Announcements

Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) and Graduate Student Showcase

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As part of the 2026 Graduate Student Appreciation Week at the University of Connecticut and in celebration of the Because of UConn campaign, The Graduate School hosted the Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) and Graduate Student Showcase. This event celebrated the impact, creativity, and purpose behind graduate students’ work through brief, engaging presentations for a general audience. The showcase took place on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM at Konover Auditorium in The Dodd Center for Human Rights and was open to degree-seeking graduate students from all UConn campuses.

TO VIEW THE RECORDING: Visit this link.

Presentation Categories:

  • Category 1: All Master's degrees; Professional and clinical doctoral degrees
  • Category 2: Arts, Humanities, and Social Science doctoral degrees (PhD candidates only)
  • Category 3: STEM doctoral degrees (PhD candidates only)

Agenda for the Event:

8:00 AM Registration Opens The Dodd Center for Human Rights
9:00 AM Welcome & Dean's Address Konover Auditorium
9:10 AM Category 2 Presentations Konover Auditorium
10:05 AM Voting & Coffee Break Lobby outside of Konover Auditorium
10:15 AM Category 1 Presentations Konover Auditorium
11:05 AM Voting & Coffee Break Lobby outside of Konover Auditorium
11:15 AM Category 3 Presentations Konover Auditorium
12:15 PM Voting & Coffee Break Lobby outside of Konover Auditorium
12:45 PM Awards Ceremony Konover Auditorium

Prize Winners:

CATEGORY 1:

  • First Place: Tracy Geha
  • Runner-up: Amelia Hickey
  • People's Choice: Tracy Geha

CATEGORY 2:

  • First Place: Urvi Kaul
  • Runner-up: Daniela Dominguez
  • People's Choice: Rui Wu

CATEGORY 3:

  • First Place: Meshach Ojo
  • Runner-up: Samantha Glass
  • People's Choice: Yasmin Bimbatti

At the end of the event, the overall winner was selected from among the three categories. The Grand Prize Winner of the 2026 3MT event was Tracy Geha of the Department of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages.

Finalists 2026 (in order of presentations):

CATEGORY 2: Arts, Humanities, and Social Science PhDs

  • Peyton Carroll: Love Island: Prehistoric Sicily
  • Mark Dickson: Mending Humpty Dumpty: Truth as Trustworthiness
  • Daniela Dominguez: Imaginaries of Mexican Infrastructure
  • Spencer Hayes: Social Media's Dichotomous Agency in Human Trafficking
  • Lincoln Hirn: “Worthy to Be Counted”: The Postbellum Slave Narrative, 1865-1915
  • Urvi Kaul: Biological and Social Narratives of Displacement
  • Iris Querenet Onfroy de Breville: Paint the Town Red: Pigments and Coloring Material Use by Early Humans in Southwestern France
  • Rui Wu: Mapping Weight Stigma Online: What Social Media Platforms Reveal
  • Muireann Nic Corcrain: “I Have a Voice”: Towards the Development of Speech Synthesis Technology for the Passamaquoddy Language

CATEGORY 1: Master’s Degrees; Professional/Clinical Doctorates

  • Mahir Takak: Saving the Planet, Evicting the Neighbor: How Sustainable Urban Development Prices People Out
  • Tracy Geha: World Languages: The Cognitive Benefits We Fail to Market
  • Amelia Hickey: The Hidden Role of Women in Trafficking Networks
  • Keegan Jalbert: Overcoming Risks and Barriers in Shellfish Aquaculture
  • Iris Kennedy: When Fire Meets Ice: How Disturbances Combine to Shape Forests in a Changing Climate
  • Ryeim Ansaf: From Prehospital to Bedside: Smarter Trauma Care with Ozonated Hydrogels
  • Arianna Cedeno: Reminding Cartilage How to Heal
  • Catherine Chou: Strengthening Bone with Blood: Bettering Braces
  • Tracie Le: The Disease That Doesn't Knock

