unc graduate school dissertation completion fellowship

Energy Poverty PIRE in Southern Africa

Unc-ch dissertation completion fellowships.

EPPSA Graduate Energy Poverty Dissertation Fellows (1-year opportunities)

One-year EPPSA Fellowships are available to advanced graduate students interested in doing research on some aspect of energy poverty in the developing world.  Eligible students are those who have completed all course requirements, passed written and oral preliminary exams, have a dissertation prospectus formally approved, and have a plan to complete the PhD during the fellowship year. Due to the funding source, there is a strong preference for US citizens and permanent residents. Energy Poverty Dissertation Fellows are encouraged, but not required to participate in planned impact evaluation studies of real world energy poverty interventions.

Expectations of EPPSA Graduate Energy Poverty Dissertation Fellows

• Conduct dissertation research on some aspect of energy poverty in the developing world
• Complete and defend the dissertation by the end of the fellowship year
• Participate in bi-weekly Energy Poverty Graduate Seminar (1 credit)
• Complete Progress Report

EPPSA Graduate Poverty Dissertation Fellows are encouraged but not required to participate in EPPSA related fieldwork in Southern Africa.

Financial Support

• Graduate stipend of $30,000/year (12 months) with no service requirement
• Tuition, fees, and health insurance
• Travel funds to participate in EPPSA research in Southern Africa (airfare, per diem, visa fees, incidental expenses) if relevant
• Access to competitive EPPSA conference travel fund
• Office space with the cohort of EPFs at the Carolina Population Center

Application Process

The application process for the 1-year EPF is managed through the UNC-CH Graduate School Dissertation Completion Fellowship Program . In addition to submitting the standard application for the DCF, students should provide a one-page statement on their interest and commitment to research on energy poverty in the developing world and how this links with their dissertation plans.

Applications are due in February each year.

If you have questions, please email [email protected] .

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Annual Graduate Student Recognition Celebration

Recognizing Graduate and Professional Students for Outstanding Achievement in Research, Community Service, Teaching and Leadership During Academic Year 2023-2024

Thursday, April 4, 2024, 4:00-5:30 p.m. George Watts Hill Alumni Center

“Carolina's graduate students are doing research every day that is making a difference in North Carolina and beyond. Their steadfast curiosity and dedication lead to impactful and meaningful work, whether they pursue careers in academia or industry. Our University benefits immeasurably from our graduate students — they guide our undergraduates, work alongside our world-class faculty and dedicated staff, and contribute to lifechanging research. And they do so while balancing professional and personal demands. Thank you, graduate students, on behalf of the University, for all the ways that you serve the Carolina community and inspire others toward excellence.”

Lee H. Roberts Interim Chancellor

“Congratulations to our graduate students on their significant contributions to our University and to their areas of research. This research covers so many areas that affect our daily lives: from tidal creeks of Eastern North Carolina to advances in stroke research, they showcase how graduate students are solving the greatest challenges of our time.”

Beth Mayer-Davis Dean of The Graduate School

The Graduate Student Recognition Celebration is an annual event at which exceptional graduate and professional students are recognized for their significant contributions to research, community service, as well as teaching and leadership. The event begins with a brief ceremony during which the Dean presents student, faculty, and staff award recipients with a plaque for their achievements. Following the ceremony, attendees are invited to enjoy hors d'oeuvres while viewing research posters from outstanding graduate student scholars.

Honorees for 2023-2024

Impact awards.

Graduate students make an impact through their research, which benefits our state and beyond. Each year, The Graduate School honors graduate students in programs throughout our University for their powerful discoveries that contribute to a better future for people and communities in North Carolina. We're pleased to present 12 Impact Awards for 2024 .

Eric Brown , doctoral candidate in environmental sciences and engineering

Identifying placental mechanisms linking environmental chemical mixtures to preterm birth disparities.

