Meet Our Graduate School Fellows

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: 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: 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: 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: Sarah Melissa Ramirez
Hometown: Seattle, Washington
Department: Latina/o and Latin American studies
Degree Sought: MA, 2023
Who is your favorite fictional character?: Mort from Madagascar
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: Becoming a recipient of The Crandall Fellowship changed the plans I initially had for graduate school - but in an incredible way. I no longer have to worry about the insurmountable debt that comes with a Master's program and I can instead focus on my schoolwork to become the scholar I aspire to be. Beyond the financial stability that comes with The Crandall Fellowship also comes a feeling of comfort and promise that the University is committed to me, the assets I can bring to campus, and breaking down the barriers of access to graduate school for marginalized students.
Current research: Pedagogical Interventions Toward a Decolonial Practice of Global Engagement

Name: Tony Edgington
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Department: Geosciences
Degree Sought: MS, 2023
If you had an extra hour in your day, every day, what hobby would you pursue?: Writing poetry.
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: My fellowship has given me the opportunity to make the best decision for my research and career aspirations, which was moving across the country here to UConn for my graduate studies. The privileges of the fellowship will help me to excel in my research and pursue broader impact projects in my field.
Current research: Improving and utilizing geo- and thermochronological techniques on detrital minerals to better understand sediment recycling and weathering in orogenic systems.

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: 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: Sarita Muñoz-Gómez
Hometown: Medellín, Colombia
Department: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Degree Sought: Master's, 2023
What is your favorite flavor cookie?: My favorite cookies are peanut butter cookies. Especially the ones my host-mom would make for me as an exchange student in Nova Scotia
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: Getting this fellowship has allowed me to take my research to the next level because I have more time to spend in the lab and because UConn offers great spaces to do science. There are a lot more things that are possible here compared to where I come from, so I am very grateful to UConn and the Graduate School for this chance to learn more about what I love!
Current research: Symmetry and production of color patterns in the flowers of Mimulus parishii.

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: 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! So far, 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 will be studying 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: 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: 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: Leana Santos
Hometown: Santo Domingo, DR
Department: Civil and Environmental Engineering
Degree Sought: PhD, 2024
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: The Harriott Fellowship allowed me to focus on my research interests rather than to worry about money to pay for my graduate studies. As a fellow, I will be part of a community that will help me grow professionally.
Current research: My research interest are: (1) bridge fatigue and failure and (2) structural reliability and risk analysis

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: Rachel Gabrilowitz
Hometown: Cranston, Rhode Island
Department: School Psychology
Degree Sought: MA/Sixth-Year, 2023
If you had an extra hour in your day, every day, what hobby would you pursue?: Gardening - I would love to learn how to grow my own fruit and vegetables.
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: The Crandall fellowship provides me with the opportunity to be fully immersed in my studies with fewer financial constraints. I am grateful to have the space to explore my professional/research interests and to learn from the graduate student community here at UConn.

Name: Summaya Abdul Razak
Hometown: Wa, Ghana
Department: Allied Health Science
Degree Sought: Master's, 2022
If you had an extra hour in your day, every day, what hobby would you pursue?: Gardening
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: It is a great honor knowing that I am apart of a community of Diverse scholars. Receiving the Crandall Fellowship has given me financial stability and will allow me to focus more on my program. Without it I would not be able to start my Master's program.
Current research: My current research interest include malnutrition in children, adolescents health, pregnancy, health promotion and disease prevention.

Name: Sahil Luthra
Hometown: Sudbury, MA & Los Altos, CA
Department: Psychological Sciences
Degree Sought: PhD, 2021
What is your favorite flavor cookie?: Oatmeal raisin (controversial, I know)
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: The fellowship has given me the freedom to explore research questions I wouldn't have had the time to investigate otherwise, leading to several research presentations and publications that I simply wouldn't have been able to do without the fellowship. It has also given me financial peace of mind, which is a tremendous privilege.
Current research: I'm interested in how we understand spoken words and how that happens in the brain. I'm especially interested in how our understanding of speech is affected by both our knowledge of who is talking (and how that person talks) as well as what they're likely to be saying in some given context. I am currently working on my dissertation titled "Neural mechanisms underlying talker-specific influences on speech perception".

