The Graduate School Fellowship helps fund outstanding graduate students at UB. A minimum of twenty students will be selected per year. Each student will receive a $10,000 top-off per year, renewable for five years, for a total value of $50,000.
To be eligible, a nominee must be a new applicant to a PhD program and must be fully funded, including a teaching, graduate or research assistant position.
For more information about the Graduate School Fellowship, please contact your academic department.
Each school or college has an internal admissions process. Please contact your academic department for more information.
To maintain funding, students must continue to receive a full teaching, graduate or research assistant appointment, obtain a 3.0 GPA each semester and complete classes in a timely manner. Failure to meet these requirements may result in termination of a student’s award.
Throughout the year, the Office of Fellowships and Scholarships encourages our Presidential, Schomburg, and Graduate School Fellows to share their research with one another during our Research Talks. These talks allow for the exchange of knowledge among the community and create potential for scholarly collaborations.
Date
| Name
| Degree
| Title and Description
|
---|---|---|---|
February 7, 2024 | Fiona Ellsworth | PhD, Geology | Pathways to Soil Carbon Storage
This talk will discuss recent research, in which we performed a soil incubation experiment to investigate how the presence or absence of oxygen controls storage of different types of carbon in soil. We found that factors that control microbial decomposition of carbon are dominant drivers of soil carbon retention. This work enables better predictions of soil carbon storage under changing climate. |
March 29, 2024 | Samantha Didrichsen | PhD, Curriculum, Instruction and the Science of Learning | Striving for Equitable Assessment Opportunities: Preschool Teacher Feedback on a Gamified Self-regulation Task
Self-regulation skill development in early childhood lays the foundation for academic success during the school years by enabling children to engage and take advantage of learning opportunities. Early childhood educators must be prepared to target self-regulation skills, which involve controlling and planning adaptive actions within one’s environment, with each of their students using developmentally appropriate practices and tools. However, commonly used observational assessments that ask teachers to report on children’s behaviors may be affected by inaccurate perceptions. A new teacher-facilitated, largely child-led tablet-based assessment of self-regulation called HTKS-Kids assesses each individual child’s regulatory skills directly, without using a checklist. This study garnered early childhood educators’ feedback on HTKS-Kids feasibility and its potential to present new information concerning their children’s school readiness skills. |
April 12, 2024 | Kiana Jean-Baptiste | PhD, Counseling Psychology | Intersectional Discrimination, Resilience, and Psychological Well-Being in Black Queer People
Black queer people face racism from white LGBTQ+ individuals, and heterosexism from cisgender/heterosexual Black people, a phenomenon collectively known as intersectional discrimination. This separation from one’s communities can create stress that hampers psychological well-being. Forms of poor psychological well-being include depression, suicidality, and substance misuse. Resilience involves successfully adapting to such adversity and stems from factors such as community support, inner strength, and positive social relationships. Through resilience building, Black queer people can forge pathways to liberation from oppressive structures. |
Date
| Name
| Degree
| Title and Description
|
---|---|---|---|
March 2, 2023 | Joel Kirk | PhD, Music Composition | Representations of Blackness and the Crossing Over of Sound: The Commodification of Soul in the Early Music of Whitney Houston (1985-1989)
Born into a highly musical family consisting of Grammy-winning artists such as Cissy Houston (mother), Darlene Love (godmother), Dionne Warwick (cousin), and Aretha Franklin (honorary aunt), Whitney Houston was exposed to a plethora of Motown, Soul, and gospel influences from an early age. After being signed to Arista Records under the watchful eye of Clive Davis in 1983, her subsequent rise to stardom was not only fast, but also highly calculated by the white-centric hierarchy of leading industry professionals. Drawing on the work of Tricia Rose, Keith Negus, Kristin Lieb, and Kyra Gaunt, Kirk analyzes Whitney Houston’s early sound through the systemic oppression of Black, female artists in the American mainstream music industry across the mid-late 20th Century. What can Whitney Houston's early sound tell us about the white-washing of Black artists to suit the ears of a (so-called) 'crossover' audience? Emerging artists such as Doja Cat, Sza, and Cardi B are living proof that the precarious issue of crossover sound is one that remains just as prevalent over 30 years later, and therefore is one which must be carefully considered in ethnomusicological study of Black popular artists. |