“Prenatal exposure to various environmental chemicals, including lead in drinking water, is associated with increased risk of preterm birth. With a rapidly changing climate, the toxicity and distribution of environmental chemicals are projected to increase. To make matters more complicated, research is increasingly demonstrating that pregnant women are exposed to multiple chemical and non-chemical stressors, simultaneously.

Using North Carolina birth certificates between 2003 and 2015, my research seeks to examine how climate change-related factors (PM2.5, ozone, and extreme heat) will increase the toxicity of lead on preterm birth.

My study showed two major findings: (1) 1st trimester exposure to PM2.5 drives the toxicity of the mixture, (2) extreme heat increases the toxicity of environmental chemicals, and (3) neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) characteristics are associated with exposure to the environmental chemicals. Notably, climate change-related factors and extreme heat above 70°F jointly increases the odds of preterm birth by 577%. Areas with less integration may be more likely to be affected by climate change-related stressors, highlighting the need to identify environmental chemical reduction technologies for disease prevention. These results inform an ongoing biomonitoring campaign with partner physicians at UNC-Chapel Hill to build in chemical testing at routine pregnancy visits.”

Clara Busse , doctoral candidate in maternal and child health

Acute care use in the postpartum period: patterns and maternal perspectives.

“In North Carolina, more than half of pregnancy-related deaths occur after birth, and Black mothers are nearly twice as likely to die from pregnancy-related causes compared to White mothers.

Once they leave the hospital after having their baby, many mothers do not see a healthcare provider until their postpartum check-up about six weeks later. This system, along with the fact that postpartum health concerns are often urgent, may lead mothers to seek care in an emergency department for their postpartum health concerns. Through my dissertation research, I am seeking to understand how often and for which reasons mothers and other people who give birth in North Carolina use emergency healthcare after giving birth.

For this project, I interviewed mothers who used emergency healthcare and analyzed electronic medical records from the University of North Carolina Health System to study postpartum emergency healthcare use. Findings from my dissertation research and related research projects at the University of North Carolina are being used to improve the care that North Carolina mothers receive throughout the University of North Carolina Health System, where one in eight births occur in the state of North Carolina, approximately 17,000 births per year.”

Mark Ciesielski , doctoral candidate in earth, marine and environmental sciences

Characterizing drivers of oyster mortality using quantitative molecular analysis of environmental pathogens in diverse complex matrices.

“Over the past few years, mass mortality events have been plaguing the oyster aquaculture industry throughout the state of North Carolina. These disastrous events have major economic consequences for oyster lease-owners and directly impact the communities that have relied on oyster farming for generations. With major losses of product and profit threatening the longevity of this industry, stakeholders have been looking to develop interventions that would reduce the impact of these increasingly regular occurrences.

My research has focused on identifying the causative agents that lead to the onset of these mortality events. Preliminary analysis of oyster tissue indicated that bacterial infections have been severely compromising oyster function and performance. High-resolution monitoring across eight oyster leases was conducted to track mortality covering diverse geographical regions. Using novel molecular assays, we were able to quantify unique DNA signatures of uncharacterized bacterial pathogens in the water and in oyster tissue. Increases in the concentration of these bacteria directly coincide with the progression of tissue necrosis before and during the observed mortality across all sites.

These results have uncovered key players in the onset of disease that led to wide-scale oyster mortality events. Dissemination of this information can provide valuable insights that would allow for the implementation of targeted mitigation strategies with the goal of preserving the long-standing traditions of oyster farming across the East Coast.”

Mekhala Dissanayake , doctoral candidate in epidemiology

Race and racial composition of county: investigating maternal health inequities and healthcare systems factors in the rural south.

“There are stark disparities related to both race and rurality in maternal health outcomes in North Carolina. Availability of maternal healthcare is likely a major contributor—from 2014-2019, six hospitals and nine obstetric units closed in rural North Carolina. Rural North Carolina is racially diverse and geographically stratified by race: counties in Appalachia and the Outer Banks are up to 95% White, while counties in Central/Eastern NC have high concentrations of Black, Hispanic, and American Indian populations. It is important to consider the geographic contexts in which rural people live because of the differential availability of maternal healthcare and subsequent effects on maternal health outcomes.

