundly encouraged that a faculty member saw my scholarly potential and shared my excitement for a research topic enough to nominate me. Upon receiving the Jorgensen Fellowship, I feel even more grateful to further my academic passion, assured by the resonance and financial support.
Current research: As part of a multi-disciplinary research team, I am currently exploring the impact of environmental, socio-economic, and cultural changes facing coastal communities in South Greenland and Maine. Specifically, we are examining human-environment interactions, identity, and self-governance with convergent approaches that build upon methods from geography, art, and social work. For my doctoral work, I am interested in the intersection of racial capitalism and maritime labor.

Name: Anh Xuan Do
Hometown: Vietnam
Department: Mathematics
Degree Sought: PhD, 2027
What is your favorite quote?: "Mathematics may not teach us to add love or subtract hate, but it gives us hope that every problem has a solution." - Anonymous
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: Being awarded the Jorgensen Fellowship has allowed me to fully devote myself to my research and studies without any financial burden. Additionally, it has provided me with a wonderful opportunity to get acquainted with several exceptional graduate fellows at UConn.
Current research: Mathematical Analysis and Inequalities

Name: Jacqueline Gunning
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Department: Communication
Degree Sought: PhD, 2026
If you had an extra hour in your day, every day, what hobby would you pursue?: Sewing
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: I am so grateful for the supportive, interdisciplinary community of scholars and financial stability that this fellowship has brought.
Current research: My research lies at the nexus of chronic illness, disability, and reproductive and sexual health, with interest in identifying how communication can support individuals navigating disruptive health events.

Name: Anika Agrawal
Hometown: Pune, India
Department: Natural Resources and the Environment
Degree Sought: PhD, 2025
What is your favorite home cooked meal?: Palak paneer and daal! I love to cook and try out new things though!
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: Receiving the Harriot fellowship means that I am able to work towards getting my PhD in a field that I've been passionate about for as long as I can remember! Receiving this fellowship means that I can concentrate more on research and worry less about my financial stability. It allows me to also have more time to give back to my community and work towards helping others like me in earlier career stages. I hope to use time during my PhD to get others excited about saving our planet together.
Current research: I am researching environmental toxicology, and looking into the transfer of pollutants through the marine and coastal food web. I am excited to delve into the world of toxicants and see how organisms are affected by constant anthropogenic change.

Name: Elizabeth Ladd
Hometown: West Hartford, CT
Department: School of Social Work
Degree Sought: Master's, 2025
What is your favorite quote?: "If I have been of service, if I have glimpsed more of the nature and essence of ultimate good, if I am inspired to reach wider horizons of thought and action, if I am at peace with myself, it has been a successful day." - Alex Noble
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: My fellowship has allowed me to fully engage in my fieldwork and focus on in my course studies, ultimately helping me to become be the best social worker than I can be when I graduate.

Name: David Etim
Hometown: Durham, North Carolina
Department: Computer Science & Engineering
Degree Sought: PhD, 2024
What is your favorite quote?: "Everything you want is on the other side of fear" - Will Smith
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: I'm very grateful for this fellowship because it has given me the opportunity to network and collaborate with like-minded individuals while continuing my graduate research without a financial burden. Also, this fellowship has been helpful with focusing on advancing my dissertation research objectives while not having to focus on being a teaching assistant or relying on another type of graduate assistantship.
Current research:The research topics I'm focused on are health informatics, data extraction techniques, natural language processing, and machine learning.

Name: Laura Moynihan
Hometown: Woonsocket, RI
Department: School of Social Work
Degree Sought: PhD, 2027
What is your favorite quote?: "Maybe you are searching among the branches, for what only appears in the roots." - Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Balkhī
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: This fellowship has allowed me to be able to balance my research and clinical work; being able to do both of these things helps to ground me in this PhD program and I would not be able to have this balance without the Jorgensen Fellowship.
Current research: How adolescents and young adults with life-limiting illnesses choose to live their lives.