Name: Mary McGuinness
Hometown: Spring Lake Heights, NJ
Department: Marine Sciences
Degree Sought: Oceanography, 2022
What is your favorite quote?: "If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’"
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: I view receiving the Crandall fellowship not only as a great honor but as a responsibility and a promise. Now more than ever, we all must work to heal this country and to aggressively pursue justice and equality for all by rooting out hatred. This goal will take daily commitment and introspection. This award will serve as a daily reminder to my vow not to simply accept the things I can not change to change but instead the things I can not accept.
Current research: I am currently characterizing alkalinity along Long Island Sound embayments and freshwater tributaries to provide insight into the contribution of estuaries in the global carbon cycle.

Name: Thomas Martinez Pilnik
Hometown: London, England
Department: Art & Art History
Degree Sought: MFA, 2023
What is your favorite home cooked meal?: Anything that provokes nostalgia: in particular, a Brazilian Feijoada that takes me back to humid São Paulo summers with my grandparents.
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: It has given me the freedom to uproot and replant, commit to Connecticut as both an idea and a physical space, and devote all of my time to both my passion in teaching and art making.
Current research: Art through the manipulation of neuropsychological processes and iconographic interventions

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: 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: 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: 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: Monique Domingo
Hometown: Vallejo, California
Department: The School of Business
Degree Sought: PhD, 2022
What is your favorite quote?: "Neither of my parents had the means to attend college, but both taught me to love learning, to care about people, and to work hard for whatever I wanted or believed in." - Ruth Bader Ginsburg
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: The Giolas-Harriott Fellowship has advanced my academic development by providing the resources that enable me to devote my attention toward building my research and teaching skills.
Current research: Team enabling and activating conditions on team member psychological empowerment and performance; Backlash response theory: how women leaders use emotional labor to address backlash events

Name: Luis J. Beltrán-Álvarez
Hometown: Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
Department: Political Science
Degree Sought: PhD, 2022
What is your favorite quote?: "Love in freedom is the only condition of a beautiful life". - Emma Goldman
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: The Fellowship has helped me to have more freedom and time to work beyond academia. In the last years, I have created, together with other UConn students and Faculty, the group called Subversiones Filosóficas Latinoamericanas, a place where we think and elaborate theory from the Global South's perspective. Also, I had the opportunity to be a founding member of a network called Puerto Rican Critical Studies. Students and Faculty get together to critically think other perspectives about Puerto Rico, Puerto Ricans, the Diaspora relations, the Boricua ethnic trends, and the topics of Race and Gender. The Crandall-Cordero fellowship has helped me grow intellectually in the public and academic space, and I am deeply honored to be a fellow.
Current research: My research is about how social movements in contemporary Puerto Rico create a Puerto Rican Contemporary Political Theory. I work together with Feminist and Community Organizations by using Interpretive methods and Jane Gordon's Creolizing Political Theory book to understand and develop a Creolized Political Theory in Praxis. In the process, I will create New Political Theories and build social movements and organizational tools.

Name: Jamilah R. George
Hometown: Detroit, Michigan
Department: Psychological Sciences
Degree Sought: PhD, 2024
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.
Current research: Perception of God Moderates the Relationship Between Scrupulosity and Contamination Symptoms in OCD (OCD; Trauma; Race/Ethnicity/Culture; Mental Health Disparities; Religion/Spirituality; Underserved populations)

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: Sarah Jane Asinari
Hometown: Philadelphia/Scranton, PA
Department: Linguistics
Degree Sought: PhD, 2023
Who is your favorite fictional character?: Arthur Morgan (Red Dead Redemption 2) or Elspeth Tirel (Magic: The Gathering Multiverse)
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: My fellowship has given me the freedom to travel to Philadelphia, Boston, and Manhattan to collect data in historically Irish immigrant boroughs. Walking these streets and meeting people, instead of running online surveys, has really broadened my research.
Current research: Irish immigrant dialect of Northeastern Philadelphia, Wh-question formation in English dialects, Quantifier float questions like 'what all are you bringing?'