March 6, 2023 | Meghan Holtan | PhD, Urban and Regional Planning | Housing and Health Equity in Alaska and the Canadian Arctic
This research presentation synthesizes fifty peer-reviewed journal articles linking housing to health in Alaska and the Canadian Arctic using a health equity lens. This scoping literature review sets the stage for regional approaches to integrating housing, community development, and health in a changing climate. Housing characteristics that affect health in the study area include the impact of residential mobility, crowding, indoor air quality and ventilation, piped water and sewer service to homes, and access to health care, as well as characteristics specific to the Northern Indigenous context, including colonial legacies and the importance of social and cultural connection in housing design and policy. |
April 6, 2023 | András Blazsek | PhD, Media Study | Sonification, Attentive Listening and the Workshop
What is sonification? Sonification is a method of making what is not audible—images, videos, numerical data, information—into sound for attentive listening. Among people who study sonification it is either understood as a scientific process that can only transfer information, interpret it, or communicate it, or it is treated as music, experienced as a set of abstractions made through aesthetic choices to create sensory impact. It is analyzed as either a way of offloading pressure on the visual system in what is an ocularcentric world, or it is described as a practice that reveals an underappreciated cochlearcentrism among humans. What are the stakes of a sonification practice that would give importance to listening? What types of listening modes exist and how they help in the understanding of sonification? |
April 28, 2023 | Charles LaBarre | PhD, Social Welfare | Recovery from Alcohol Use Disorder: Conceptual Shifts, New Research, and Emerging Challenges
In this presentation, LaBarre will introduce emerging research that has shifted conceptualizations of recovery from alcohol use disorder, discuss new research that has investigated and tested new definitions of recovery (inclusive of his current line of research), and future research directions. Specifically, he will discuss how research in the past 2-3 decades resulted in changes of what it means to "recover" from AUD, and how these changes have impacted the way researchers research recovery. LaBarre will then discuss how recent research within the past 5-10 years has provided nuance and clarity to recovery processes. Finally, he will discuss pressing gaps, such as the need for recovery research among underrepresented, minority, and disadvantaged populations, and his research pertaining to sexual minority populations. |
October 6, 2023 | Oluwatoyin Campbell | PhD, Chemical and Biological Engineering | Effect of Lipid Composition on Interactions between Virus Proteins and Cell Membranes during Hepatitis C Infection
Some viral infections interfere with lipid management in the liver. The diverse types and compositions of lipids in cell membranes is able to facilitate different interactions with virus proteins that aid their functions. In hepatitis C, the p7 protein has been suggested to play key roles during virus formation, but the details on how it interacts with cell membranes is largely unknown. This talk will focus on using a computational technique called molecular dynamics simulations to describe how interactions of p7 with model cell membranes depend on membrane lipid composition. This work attempts to address unanswered questions regarding the relevance and mechanism of these interactions, and results can support the development of more effective therapeutics for hepatitis C patients. |
November 9, 2023 | Mohamed Mousa | PhD, Mechanical Engineering | Mechanical Neural Networks: Reconfigurable Elastic Metasurfaces for Cognitive Wave-based Computing
The ability of mechanical systems to perform basic computations has gained traction over recent years, providing an unconventional alternative to digital computing in off grid, low power, and severe thermal environments which render the majority of electronic components inoperable. In here, we present a first attempt to describe the fundamental framework of an elastic neuromorphic metasurface that performs distinct classification tasks. Multiple layers of reconfigurable waveguides are phase-trained via constant weights and trainable activation functions in a manner that enables the resultant wave scattering at the readout location to focus on the correct class within the detection plane. We demonstrate the neuromorphic system's ability to exhibit high accuracy in two distinct tasks owing to a fully reconfigurable design, eliminating the need for costly remanufacturing. |