Name: Anne Berset
Hometown: Vienna, Virginia
Department: Human Development and Family Sciences
Degree Sought: PhD, 2028
If you had an extra hour in your day, every day, what hobby would you pursue?: I would take up rock climbing!
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: The privilege of receiving the Jorgensen Fellowship has given me the ability to pursue my research and career aspirations. The financial stability that comes with the fellowship ensures that I am able to focus solely on my research and studies, with the hope of improving outcomes for my population of interest.
Current research: Youth in Foster Care; Biopsychosocial consequences of trauma; Protective factors and resilience; Community-based interventions; Family dynamics and mental health outcomes

Name: Leana Santos
Hometown: Santo Domingo, DR
Department: Civil and Environmental Engineering
Degree Sought: PhD, 2024
What is your favorite flavor cookie?: White Chocolate Macadamia
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: The Harriott Fellowship has allowed me to focus on my research interests without the burden of financial concerns associated with funding my graduate studies. As a recipient of this esteemed fellowship, I am privileged to join a thriving community that promises to nurture and elevate my professional growth.
Current research: Concrete Deterioration due to Pyrrhotite Oxidation

Name: Robert T.F. Downes
Hometown: Rocky Hill, CT
Department: Political Science
Degree Sought: PhD, 2028
What is your favorite quote?: "People usually think that knowledge and love are entirely different mental activities. To me, they are fundamentally the same. This activity is the union of subject and object. It is the activity in which the self unites with things, And why is love the union of subject and object? To love something is to cast away the self and unite with that other." - Kitaro Nishida (An Inquiry into the Good, 1911, p. 173-74)
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: The Jorgensen Fellowship enables me to focus on my academic passions and research questions early on. The additional funding places me in a strong position as I begin to navigate my first year of graduate studies and contemplate my future in professional academia.
Current research: I am currently working on renewable energy social science topics. As a graduate Research Assistant, I am examining the public acceptance of offshore wind power in coastal communities to inform equitable siting practices of such energy sources in the future. My primary research interests in political theory relate to anarchism, dialectical naturalism, environmental political theory, Marx's concept of first and second nature, radical democracy, and social ecology.

Name: Yvonne Mbewe
Hometown: New York, NY & Lusaka, Zambia
Department: Social Work
Degree Sought: PhD, 2027
What is your favorite quote?: "Set your life on fire. Seek those who fan your flames." -Rumi
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: Serving as a fellow provides access and resources that are critical along my doctoral student journey. Attending conferences, meeting other academics, and learning about social justice matters that are relevant to my core values has been highly influential on my growth and evolution.
Current research: Migrant Child Labor, Displaced Communities, Immigrant/Refugee Rights, Trauma Informed Practice

Name: Craig Mortley
Hometown: Hartford, CT
Department: School of Social Work
Degree Sought: PhD, 2027
What is your favorite quote?: "If you have come to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together." -Australian Aboriginal Elder Lilla Watson
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: Being awarded the Harriott Fellowship at UConn has been an incredible opportunity in my life. The fellowship has provided financial stability, allowing me to focus on my studies and research. The benefits are not only financial. Being a recipient of the Harriott Fellowship has opened doors to numerous networking opportunities, providing access to UConn's vast resources, mentorship opportunities, and connections with experts in their field, enhancing my academic and professional growth.
Current research: Sense of belonging for displaced people and refugee integration

Name: Cindy Barreto
Hometown: Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Department: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Degree Sought: PhD, 2026
What is your favorite dinosaur?: Birds are my favorite living dinosaurs
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: Without this fellowship, I would not be able to start my Ph.D. at UConn. I have always dreamed about building a strong career as a biologist, and pursuing a Ph.D. will help me achieve this goal. Being here at UConn and pursuing a Ph.D. is a life-changing opportunity for me and I know my family is proud of me just for being here. I am grateful to UConn and the Graduate School for this fellowship!
Current research: Conservation Genomics, Avian Conservation

Name: Rebecca Villanueva
Hometown: Enfield, CT
Department: SOE, Mechanical Engineering
Degree Sought: Master's, 2024
What is your favorite quote?: "I understand nothing" -Michael Gary Scott
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: The Crandall Fellowship has done more for my self confidence than anything else. I am immeasurably grateful to be awarded such an honor, but it also forced me to admit to myself that I worked hard to earn it and I can be proud of that.
Current research: Engineering durable and moisture-barrier structures with layer-by-layer clay-based nanocomposites

Name: Katia Ruesta-Daley
Hometown: Vernon, CT
Department: Social Work and Public Health
Degree Sought: MSW & MPH, 2025
What is your favorite quote?: "Love is an action, never simply a feeling." - Bell Hooks
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: The Crandall Fellowship has been an huge help in providing me with the opportunity of continuing with my education and focus on my studies. It has provided me with financial stability and without it would not have being able to start my Master's program.