CATEGORY 3: STEM PhDs

  • Yasmin Bimbatti: Lower Cost, Less Energy, Cleaner Planet
  • Mittal Darji: The $34 Billion Meltdown: Fixing Fragile Vaccines
  • Meshach Ojo: From Decades to Weeks: Tackling Connecticut's Crumbling Foundations
  • Sarah Pasqualetti: Using Threespine Stickleback Gut Bacteria to Break Down Plastic
  • Girija Pawge: Gamma-delta T cell (γδ T cell) : The Hidden Detectives and A New Hope Against Cancer
  • Snehaa Ray: The Weight After Birth: Protecting the Health of Black Mothers
  • Zahra Salehi: Can One Landscape Produce Food and Energy? Agrivoltaics in Connecticut
  • Samantha Glass: Tuning into the Arctic: Rethinking How the Polar Oceans Store Carbon
  • Kevin Grassie: Transdermal Bone Repair: Using Sound Waves to Mechanically Stimulate Implants
  • Leila Sharifi: Solving the Clumping Puzzle in Modern Medicine

Judges 2026:

Chris Chadbourne

Chris Chadbourne is a 1988 alumnus, graduating with a B.S. from the School of Business. He recently retired following a distinguished 30-year career in employee benefits sales and client management, where he worked extensively within the health insurance industry. Throughout his career, Chris partnered with senior leadership at several of Aetna’s and UnitedHealthcare’s largest national account clients, supporting complex strategies in achieving their operational objectives.

Since retiring, Chris has remained actively engaged in leadership and community initiatives, including spearheading the redesign and restoration of a local golf course. He has renewed his commitment and dedication to the University, joining the UConn Foundation Board of Directors in October 2025. Chris and his wife reside in Newton, MA, and remain enthusiastic supporters of UConn students and athletics.

Debs Ghosh, Ph.D.

Debs Ghosh is a Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Geography, Sustainability, Urban, and Community Studies, where she has served on the faculty since 2011. She is a Principal Investigator with the Institute for Collaboration of Health, Intervention, and Policy (or InCHIP). Her research and teaching focus on health geography, advancing an interdisciplinary agenda to examine the causal pathways linking neighborhoods, health behaviors, and disparities using a variety of methodological approaches. Beyond research, Debs provides national leadership within the American Association of Geographers, having served as Chair of the National Councilors and Vice Chair of the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee. At UConn, she is currently a member of the Graduate School’s Executive Committee, subcommittee for Graduate Success with the Graduate Faculty Council, and a member of CLAS’s AI Committee.

Kent Holsinger, Ph.D.

Kent Holsinger served as Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of The Graduate School from 2012 until his retirement in 2024. He earned his PhD in biological sciences at Stanford University. He held postdoctoral positions at the University of California, Berkeley and the University of California Davis before joining UConn as an assistant professor in the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology. In 2012, he was appointed as a Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor — the university’s highest faculty honor.

Matthew Mroz, Ph.D.

Matthew Mroz leads UConn’s Research Development efforts as the Interim Director of Research Development, overseeing efforts within the Office of the Vice President for Research to support faculty research advancement and external funding success. His portfolio includes OVPR Internal Funding and research support programs, research opportunity matching, enhancement of collaboration/team science, research development training and education, and proposal development support. He also contributes to research strategy discussions and the building of external partnerships. He has a PhD in English Literature and Rhetoric and extensive experience in teaching, scholarship, and academic administration.

Connect with The Graduate School on social media for updates and highlights from UConnGSAW26 on LinkedIn, Instagram, X (formally Twitter) and Facebook.

UConnGSAW26, We See You, We Celebrate You!

   

The world moves forward because of UConn, and all we do is possible because of YOU.

Grad Chat: Fall 2025

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Join the Director of Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Support, Kimberly Curry, for low-stakes conversations concerning the UConn Graduate Student Experience through GRADCHAT.

GRADCHAT is a relatively new forum for graduate students to discuss topics that impact the graduate school experience. The purpose of GRADCHAT is to foster community and connection among graduate students, especially students representing marginalized groups. From time to time, special guests may be featured in a GRADCHAT session, but GRADCHAT is one way we can have open dialog about issues that matter.

GRADCHATs are held virtually via Webex, and the link can be accessed HERE. Conversations will NOT be recorded. Graduate students across all regional campuses are encouraged to attend and connect!

Fall 2025 Dates/Topics:

  • October 3 – New Grad Students/First Gen Grad Students
    Topic: What is hiding in “The Hidden Curriculum?”
    Status: Completed
  • October 17 – Graduate Students with Disabilities (visible/invisible)
    Topic: How can we support one another?
    Status: Completed
  • October 31 – Graduate Students of Marginalized Groups
    Topic: What does it mean to be part of an underrepresented group in graduate school?
    Status: Completed
  • November 21 – Graduate Student Advising
    Topic: How important is the major advisor?
    Status: Completed
  • December 5 – The Greater Graduate Community
    Topic: What do you need to build community?
    This session is in collaboration with The Graduate School’s Network for Enriched Mentorship (NEM) initiative, where students in the program will be invited to share their experiences.
  • Status: Completed

We hope you will take advantage of this student-centered dialogue designed to provide support for one another, and do not forget to pass on the news to your colleagues.