December 6, 2023 | Faye Raymond | PhD, Biochemistry | How the M813T Mutation Affects NMDA Receptor Structure and Function
The NMDA receptor is a protein molecule found throughout the brain and central nervous system. Protein molecules, like the NMDA receptor, are made of individual amino acids that contribute to overall function. The NMDA receptor regulates learning, vision, movement, and brain electrical firing. Mutations to the receptor’s amino acids result in epilepsy, movement dysregulation, visual impairment, and intellectual disorders. Our knowledge of the NMDA receptor’s function has been obtained using biochemical techniques such as single molecule imaging, experimentally controlled mutations, and protein purification. In combination, we are building a narrative to describe NMDA receptor function and dysfunction, in a controlled setting. This information is then translated to humans, where we can compare NMDA receptor function and dysfunction in diseased-settings. |
Date
| Name
| Degree
| Title and Description
|
---|---|---|---|
April 1, 2022 | LaShekia Chatman | PhD, Anthropology | Contrasting Motivations Among Black Reproductive Professionals: Competing Paradigms for Reimagining Liberation
LaShekia’s second year thesis began as an exploration into the Black midwife and doula movement as a source of cultural and political empowerment, yet evolved into a rarely-explored narrative on the struggle for cultural capital among emerging ethnomedical practices, ideas on professionalism, the future of medical education, and the need for reimagining what culturally resonant care means for not only patients, but BIPOC practitioners. |
April 22, 2022 | Narayan Dhimal | PhD, Neuroscience | Critical Components: Understanding the Role of Cellular Recycling in Krabbe Disease
Narayan’s work is centered around Krabbe disease, a severe neurological condition that affects 1 in 100,000 people in the United States. People who suffer from Krabbe disease lack a key enzyme that is required for autophagy, the body’s natural process to clear out or recycle damaged or unnecessary cellular components. This leads to abnormal amounts of myelin — a layer of proteins and fatty acids that surround nerves — and contributes to the disease’s severity. While there is currently no cure for Krabbe disease, there are approved bone marrow therapies as well as ongoing gene therapy trials. Narayan’s research focusing on the regulation of myelin hopes to find a new therapeutic strategy that can work in tandem with these treatments. |
October 27, 2022 | Shu Wan | PhD, History | We, Tong Bing: An Early History of the Chinese Deaf Community
Focusing on the formation of the deaf community before and during the War of Resistance, this essay explores Chinese deaf leaders' endeavors and the evolution of the deaf community in the following two sections. The first section examines the proliferation of deaf education in early twentieth century Chinese society. After examining the evolution from a network consisting of deaf educators and educated to a national deaf community before the War of Resistance, the second section switches to dead elites’ reactions to the influence of the national crisis on deaf people, especially those who were impoverished and in plight. |
Date
| Name
| Degree
| Title and Description
|
---|---|---|---|
March 31, 2021
| N.D. Lambert
| PhD, Political Science
| How Far Ahead Do Nations Plan?
|
April 30, 2021
| Amanda Waggoner
| PhD, Geography
| Race and Place in Washington, D.C.
|
Sept. 29, 2021 | Aria Wiseblatt | PhD, Clinical Psychology | Examining the Impact of Alcohol and Hookups on Sexual Victimization in White, Black and Asian College Women Sexual victimization (SV) of women continues to be a prevalent issue on college campuses. Literature suggests that heavy alcohol use and hookups are significant predictors of sexual victimization in college women. However, little research examines whether and in what ways these risk factors may operate differently among college women of different racial backgrounds. Aria's findings suggest that future research on college SV and SV prevention programs on college campuses should consider risk factors that disproportionally impact non-white women. |
Oct. 28, 2021 | Shu Wan | PhD, History | Francis G. Benedict and Racialization of the Chinese Basal Metabolism in the Early 20th Century Shu's research looks at the work of American biochemist Francis G. Benedict, who studied the Chinese racial feature in basal metabolism from 1927 to 1937. Shu looks at Benedict's work collectively, studying his concept, research and post-research impact. The conclusion of this research argues that it is misleading to characterize Benedict's racialized basal metabolism studies in a progressive, positive narrative. |