My dissertation addresses this by contrasting counties within Appalachia/Outer Banks to Central/Eastern North Carolina and determining distributions of maternal healthcare resources (hospitals, obstetric units, and maternal health providers) and outcomes at delivery and the postpartum period. My first aim is to investigate changes in maternal outcomes after hospital and obstetric unit closures in these different county contexts. The second aim determines the effect of equalizing distributions of maternal health resources across rural counties on disparities in maternal outcomes.

My work aims to identify the salient healthcare factors that contribute to racial disparities in maternal outcomes among those living in rural North Carolina. I hope to provide critical public health information on which populations have the highest burdens, where they are concentrated, and potential interventions.”

Clara Eichler , doctoral candidate in environmental sciences and engineering

Characterization of the distribution and fate of neutral pfas in indoor environments including the role of clothing.

“North Carolina is among the states with the highest population exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the US. The contamination of the Cape Fear watershed with these "Forever Chemicals" has frequently made headlines in recent years. And rightfully so, because the health effects of PFAS include liver disease, neurodevelopmental problems, and cancer; although for many PFAS, toxicological data are sparse.

Because PFAS make products stain- and water-repellant, they are used frequently in products like cookware, raingear, and upholstery. Therefore, even if all PFAS were successfully removed from water sources, PFAS can linger in homes, where many people spend a lot of time. Unfortunately, we do not know much about the magnitude of indoor exposure to PFAS or about the ability of different indoor reservoirs to accumulate PFAS.

The Indoor PFAS Assessment (IPA) Campaign gave me the opportunity to measure PFAS in indoor air, cloth, dust, and other reservoirs in 11 NC homes. I found significant amounts of PFAS in all indoor reservoirs in all homes, and my research characterizes how PFAS are distributed indoors. For example, I was able to show that cloth is a major reservoir for PFAS, even if the cloth was initially PFAS free. My research highlights the importance of addressing all potential pathways of exposure to PFAS, including indoor exposure. Further, this knowledge can help to develop strategies for PFAS exposure mitigation in homes.”

Xijing Li , doctoral candidate in city and regional planning

Examining the environmental inequity impact of urban heat mitigation on redlining legacy: case study of charlotte's retrofitting, 2001 to 2020.

“In Charlotte, North Carolina, the urban heat island effect—where urban areas are significantly warmer than rural ones—poses a major challenge. This issue, exacerbated by global warming and historical urban planning decisions like redlining, disproportionately impacts vulnerable communities, highlighting environmental and social justice concerns.

My two-decade-long research in Charlotte maps the progression and uneven impact of urban heat. Despite overall improvements in the city's heat exposure conditions, the most vulnerable populations have not seen commensurate benefits. This indicates a gap in achieving environmental equity, with serious health implications for these groups, including heatstroke and chronic condition exacerbation.

My study's aim is to inform and work with local authorities, urban planners, and community groups to develop inclusive policies. These policies would not only address urban heat mitigation but also tackle the deep-rooted social inequities contributing to this disparity. By focusing on Charlotte, the research sets a precedent for statewide discussions and policy implementations in North Carolina, emphasizing sustainable urban development that equally prioritizes social justice.

My study identifies that solutions to the urban heat island issue are equitable, benefiting all residents, especially those at greater risk. The research underscores the importance of blending environmental strategies with societal equity to effectively combat urban heat challenges.”

Nicole Ochandarena , doctoral candidate in neuroscience

Contribution of opioid-responsive cortical neurons to development of more precise pain therapeutics.

“Although opioids are powerful pain relievers, they are also addictive and caused over 36,000 overdose deaths each year in North Carolina from 2000-2022—with over 11 North Carolinians losing their lives each day from a drug overdose last year. Thirteen out of every 100 North Carolinians have an opioid prescription, making this an issue with a broad reach in our state. North Carolina needs better pain medicines—so how should we parse apart the addictive and pain-relieving effects of opioids to develop more targeted treatments?