Name: Jordana Weinberger
Hometown: Singapore
Department: Physiology and Neurobiology
Degree Sought: PhD, 2026
If you owned a boat, what would you name it?: The Boyz (for Alyssa and Ben)
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: The financial stability has allowed me to freely pursue my graduate studies and spend more time in lab to pursue two projects that both really mean a lot to me. I'm eternally grateful to the Graduate School for giving me this opportunity to pursue what I love and become the scientist I've always wanted to be.
Current research: 1) crosstalk communication between mTOR and Hippo signaling pathways. 2) the molecular mechanism of GBA in Parkinson's Disease development.

Name: Jamilah R. George
Hometown: Detroit, Michigan
Department: Psychological Sciences
Degree Sought: Clinical Psychology, 2025
If you had an extra hour in your day, every day, what hobby would you pursue?: Performing! - I'm a singer/dancer/actress
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: Given my research-focused orientation, I have benefited greatly from my fellowship. It has allowed me to focus my attention and resources on research more than I would otherwise be able to. It has also relieved some of the financial burden of the program which has positively contributed to my overall psychological well-being.

Name: Mariah Xu
Hometown: Tampa, FL
Department: Bridgewater, NJ
Degree Sought: PhD, 2029
What is your unusual talent?: Weaving! I have four looms (and a spinning wheel).
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: The Harriott Fellowship has helped me gain time back for the research I'm passionate about. With time and resources to focus on better understanding how trauma is transmitted across generations, I hope to help disrupt cycles of violence in families under stress. I'm also able to practice better self care, leading to a happier, healthier, more productive me (and many yards of handwoven cloth).
Current research: I'm interested in intergenerational risk, particularly social, cognitive, and affective mechanisms in the transmission of trauma and family violence.

Name: Madeline Quam
Hometown: Tampa, FL
Department: Psychological Sciences
Degree Sought: PhD, 2024
Who is your favorite fictional character?: Kaladin Stormblessed (The Stormlight Archive)
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: The Harriott Fellowship has allowed me to focus on my research instead of worrying about finances and having to work more TA hours. I greatly appreciate the freedom I've gotten to pursue my interests as well as connect with other UConn students.
Current research: (1) How homesigners (deaf individuals with limited to no exposure to a signed or spoken language who create their own mini sign language systems) represent and communicate about events; (2) How language experience affects deaf children's mathematical learning and development (influence of language on cognition, sign language emergence, homesign systems, numerical cognition).

Name: Damian Deamici
Hometown: Mendoza, Argentina
Department: Literatures, Cultures and Languages
Degree Sought: PhD, 2025
What is your favorite quote?: "Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more: it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: I am so grateful for this fellowship. It has allowed me to fully immerse myself in my research without financial concerns or constraints. In addition, the professional assistance is molding me into a well-rounded scholar.
Current research: Biopolitics and animality in XX Latin American Literature.

Name: Davis J. Manshardt
Hometown: Denver, Colorado
Department: Natural Resources and the Environment
Degree Sought: PhD, 2025
What is your unusual talent?: I know more than anyone I know about commercial flight paths. If I'm told the departure and arrival cities for a flight, then I can guess what airline it is, and vice versa.
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: Being awarded the Jorgensen Fellowship has provided me the flexibility to pursue research questions not only that I find interesting, but also that I hope will help human society continue to adapt to our warming planet. I am immensely grateful for it.
Current research: My research focuses primarily on innovation and climate resilience in water systems. I recently completed a project which examined the ways in which Texas water utilities impacted by Hurricane Harvey responded to the storm.

Name: Grace Easterly
Hometown: Bowling Green, Ohio
Department: History
Degree Sought: PhD, 2027
What is your favorite flavor cookie?: These brown butter and toffee chocolate chip cookies: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/brown-butter-and-toffee-chocolate-chip-cookies
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: I'm grateful for the financial stability that the Jorgensen fellowship provides so I can fully focus on my research and immerse myself in the learning environment at UConn.
Current research: History of US foreign relations, critical geopolitics, international political economy.

Name: Peter Billman
Hometown: Twig, Minnesota
Department: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Degree Sought: PhD, 2026
What is your favorite dinosaur?: After sitting in their footprints in southern Utah, I'd say sauropods (which are the long-necked dinosaurs like Littlefoot from the Land Before Time!)
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: This fellowship has provided me the opportunity to redirect more of my time into my research here at UConn. While I absolutely love teaching, having the ability to invest additional time, effort, and mental bandwidth directly into my work has given me reassurance that I can pursue the projects that I am most passionate about and be able to achieve my goals over the coming years.
Current research: Understanding the effects of climate change on wildlife population dynamics and genetics at range margins.