Fall 2025 Research Apprenticeship Program

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Application Due: April 4, 2025

UConn graduate students who are interested in mentoring early career undergraduate students to assist them in the graduate student’s research are invited to submit a proposal for consideration. Selected proposals will be used to create an undergraduate research opportunity based on the information provided by the graduate student.

 

The Research Apprenticeship Program provides graduate students with research assistance and experience in mentoring. Early-career undergraduate students who have little or no prior research experience a pathway to involvement in research with a PhD student mentor. Each graduate student will be paired with one undergraduate student during Fall 2025 to work together on a research project proposed by the graduate student. To apply: Research Apprenticeship Program.

 

Research Apprenticeship Program Details

    • Graduate students must have a viable research project with which they need assistance and the ability to provide training to the undergraduate students.
    • Graduate students must be available to mentor the student apprentice over the semester and provide a substantive learning experience that allows students to develop foundational research skills and gain a greater understanding of the research process as they work on a concrete research project.
    • This program is intended to foster new undergraduate/graduate student connections. Graduate student mentors agree to select a student they are not currently working with and/or have not previously worked with in a research capacity.

 

Compensation and Hours

    • Research apprentices earn up to $500, paid as a stipend. To earn the full $500 award, apprentices will need to dedicate approximately 32 hours over the course of the semester.
    • In recognition of the commitment to mentoring an apprentice, graduate student mentors will receive a $500 stipend at the end of the semester.
    • Research Apprenticeship Program apprentices are required to present their research at the Frontiers in Undergraduate Research Poster Exhibition in October or April.

 

To apply: Research Apprenticeship Program.

 

This program is supported by The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) in collaboration with the Center for Access and Postsecondary Success (CAPS)/McNair Program, Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR), Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL), Institute for Collaboration on Health, Intervention, and Policy (InCHIP), and The Graduate School.

 

For questions about the program, undergraduate students may contact Dr. Micah Heumann, Director in the Office of Undergraduate Research, at micah.heumann@uconn.edu and graduate students may contact Dr. Mary Bernstein, Associate Dean of The Graduate School, at Mary.Bernstein@uconn.edu.

New Position Open: Director of Graduate Student Success

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The Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA) team of The Graduate School is seeking an energetic, collaborative, and creative leader for the position of Director of Graduate Student Success. To view the entire job description, see the list of qualifications, and apply for the position, please visit this page on the UConn Careers website. This job posting is scheduled to be removed at 11:55 p.m. Eastern time on March 26, 2025. 

Hagan International Scholarship 2025-2026

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The Hagan International Scholarship is a worldwide competitive scholarship for graduate students.

Applicants must not hold U.S. citizenship, must not be over 24 years of age as of the Submittal Deadline, and must have received an acceptance letter for the upcoming fall semester from a college or university located in the U.S.

The scholarship provides up to $7,500 each semester for up to four consecutive semesters and can be used to obtain a graduate degree or to help pay for the first two years of a professional program.

A Free Workshop provides recipients with a practical understanding of important life skills not typically covered in the school curriculum.

Eligibility Requirements:

  1. Must not hold U.S. citizenship.
  2. Must not be over 24 years of age as of the Submittal Deadline.
  3. Must provide a complete copy of applicant’s undergraduate Transcript showing the Award Degree.
  4. Must have received an acceptance letter for enrollment the upcoming fall semester from a college or university located in the U.S.
  5. Must be a first-time full-time student in graduate school or post baccalaureate professional program.
  6. Must be fluent in the English language and must provide a copy of applicant’s English proficiency test results.
  7. Must provide a Graduation Schedule prepared by the institution and approved by the Department Chair.
  8. Must contribute toward the cost of applicant’s education by working 240 hours from January 1 to September 1, prior to the start of the fall semester each academic year. Employment and/or paid internships must be performed under supervision for compensation. Work can be full-time or part-time.
  9. Must provide a copy of parents Financial Statement.

The submittal deadline for this scholarship is March 15, 2025. For more information, see this brochure. Please visit www.hsfmo.org to submit your application and materials. Additional questions can be directed to scholarships@hsfmo.org.