While opioids have been used for centuries, scientists still do not understand their mechanism. Revealing which cells they signal through in the brain will allow for the development of non-opioid strategies to produce only pain relief without side effects, including depressed breathing and addiction.

Using mice as model organisms, my project has already produced a comprehensive description of the cells acted on by opioids across all areas of the cerebral cortex. With this knowledge, I am testing the contributions of these neuron types to addiction and pain relief, with a specific focus on cell types conserved in humans. My work will reveal how acute and chronic opioid use changes cortical activity, generating critical insights into the mechanism of these medications. Through multi-institutional collaborative efforts, our group is harnessing these findings to develop improved therapeutics for pain.”

Ximena Perez-Velazco , doctoral candidate in nutrition

Combatting food insecurity among college students at unc: testing a social marketing intervention to promote snap use.

“Food insecurity (FI)—defined as a lack of consistent access to enough quality, variety, and culturally appropriate foods—is recognized as a major public health crisis in the United States.

Food insecurity affects a wide range of social, socio-economic, and age sub-groups; including college students. College students experience food insecurity at a disproportionately higher rate than the general public. This has significant public health implications, because this experience gives rise to unique consequences for college students related to poor academic performance and college graduation rates, notable determinants of health.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the largest US federal-level nutrition assistance program that provides food purchasing benefits to eligible low-income individuals and families. It is well understood that SNAP is an effective method to combat food insecurity and improve diet quality. Even though many may be eligible, students enrolled in institutions of higher education rarely apply for or receive SNAP benefits.

The purpose of my study is to inform, develop, and test an intervention designed to address the misunderstandings and lack of awareness surrounding SNAP benefits, to evaluate how to best increase applications to SNAP, and self-efficacy around SNAP, among college students at UNC-CH. If evidence is provided on the effectiveness of the intervention, we will provide recommendations for how it can be disseminated to other institutions of higher learning to address food insecurity on a larger scale.”

Allie Reimold , doctoral candidate in health behavior

A mixed methods approach to studying dollar stores as food retailers.

“Dollar stores like Dollar General and Dollar Tree are the fastest growing food retailers in the United States (U.S.). This growing retail sector may negatively impact nutrition and associated health outcomes, especially for low-income communities who disproportionately shop at them. As a result, more than 25 U.S. municipalities have passed policies to limit dollar store growth.

New Hanover County, in the Cape Fear Region of North Carolina, has more dollar stores by land area than any other county in the state. To ensure an equitable food environment, local organizations and policy makers need to better understand this emerging issue. In collaboration with the local non-profit, Feast Down East, my research aims to: 1) understand how and why individuals with low incomes rely on dollar stores for food; and 2) highlight their voices in local discussions about policy and programmatic options.

I found that study participants rely on dollar stores because the affordable prices and convenient locations address their persistent barriers to accessing food at traditional retailers. Though they appreciate dollar stores, participants frequently discussed wanting fresh fruit and vegetable options and higher quality proteins in the stores. Participants support policies and programs like SNAP dollar-for-dollar matching for fruits and vegetables, increasing the variety of fruits and vegetables available, and promoting healthy options at dollar stores. These findings have informed Feast Down East efforts and were presented during a participatory "Data Party" with the Cape Fear Food Council for collaborative identification of responsive next steps for decision makers in the Cape Fear Region.”

Molly Remch , doctoral candidate in epidemiology

Evaluation of two novel restrictive housing diversion units in north carolina prisons.

“Mass incarceration is a clear and pressing public health and health equity issue in North Carolina, with an incarceration rate that far surpasses that of most democratic countries in the world. Incarceration and restrictive housing (i.e., solitary confinement) are each disproportionately applied to Black North Carolinians and North Carolinians with mental health disorders.