Name: Lily Luo
Hometown: Shanghai, China and Boston, Massachusetts
Department: Political Science
Degree Sought: PhD, 2024
What is your favorite quote?: "These are the times to grow our souls." -Grace Lee Boggs
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: This fellowship has given me the time to focus on my research interests and get involved in the community here at UCONN.
Current research: Intersectionality, Critical Race Theory, Feminist Political Theory, Decolonialism, Revolution and Evolution, Neo-liberalism, Political Science and Popular Culture

Name: Ketki Samel
Hometown: Sunnyvale, California
Department: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Degree Sought: PhD, 2026
What is your unusual talent?: Ask me about any country, and I can tell you the capital!
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you:The Harriott Fellowship gives me the social and financial support to focus on projects that will truly benefit both people & ecosystems in need. Based on my own experiences in academia, I am also extremely proud to use this platform to support others who face discrimination due to their race, gender, sexuality, and/or mental health diagnoses. Above all, I look forward to creating academic spaces that include and represent local communities as well as scholars of all backgrounds.
Current research: Human-wildlife interactions, community ecology, and conservation of Northeastern birds

Name: Luisana Duarte Armendáriz
Hometown: Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, México
Department: English
Degree Sought: PhD, 2026
What is your favorite quote?: "The art of writing is the art of applying the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair." —Mary Heaton Vorse
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: Receiving the Harriot Fellowship has given me the confidence to wholeheartedly pursue my studies and research without having to be hindered by financial constraints. It gives me the ability to push away the distractions of life in order to focus on my passions and build a thriving community of peers at UConn.
Current research: Frameworks and representations of racial and intergenerational identities in both the characters in children's literature and the authors of the works.

Name: Eric Joseph Rizzo
Hometown: Cherry Hill, New Jersey
Department: Music
Degree Sought: DMA, 2026
If you owned a boat, what would you name it?: Agitato
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: As a musician, I strive daily to connect to centuries of tradition in the arts. As an artist and a teacher, it is my goal to create environments where people can transcend themselves and find connections, both in the moment, and across time with other cultures, traditions, and peoples. This fellowship is supporting me while I continue my work in diversifying and contemporizing the performing arts.

Name: Iris Querenet Onfroy de Breville
Hometown: Los Altos, CA
Department: Archaeology
Degree Sought: PhD, 2026
What is your favorite dinosaur?: Spinosaurus
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: I am so grateful to have received the Jorgensen fellowship. It has granted me me financial stability as well as leaving me more time to pursue my research interest in Paleolithic archaeology. Becoming an archaeologist has been my dream for a very long time and this Ph.D. is a big step in making that dream become a reality.
Current research: Ocre use in European Paleolithic societies.

Name: Kenia Rodriguez l
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Department: English
Degree Sought: MA/PhD, 2026
If you had an extra hour in your day, every day, what hobby would you pursue?: I’d use this extra hour for reading because I sure need it!
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: The Harriott Fellowship has given me a peace of mind. I am so grateful to not have to be worrying about food or rent every month. I have met some amazing people through this program and I am excited for all the great opportunities to come.
Current research: Contemporary Young Adult literature by Latina authors, critical race theory, gender studies

Name: Omar Romandia
Hometown: Tijuana, Mexico & Phoenix, Arizona
Department: Education Policy
Degree Sought: PhD, 2025
What is your favorite quote?: "Life is like riding a bicycle. In order to keep your balance you must keep moving." - Albert Einstein
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: Being awarded the Harriott Fellowship at UConn has been an incredible opportunity in my life. As a first-generation student and current DACA recipient, I have had to work full-time and obtain private scholarships in order to fund my higher education studies up to this point. This fellowship allows me to focus on my studies, engage in research, and also collaborate with the brightest minds in the country. I look forward to making a lasting impact at UConn while also engaging with the community in an effort to better impact policy to help students and families. I'd like to extend my gratitude to Dr. Kenny Nienhusser and Dr. Laura Burton who have been huge advocates during my transition to UConn. I couldn't be more excited for the bountiful opportunities ahead!
Current research: My professional background is quite expansive, which has given way to developing various research interests. I have been fortunate to work in finance, information technology, the non-profit sector, and education during the past 10 years. Given my unorthodox higher education journey and also working with students from across the globe, I have developed a passion to influence policy in an effort to expand access to higher education to all students regardless of their background or socioeconomic status. My current research topics include: (1) undocumented students' access to higher education, (2) equity-minded policy implementation, and (3) the impact of graduating in a pandemic on job opportunities and long-term earning potential.