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: Carnisha Gilder
Hometown: Detroit, Michigan
Department: Allied Health Sciences
Degree Sought: PhD, 2020
What is your favorite quote?: "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" - Wayne Gretzky
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: The impact of social connectedness on weight loss and weight loss maintenance

Name: Tanner Kovach
Hometown: Willimantic, Connecticut
Department: Anthropology
Degree Sought: PhD, 2025
Who is your favorite fictional character?: The T. rex from Jurassic Park
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: My fellowship has allowed me to pursue academic opportunities, such as fieldwork in Armenia and future lab work in Georgia, without having to worry about how I am going to pay rent, etc., while I am away.
Current research: I am studying Upper Paleolithic lithic technology in the Southern Caucasus.

Name: Donyeil Hoy, Jr.
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Department: Biomedical Engineering
Degree Sought: PhD, 2020
What is your favorite quote?: "I wish I could show you, when you are lonely or in darkness, the astonishing light of your own being." - Hafez of Shiraz
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: My fellowship has allowed me to have a stronger voice in choosing the research that I am interested in pursuing. It has also allowed me to focus on research rather than teaching.
Current research: Designing Self-Assembled High-Efficiency Lipid Bicelles for the Encapsulation of Graphene Family Materials (Lipid self-assembly and drug delivery)

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: Luke Johnson
Hometown: Olympia, Washington
Department: Computer Science and Engineering
Degree Sought: PhD, 2022
What would you name the movie title for the story of your life?: Our Lives Covered in Chia Seeds
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: It has allowed me to pursue research outside of my department and build relationships with other faculty at the University. It also reminds me that the work that I do outside of my field has value and is important.
Current research: Code Offset in the Exponent (Theoretical cryptography, the foundations of secure biometric authentication)

Name: Ajhanai (AJ) Channel Inez Newton
Hometown: San Jose, CA
Department: Learning, Leadership, Educational Policy
Degree Sought: PhD, 2021
What is your favorite quote?: "Sometimes, God will not allow us to look like what we have been through." -Dr. Heaven
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: I am forever thankful for the support I receive from the GH fellowship. The fellowship has allowed me to engage in research and doctoral studies, with little financial stress. I have also been able to connect with peers and develop close relationships with other fellows, which has assisted in how I perceive community at UConn.
Current research: A Conceptual Model of the Emergence of Diversity and Inclusion Officers in Division I Collegiate Athletics | A Critical Discourse Analysis of White Student-Athletes Attending a Historically Black College and University (Diversity and Inclusion in Sport Organizations, Racial Identity Development of Student-Athletes, Mental Health and Student-Athletes)

Name: Britney Jones
Hometown: Elmont, New York
Department: Educational Leadership
Degree Sought: PhD, 2021
If you had an extra hour in your day, every day, what hobby would you pursue?: YouTube, I would either spend the time watching videos or start my own channel! 🙂
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: This fellowship has undoubtedly relieved a financial burden and limited stress around seeking funding opportunities each year. Additionally, it has reduced my workload and allowed me to focus more of my time and energy on research related to my own interests. Finally, it created a space for me to connect with a network of dynamic, phenomenal, and inspiring fellow UCONN graduate students!
Current research: Culturally Relevant Pedagogy; Culturally Relevant Science Teaching