Through ongoing collaborative partnerships with the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections and Division of Public Health, I led evaluations of two novel North Carolina prison restrictive housing diversion units, Therapeutic Diversion Units (TDUs) and the Rehabilitative Diversion Unit (RDU).

We found that individuals in TDU had lower rates of inpatient mental health admissions and self-injury than those placed in restrictive housing; these benefits were not sustained when individuals returned to the general prison population. Similar rates of infractions among those in TDU and restrictive housing indicate TDU does not pose a security risk. We concluded that TDU is a viable, health-promoting alternative to restrictive housing, but additional step-down programming and continued access to therapeutic services in the general prison population would be beneficial. In our evaluation of RDU, we found that rates of violent infractions, mental health needs, and self-injury were lower in RDU than in restrictive housing. However, violent infractions resumed more quickly post-RDU than post-restrictive housing. We concluded that RDU was an important tool for improving mental and behavioral health, but this population would benefit from sustained step-down programming.”

Shuang Xu , doctoral candidate in materials science

Multisource cone beam computed tomography using a carbon nanotube x-ray source array.

“In the landscape of computed tomography (CT) imaging, the choice has often been between high-quality but bulky multidetector CT (MDCT) and the portable, cost-effective cone beam CT (CBCT) that sacrifices image accuracy. Our breakthrough multisource CBCT (ms-CBCT) harmonizes their advantages, delivering MDCT's image quality with CBCT's practical advantages.

The innovation at the heart of ms-CBCT is the replacement of the conventional thermionic emission single X-ray source with a carbon nanotube (CNT) field emission X-ray source array, a pioneering technology with roots extending back two decades at UNC and the sole FDA-approved application of CNT in its 30-year history. Utilizing the electrical field, the CNT X-ray source array surpasses the heat dissipation issues inherent in conventional X-ray tubes and enables rapid image acquisition.

Our ms-CBCT harnesses nanotechnology for real-world engineering, offering MDCT-level imaging quality while maintaining the portability and affordability of CBCT. It sets a new benchmark for precision in dental imaging, elevates on-site diagnostic potential in ICUs and combat zones, and optimizes in-vivo tumor treatment planning in radiotherapy. Pioneered at UNC, the ms-CBCT is poised to revolutionize CT imaging in dental, emergency, and oncological care, improving the medical imaging quality across the diverse population throughout North Carolina and setting a precedent for global health advancement.”

Will Zahran , doctoral candidate in education

Tuition reduction and student loan debt: evidence from the north carolina promise.

“The UNC System enrolls over 160,000 undergraduate students across 16 public universities, and the average in-state borrower graduates with about $20,000 in student loan debt. The State of North Carolina plays an important role in ensuring higher education is affordable for students who want to attend. Financial aid policy at the state level determines the amount of assistance available to students, thus making a college degree attainable for those who may struggle to afford it.

In 2018, the NC General Assembly launched the NC Promise Tuition Plan. This financial aid program lowered tuition to $500 for in-state students at three universities: Elizabeth City State University, UNC-Pembroke, and Western Carolina University. The goal of a policy like NC Promise is to encourage students to enroll and graduate while taking on as little debt as possible.

My research explores the impact of this new policy on enrollment and student loans at the three Promise universities. Preliminary findings suggest that NC Promise increased enrollment among transfer students and decreased borrowing among middle-income students. These findings can help us better understand the effect of tuition subsidies on improving the design of financial aid policy in the future.”

Dean’s Distinguished Dissertation Awards

The dissertation is the highest level of graduate student scholarship. Recipients of the Dean's Distinguished Dissertation Award are making outstanding contributions — read about their research in their own words.

Sarah Miles , History

2024 dean's distinguished dissertation award, humanities and fine arts, one and the same struggle: francophone intellectuals, global solidarity, and third worldist publishing from paris to algeria and québec, 1959-1974.