 

2025 Summer Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship

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We are pleased to announce that The Graduate School’s Summer Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship will begin accepting applications on February 1, 2025!

The Graduate School is committed to helping graduate students achieve their academic, professional, and personal goals during their time at the University of Connecticut. In support of this goal, The Graduate School invites applicants for the Summer Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship, which is intended to support the successful completion of the dissertation. Please review the eligibility criteria for this fellowship carefully before applying. This is a one-time $2,000 fellowship. If awarded, the funds will given during the summer term and paid through the Office of the Bursar. Please note that The Graduate School will validate each student’s status as of the Summer 2025 semester and are entitled to rescind the fellowship if a student has graduated or is no longer an active student.

Eligibility Criteria:

  1. The applicant must be a doctoral student in a program that requires a dissertation.
  2. The applicant must be an active student when they apply and are awarded. Students who complete their degree during the prior semester cannot be awarded.
  3. The applicant must have documented successful completion of the General Examination by submitting the Report on the General Exam.pdf to the Office of the Registrar’s Degree Audit team no later than February 28, 2025.
  4. The applicant must have documented successful completion and submission of the dissertation proposal by submitting the Dissertation Proposal form.pdf to the Office of the Registrar’s Degree Audit team no later than February 28, 2025.
    • The Dissertation Proposal form may be submitted to Degree Audit without IRB/IACUC approval. The milestone will be posted as “in progress” and that will satisfy eligibility for this application. IRB/IACUC approval must be submitted to Degree Audit when received so that the milestone may be updated to “complete” on the student record.
    • Students in the following doctoral programs may submit their application without having the Dissertation Proposal milestone on their account:
      • Business Administration
      • Communication
      • Clinical Psychology
      • Industrial and Organizational Psychology
      • EPSY – Research Methods, Measurement, and Evaluation
      • EDLR – Learning, Leadership, and Education Policy
    • The applicant is not eligible if they have previously received a Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship.
    • Students at UConn Health (with the exception of Public Health doctoral students) and UConn Law are not eligible to apply for this fellowship.

    Please note, while we hope to provide funding to all eligible applicants, fellowships are not guaranteed, as funds are limited and pending budgetary approval.

    The application period for this fellowship is February 1-February 28, 2025. Applications received outside of these dates will not be processed. You can access the application form and more information on this page.

    If you have questions regarding your eligibility for this fellowship, please contact gradschool@uconn.edu before applying.

    Graduate Student Timely Topics Series

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    The Graduate School’s Timely Topics is a series of learning opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to engage with subject matter experts on topics relevant to graduate education. The student track of this series features sessions that highlight University resources and supports, answer questions about academic processes and procedures, and provide strategies to help students successfully navigate their graduate career. All sessions are offered virtually.

    Register for a Session | View the full student track schedule and session descriptions

    Spring 2025 Student Sessions

    Seeking External Scholarship and Fellowship Opportunities
    UConn’s Office of National Scholarships and Fellowships (ONSF) advises and mentors students seeking prestigious, nationally-competitive scholarships and fellowships. In this session, staff from ONSF will discuss several specific opportunities that might be of interest to both early- and late-career graduate students (e.g., NSF-GRFP and Fulbright), and highlight resources to help graduate students from all backgrounds identify opportunities for which they might be eligible.

    Date:  Wednesday, January 29, 2025
    Time:  11am – 12pm
    Facilitator:  Vin Moscardelli, Director, Office of National Scholarships & Fellowships

     

    Getting to Conferral: Master’s Degrees and Graduate Certificates
    This session will discuss the Office of the Registrar’s degree audit process for master’s degrees and graduate certificates, including 6th Year Certificate programs. Degree Audit staff will share auditing terms and timeline, degree requirements for Plan A and Plan B, as well as the thesis submission process. Time will be available at the end of the session for participants’ questions.

    Date:  Wednesday, February 12, 2025
    Time:  11am – 12pm
    Facilitators:  Sandra Cyr, Master’s Degree and Graduate Certificate Programs Registrar Specialist

     

    Getting to Conferral: Doctoral Degrees
    This session will discuss the Office of the Registrar’s degree audit process for doctoral (Ph.D.) students. Degree Audit staff will share auditing terms and timeline, degree requirements, the master’s on the way process, and the dissertation submission process. Time will be available at the end of the session for participants’ questions.