Name: Lisset Martinez-Berman
Hometown: San Antonio, TX
Department: Psychological Sciences
Degree Sought: PhD, 2025
If you had an extra hour in your day, every day, what hobby would you pursue?: I would learn how to play the cello.
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: It has given me financial stability and will allow me to focus more on my research as I progress into my program.
Current research: My current research interests include anti-vaccination attitudes and celebrity admiration.

Name: Monica Garity
Hometown: Sacramento, California
Department: Marine Sciences
Degree Sought: PhD, 2024
What is your unusual talent?: I can put together jigsaw puzzles very quickly.
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: It has given me peace of mind knowing I will have financial stability throughout graduate school. This will allow me to focus on my research.
Current research: I am researching the oceanic processes which may have been responsible for the atmospheric carbon dioxide changes seen during glacial-interglacial cycles.

Name: Chengeng Yang
Hometown: China
Department: Biomedical Engineering
Degree Sought: PhD, 2025
Who is your favorite fictional character?: Elizabeth Bennet
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: Receiving the Jorgensen Fellowship has allowed me to concentrate on my research topics in a better way and offered me with more chances to explore the world. It benefits me not only in the financial aspects but in providing networking resources.
Current research: Modeling and Simulation for Materials and Biology

Name: Cindy Barreto
Hometown: Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Department: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Degree Sought: PhD, 2026
What is your favorite dinosaur?: Birds are my favorite dinosaurs.
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: Without this fellowship, I would not be able to start my Ph.D. at UConn. I have always dreamed about being a biologist and pursuing a Ph.D. will help me achieve this goal. As a first-generation college student, pursuing a Ph.D. is a life-changing opportunity for me, as well as for my family. I am grateful to UConn and the Graduate School for this fellowship!
Current research: I am interested in the effects of urbanization on interactions between Darwin's finches and their introduced parasites in the Galapagos Islands.

Name: Anne Marie Crinnion
Hometown: Villanova, PA
Department: Psychological Sciences
Degree Sought: PhD, 2025
If you had an extra hour in your day, every day, what hobby would you pursue?: I really enjoy constructing crossword puzzles!
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: My fellowship will allow me to fully immerse myself in the myriad of research groups at UConn studying language, without having to worry about devoting time to other activities for financial support. I'm so grateful to have access to a wide range of scholars doing meaningful work in the UConn community.
Current research: speech perception, spoken word recognition

Name: Mikayla Moody
Hometown: I have many homes, but I would say Norfolk, Virginia and Stillwater, Oklahoma are my two homes.
Department: Biomedical Engineering
Degree Sought: PhD, 2024
If you had an extra hour in your day, every day, what hobby would you pursue?: If I had an extra hour every day, I would either paint or draw.
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: It has made me feel less financially strained. It has also introduced me to other people from other departments through fellow get-togethers. Additionally, I feel like I have gained a network of administrators I can talk to about improving the graduate school experience for myself, current students, and future students.
Current research: I am currently looking at how a build up acid in the body due to diet or disease affects bone fractures, specifically in the femur.

Name: Falu Hong
Hometown: China
Department: Natural Resources and the Environment
Degree Sought: PhD, 2025
If you owned a boat, what would you name it?: Sincerity
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: My fellowship allows me to fully engage in research without worrying about financial concerns. I am also grateful to join the UConn community to meet with outstanding scholars from a wide range of fields.
Current research: I am interested in understanding how the world is changing with satellite observations or remote sensing technology.

Name: Ahmed AboHamad
Hometown: Egypt
Department: Philosophy
Degree Sought: PhD, 2026
What is your favorite quote?: “There are more things, Lucilius, likely to frighten us than there are to crush us; we suffer more often in imagination than in reality. What I advise you to do is, not to be unhappy before the crisis comes. Accordingly, some things torment us more than they ought; some torment us before they ought; and some torment us when they ought not to torment us at all. We are in the habit of exaggerating, or imagining, or anticipating, sorrow. We shall consider later whether these evils derive their power from their own strength, or from our own weakness.” -Seneca
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: The fellowship provides financial stability and freedom that I hope will allow me to focus more on learning and personal development. I am also grateful that it provides the chance for building friendships and professional growth which are necessary for surviving in graduate school.
Current research: My tentative areas of interest are Moral Psychology, Social Epistemology, Ethics, and Philosophy of Science.

The Graduate School

Open Floor Discussion at Fellows Orientation 2018

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