Dissertation Adviser: Lloyd Kramer

“In the 1960s, French-speaking anticolonial militants swapped ideas through books, periodicals, and pamphlets that were shipped around the world — even when people couldn't follow. Shedding new light on the tangible processes that moved revolutionary ideas, my dissertation traces the French, Québécois, and Algerian publishers, editors, authors, and readers who produced and interacted with left-wing print media. In the context of global decolonization, I show how engagement with print media allowed people to interpret their individual experiences through the lens of universal theories, shaping how militants thought about themselves and their collective future as they did. This project sheds new light on how transnational media brought people together — long before the internet — and on the political opportunities and practical challenges of dialoguing across difference.”

Isaac Mehlhaff , Political Science

2024 dean's distinguished dissertation award, social sciences, the natural origins of mass opinion: an argumentative theory of political reasoning.

Dissertation Adviser: Marc Hetherington

“When it comes to politics, citizens are often portrayed as unskilled reasoners, unable to logically think through political issues and reliant on heuristics, stereotypes, and biases. In contrast, I show that interpersonal political debate can actually harness this form of motivated political reasoning and use it to encourage attitude change. Findings carry implications for theories of political behavior, the application of machine learning to the study of political speech, and depolarization in the public arena.”

Cole Sorensen , Chemistry

2024 dean's distinguished dissertation award, mathematics, physical sciences and engineering, stereoselective cationic polymerization: method development and computationally guided mechanistic studies.

Dissertation Adviser: Frank Leibfarth

“Over the last one-hundred years synthetic plastics have become critical to nearly every application owing to the vast properties they can access. One chemical parameter that has an acute effect on a plastics' properties is stereochemistry, which describes its relative orientation in space; however, it is rarely considered. I have developed a framework for controlling a plastics stereochemistry for the synthesis materials for OLED applications, introduced data science strategies for the development of next-generation degradable plastics, and uncovered new physics phenomena for emerging applications in high efficiency alternatives to traditional electronics.”

Brittany Rickard , Toxicology

2024 dean's distinguished dissertation award, biological and life sciences, perfluoroalkyl substance (pfas)-induced therapy resistance in ovarian cancer and intervention via photochemical targeting of mitochondria.

Dissertation Advisers: Imran Rizvi and Suzanne Fenton

“My dissertation research demonstrated, for the first time in any cancer, that perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure may inhibit chemotherapy effectiveness in ovarian cancer cells by inducing mitochondrial dysfunction. Using mechanism-targeted therapeutic approaches, specifically photodynamic priming, we demonstrated that this light-based treatment method is effective in reversing PFAS-induced chemotherapy resistance. In the long-term, these findings may inform the safety of emerging PFAS in ongoing policy making. Clinically, these findings suggest that blood PFAS testing in ovarian cancer patients prior to receiving chemotherapy may identify those most needing photodynamic priming for the treatment of platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.”

Boka W. Hadzija Award for Distinguished University Service by a Graduate or Professional Student

This award, one of the Chancellor's Awards at Carolina , recognizes graduate and professional students who demonstrate exemplary character, scholarship, leadership and service by giving above and beyond to the greater University community.

Janay Franklin

Janay Franklin, a Ph.D. candidate in neuroscience, is one of the 2024 recipients of the Boka W. Hadzija Award for Distinguished University Service by a Graduate or Professional Student.

Franklin attended North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and participated in UNC-Chapel Hill's Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP) before pursuing her Ph.D.

Janay's nominations noted her exemplary character, academic achievements, leadership abilities, and commitment to service make her a truly exceptional individual who is deserving of the Boka W. Hadzija Award. Her passion for and commitment to science education and outreach to under-resourced and underrepresented groups within STEM fields has made an indelible mark on the Carolina community.