    Date:  Wednesday, February 12, 2025
    Time:  2pm – 3pm
    Facilitators:  Jenn Horan, Doctoral Degree Registrar Specialist

     

    Promoting Mental Health
    This informative and interactive workshop will increase graduate students’ knowledge of the range of mental health resources on campus as well as helpful self-care and stress management strategies.

    Date:  Wednesday, March 5, 2025
    Time:  11am – 12pm
    Facilitator:  Alyson Faires, Staff Psychologist, SHaW Mental Health

     

    Building Financial Credit and Dealing with Debt
    In this workshop, we’ll discuss financial credit, credit scoring, and how to use credit wisely. Further, we will also talk about dealing with debt and what to do when you can’t pay your bills. This workshop will be provided by the UConn Financial Education Program.

    Date:  Wednesday, April 2, 2025
    Time:  11am – 12pm
    Facilitator:  Faye Griffiths-Smith, Personal Finance Educator, UConn Extension

    Register for a Session

    Learn more about all of The Graduate School’s Timely Topics

    “Distinguished Graduate Fellows” and “Impact Scholars” Programs

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    Official guidance on The Graduate School’s new Distinguished Graduate Fellows and Impact Scholars fellowship programs for incoming students has been made available to the Executive Committee of The Graduate School, the Graduate Faculty Council, Department Heads, Directors of Graduate Studies, Graduate Student Administrators, Associate Deans for Graduate Education, and Academic Deans. Please reach out to those groups or jack.corcoran@uconn.edu from The Graduate School for access to this guidance.

    Spring 2025 Conference Participation Award

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    We are pleased to announce that The Graduate School’s Conference Participation Award (formerly the Doctoral Student Travel Award) will be accepting applications from December 1, 2024, through January 15, 2025.

    The Graduate School is committed to helping graduate students achieve their academic, professional, and personal goals during their time at the University of Connecticut. In support of this goal, The Graduate School offers a Conference Participation Award to support students’ ability to present their research at national or international meetings and conferences, including both in-person and virtual events. This conference participation fellowship in the amount of $750 will be awarded for Spring 2025 and paid through the student’s fee bill. If awarded, students will be notified in mid-February. Please review the eligibility criteria for the fellowship carefully before applying.

    Students are responsible for knowing any and all travel advisories, restrictions, and relevant University policies and should plan accordingly. Students should stay up to date with information shared by the U.S. Department of State and the University’s Travel Services office.

    Eligibility Criteria:

    • The applicant must be a doctoral or MFA student.
    • The applicant must be enrolled in the semester for which the fellowship is awarded, e.g., spring semester for applications due by January 15.
    • The applicant must have successfully completed at least 30 credits toward their degree program prior to applying for this fellowship unless their program requires less than 30 credits with a prior master’s degree.
      • If a student has attained a master’s degree from another university and their program only requires 15 doctoral credits with a master’s degree, they qualify for eligibility upon completion of all 15 credits.
    • The applicant is not eligible if they have previously received a Doctoral Student Travel Award or Conference Participation Award.
    • The funds are intended to be used for participation in a conference at which the student is presenting their research.
    • Students at UConn Health and UConn Law are not eligible for this award.

    Please note, fellowships are not guaranteed, as funds are limited and pending budgetary approval. We hope to provide funding to all eligible applicants, but eligible students who are not awarded in this cycle will be encouraged to apply in the next cycle.

    The deadline for application is January 15, 2025. Applications received following this date will not be considered. You can access the application form and more information here: Conference Participation Award | The Graduate School (uconn.edu).

    WiSFiRE: Women in STEM Frontiers in Research Expo

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    Join us for the fourth annual WiSFiRE conference, a one-day event featuring technical talks, a career panel and networking opportunities with women faculty in STEM at UConn. Come hear about their exciting research and how they have built their scientific careers!

    Featuring faculty from the College of Engineering, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, School of Pharmacy, as well as alumni.

    Free and open to all undergraduate and graduate students.

     

    Keynote Speakers

    • Dr. Nora Berrah – Physics, University of Connecticut
    • Dr. Gosia Chwatko – Chemical Engineering, University of Kentucky and B.S., Chemical Engineering, 2015 (UConn)

     

    Event Information

    • Date: September 20, 2024
    • Time: 9:30 am – 5:00 pm
    • Location: Student Union Ballroom, UConn Storrs Campus

     

    Register at: wisfire2024.eventbrite.com