Name: Grace Vaziri
Hometown: Santa Clarita, California
Department: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Degree Sought: PhD, 2023
What is your favorite home cooked meal?: Ghormeh sabzi (Persian herb stew)
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: Because of the fellowship I have fewer teaching obligations, which allows me more time to spend in the field collecting data, and has given me the freedom to explore a diverse roster of project ideas.
Current research: The eco-immunology and microbiota of (frozen!) overwintering wood frogs (Ecological-immunology, parasitism, wild microbiome)

Name: Nikole Giovannone
Hometown: Sandy Hook, Connecticut
Department: Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences
Degree Sought: PhD, 2023
What is your unusual talent?: I bake my own bread from a homemade sourdough starter!
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: My fellowship has given me the opportunity to pursue the scientific questions that excite me at an institution that offers both incredible support and copious resources for the study of the neurobiology of language.
Current research: Contributions to individual differences in lexically guided perceptual learning (How do our expressive and receptive language abilities impact the way in which we perceive speech?)

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: Melanie Klinck
Hometown: Hartford, Connecticut
Department: Social Work
Degree Sought: MSW, 2021
If you had an extra hour in your day, every day, what hobby would you pursue?: Yoga
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: Receiving the fellowship allows me to spend the next two years truly focusing on my education. I was able to reduce my work hours and accept my first choice internship at the Yale New Haven Psychiatric Hospital. Furthermore, I felt inspired to know that The Graduate School sees potential in my educational and career goals. I am truly grateful for the support from the university.
Current research: I am currently a research assistant on four different UConn Health studies focusing on addiction and other behavioral health topics. 1) The Empower Program (promoting HIV testing in at risk women) 2) A Psychotherapy Development Study for Internet Gaming Disorder 3) Health Behaviors and Employment (looking at how unemployment and alcohol use relate) and 4) Promoting Employment Outcomes in People Living with HIV/AIDS.

Name: Karla D. Rivera Figueroa
Hometown: Caguas, Puerto Rico
Department: Psychological Sciences
Degree Sought: PhD, 2022
What is your favorite flavor cookie?: Double Chocolate
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: Having this fellowship has allowed me to pursue my career interests more freely, and embark in challenging and personally meaningful projects.
Current research: The relationship between brain hemispheric lateralization and cognitive abilities; Racial and ethnic disparities in the diagnosis and treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD); ASD stigma and its relationship with service use; long-term outcomes in ASD.

Name: Madeline Quam
Hometown: Tampa, Florida
Department: Psychological Science
Degree Sought: PhD, 2024
Who is your favorite fictional character?: Inej Ghafa, from Six of Crows
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: Being awarded the Harriott Fellowship made my decision to attend UConn much easier. I greatly appreciate the support not only financially, which does provide some peace of mind, but also through the resources offered by the program as well as the chance to meet similarly driven people. Having this fellowship has given me the opportunity to pursue my specific research questions and further my academic goals as well as make connections outside of my department. I look forward to see what the next few years will bring.
Current research: 1) the effects of language experience on number knowledge and math cognition and 2) handshape preferences of deaf homesigners and their communication partners

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.

Name: Dung (Emma) Nguyen
Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland
Department: Linguistics
Degree Sought: PhD, 2020
What would you name the movie title for the story of your life?: The Confused Little Asian Kid
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: This fellowship has given me the time and freedom to carry out my research throughout the calendar year (including summer) as well as disseminate my research as conferences.
Current research: The predictive power of lexical semantics on the acquisition of passive voice in young children (First Language Acquisition)

Name: Baylee McGinnis
Hometown: Honolulu, HI & Yorktown, VA
Department: Geosciences
Degree Sought: MS, 2022
What is your favorite dinosaur?: Coelophysis
How has being a Graduate Fellow impacted you: The Crandall Fellowship has granted me the opportunity to immediately start focusing on my research without having to worry about finances or dedicate hours to working as a TA. This will allow me to do much more thorough research, with a bigger project and hopefully more certain conclusions.
Current research: My research focusses on climate reconstruction using biomarkers and volcanic glasses in sediment.

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Open Floor Discussion at Fellows Orientation 2018

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