“Not only is Janay a gifted scientist and educator, but she is also a highly motivated and innovative thinker who embraces new experiences and eagerly faces new challenges. She is a natural and thoughtful leader who effortlessly instills confidence in those who work with and around her, empowering them to perform with excellence. In the years that I have known her (since she was a UNC PREP postbacc scholar in 2017), I have been impressed by Janay's passion and drive, her keen intellect, and her unwavering commitment to research and educational success for all students, including her own. She has made significant contributions in all her efforts and is a leader in numerous areas within and outside the University. She exemplifies everything this award aims to recognize and is most deserving of becoming an awardee.”

Kendall Winter

Kendall Winter, a Ph.D. candidate in musicology, the other 2024 recipient of the Boka W. Hadzija Award for Distinguished University Service by a Graduate or Professional Student.

Winter attended Tufts University before coming to UNC-Chapel Hill to pursue her Ph.D.

Kendall's nominators emphasized her commitment to advocacy for her fellow graduate and professional students through her work with Carolina's Graduate and Professional Student Government. In her role as a senator, Kendall has led efforts and written legislation advocating for policy changes in support of graduate and professional students' wellbeing, including pushing for improved financial support and ensuring Carolina's more than 11,000 graduate and professional students have a voice and representation on University committees.

“Given that graduate students have very busy schedules, I have been impressed with Kendall Winter's work as an elected member of UNC's Graduate and Professional Student Government (GPSG). Among the many issues Kendall helped bring to university leadership was financial support for graduate and professional students, for which she helped advocate at the departmental, school, campus, system, and state levels for meaningful policy changes... Taken together, Kendall Winter's research, service, and leadership to the University are a fine example of engaged scholarship. The historical actors and musical artefacts that she studies were concerned with justice, equity, and belonging, and her record shows the many tangible actions she has taken to promote those values and others on our campus for her graduate and professional student community.”

It is an honor to bestow the 2024 Boka Hadzija Award for Distinguished Service on both Janay Franklin and Kendall Winter for their outstanding service to the University community.

Three Minute Thesis (3MT)

The Three Minute Thesis (3MT) is an academic competition that assists current graduate students with fostering effective presentation and communication skills. Participants have just three minutes to explain the breadth and significance of their research project to a non-specialist audience.

Kirsten Giesbrecht, mathematics

Kirsten Giesbrecht, a Ph.D. candidate in mathematics, received the top prize during UNC-Chapel Hill's annual Three Minute Thesis competition and competed again at the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) regionals in Greenville, SC on March 14. Giesbrecht's research uses a chick heart model to identify abnormalities and potential interventions in human heart development. The Graduate School sponsored Kirsten's attendance at the Council of Southern Graduate Schools annual meeting as part of the CareerWell Professional Development initiative.

“In a setting where every presenter had already won their institution's 3MT competition, Kirsten stood out for her confident, accessible presentation of high-impact research. She represented Carolina graduate students at their very best, and we are so proud of her,” said Vanessa Doriott Anderson, assistant dean for academic and career development at The Graduate School.

View Kirsten Giesbrecht's campus 3MT presentation .

Carolina Center for Public Service Community Engagement Fellows (2023)

Learn more about the 2024 Carolina Center for Public Service Community Engagement Fellows and their projects .

• Oluwabusolami Ale , Health Policy and Management
• Cayla Colclasure , Anthropology
• Olivia Harmon , Environmental Sciences and Engineering
• Maria Maza San Vicente , Psychology and Neuroscience
• Mary Kelly McHugh and Elizabeth Anne Finnessy , Health Behavior and Nursing
• Fowota Mortoo , Geography

Tanner Awards for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching by Graduate Teaching Assistants

In 1990, the University expanded the purview of the Tanner Awards to recognize excellence in the teaching of undergraduates by graduate teaching assistants. Learn more about the Tanner Awards .

• Karah Mitchel , English and Comparative Literature
• Ling Beisecker , Exercise and Sport Science
• Courtney Blackington , Political Science
• Santiago G. Gesteira , Romance Studies
• Emanuele Stefanori , Romance Studies

Excellence in Graduate Student Services Award

Student services managers work hard to support graduate students' academic success and professional development. The Graduate and Professional Student Government and The Graduate School are pleased to present an award in recognition of this important work.