Dec. 2, 2021 | John Aulich | PhD, Music Composition | Paving the Way For Feminism: Female Fluxus Artists of the 1960s Fluxus is a highly influential arts movement dating from the 1960s, the impact of which is still strongly felt today. Its proponents and their descendants push the boundaries of what art can be by inviting active exploration through unfolding multi-sensory experiences. Fluxus as a whole was extremely politically radical, and its male adherents in particular often created works with strong and overt political sentiments. As a result, most scholarly attention to the political side of Fluxus artists has been paid to male Fluxus artists and their polemics. In contrast, researchers have only recently begun exploring the equally politically charged work of Fluxus art by women. John's research looks at three specific pieces of Fluxus art created by women in the 1960s and shows how their implicit connotation pave the way for more overt feminist art in the 1970s. |
Date
| Name
| Degree
| Title and Description
|
---|---|---|---|
March 4, 2020
| Venus Amiri
| PhD, Chemical and Biological Engineering
| Computational Analysis of Magnetic Droplet Generation and Manipulation in Microfluidic Devices
|
April 9, 2020
| Raven Baxter
| PhD, Curriculum, Instruction and the Science of Learning, concentration in Science Education
| “Big Ole Geeks”: How Innovation in Hip-Hop and Reality Pedagogy Set a Precedent for Representation in Science for Black Women
|
June 9, 2020
| Olivia Geneus
| PhD, Physical Chemistry
| Hypoxia Targeted Nanoparticles of a T1 Contrast Agent
|
June 30, 2020
| Pegi Bakula
| PhD, Linguistics
| Introducing Yil, a People and Language of Papua New Guinea Bakula introduced listeners to the Yil people of Papaua New Guinea, who belong to the Wapei branch of the Torricelli family. This language faces extinction, and Bakula’s research interests and goals seek to keep it alive. |
July 14, 2020
| Adrian Stein
| PhD, Mechanical Engineering
| Nonlinear Control of a Knuckle-Boom Crane With an Inertial Payload |
Aug. 4, 2020
| Eric Deutsch
| PhD, History
| “Fiddler’s Bitch”: The Guide Dog Movement Comes to America |
Aug. 25, 2020
| Alber Aqil
| PhD, Biological Sciences
| Balancing Selection Maintaining Polymorphisms in Hominins |
Sept. 23, 2020
| Antara Satchidanand
| PhD, Communication Disorders and Sciences
| Put the What, Where?! Referencing in Robot Assisted Surgery |
Oct. 14, 2020
| Jamal Williams and Megan Conrow-Graham
| PhD, Physiology and Biophysics; MD/PhD, Neuroscience
| Ain’t I a Woman? How the U.S. Healthcare System is Failing Women of Color |
Nov. 4, 2020
| Sarah Quinones
| PhD, Epidemiology and Environmental Health
| Disability and Multidimensional Well-Being Among Adolescents in Rural Tanzania |
Date
| Name
| Degree
| Title and Description
|
---|---|---|---|
Feb. 19, 2019
| Monica Johnson
| PhD, Counseling and School Psychology
| African American Acculturation and the "Strong Black Woman" Phenomenon
|
March 26, 2019
| Megan Donahue
| PhD, Rehabilitation Engineering
| Are You Presenting for Everyone? Tips and Tricks for Inclusive Presentations |
April 9, 2019
| Gloria Aidoo-Frimpong
| PhD, Community Health and Health Behavior
| Peer and Community Factors on PrEP Uptake: A Qualitative Study of PrEP Users in Western New York |
April 30, 2019
| Ali Al Qaraghuli
| PhD, Electrical Engineering
| Terahertz Communications for Space and Beyond |
July 9, 2019
| Steven Lewis and Jamal Williams
| PhD, Pathology and Anatomical Sciences; PhD, Biomedical Sciences (Neuroscience)
| Efficient Biomedical Image Utilization for Gross Anatomy Education
|
Aug. 15, 2019
| Lauren Rodriguez
| PhD, Clinical Psychology
| Rodriguez' research interests focus on the emotional and social mechanisms that contribute to substance misuse among individuals with a history of trauma and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). After her graduate work, Rodriguez wishes to obtain a research career as a clinical scientist at a university or veteran's administration hospital. |
Oct. 21, 2019
| Gloria Aidoo-Frimpong
| PhD, Community Health and Health Behavior
| Assessing Coverage of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) Health-Related Topics in Educational Training Programs: A Comparison of Medical, Nursing and Pharmacy Students |
Nov. 18, 2019
| Hannah Waterman
| MS/PhD, Biological Sciences
| Evolution of Sex Determination in the Allopolyploid Razorback Sucker (Xyrauchen texanus) |
Early PhD students can uncover the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in graduate school and beyond through the Pathway to the PhD micro-credential. To learn more, email grad@buffalo.edu.