Ann Schmitt, Hussman School of Journalism and Media

Ann Schmitt, graduate program coordinator in the Hussman School of Journalism and Media, is the 2024 recipient of the Excellence in Graduate Student Services Award.

Ann joined the Office of Graduate Studies as the graduate program coordinator in 2018 in the Hussman School of Journalism and Media. Ann not only received the most nominations, but the most heartfelt nominations from students in her department. Ann is warm, timely, supportive, and knowledgeable. Her students say she keeps the department running smoothly and is a lifesaver. The students Ann works with say she makes it blatantly clear that she is not only helping to navigate challenges within academia but is there to support students however she can. Outside of her set responsibilities, she is a central part of her community. She supports her students at professional events and is involved in ways out of her work's scope. One student said,

“she's the connective tissue for the graduate programs at Hussman and continually shows that she's invested in the wellbeing and success of students.”

It is an honor to present the 2024 Excellence in Graduate Student Services award to Ann Schmitt for her tremendous dedication to graduate students in the Hussman School of Journalism and Media.

Faculty Award for Excellence in Graduate Student and Academic Program Support

Directors of graduate studies provide exemplary leadership. The Graduate School is pleased to honor the many ways they provide outstanding support for graduate programs and their students.

Evelyne Huber, Political Science

Evelyne Huber is the Director of Graduate Studies and Morehead Alumni Professor in the Department of Political Science.

Numerous people nominated Evelyne for this award because of her years of exceptional leadership as the Director of Graduate Studies for the Department of Political Science. Evelyne is described as someone who leaves a lasting impact on the lives of the students with whom she has worked. She is committed to mentoring students and has remained in contact with countless students long after they graduated and moved on from Carolina.

“Evelyne demonstrates excellence in a multitude of ways. From serving as a fierce advocate for students, an amazing curator of funds and resources, and a distinguished mentor, she has impacted all of our lives and made each of us better scholars and students. She has changed the landscape within our department, not only for students, but also for each faculty member who walks through our doors,” one nomination read.

It is an honor to present 2024 Faculty Award for Excellence in Graduate Student and Academic Program Support to Evelyne Huber , in recognition of their tremendous dedication to graduate students in political science.

Dean’s Award for Significant Contributions to Graduate Education

This award recognizes an individual who has gone above and beyond what is normally required to make significant contributions that impact graduate education.

Harold Glass

Harold and his wife, Holly , are steadfast supporters of graduate education at Carolina. In 2014, the Glasses established a three-year term professorship for a faculty member and a corresponding fellowship for a graduate student the professor selects to mentor. They have supported summer research fellowships for over a decade, and recently endowed The Harold C. Glass Summer Research fellowship to support a student each summer in perpetuity.

Harold has served on UNC-Chapel Hill's Board of Visitors and has served on The Graduate School's Graduate Education Advancement Board for more than 12 years. Harold is passionate about Carolina, graduate students, and helping them succeed as students and as alumni. He has an impeccable sense of humor. He is a teacher, a lifelong learner, a creator, philanthropist, cellist, proud Tar Heel, and friend. We are thrilled to honor him and say thank you for his years of dedication to graduate education at Carolina and to note his family's enduring legacy at the University.

Prestigious External Fellowship Winners

External fellowships, which are highly competitive awards from the federal government and other organizations, add to Carolina's reputation as one of the world's leading public research universities. This academic year, 279 graduate students campus-wide, who represent 42 academic programs, received prestigious external fellowships.

American Studies

Anthropology.

• Ariana Avila , American Association of University Women American Dissertation Fellowship
• Madelaine Azar , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program, Wenner-Gren Foundation Dissertation Fieldwork Grant
• Rosemary Gay , Fulbright U.S. Student Program
• Moriah James , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Theo Kassebaum , Carol and Eric Meyers ECA Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship
• Ana Ramirez , Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship
• Parag Saikia , International Dissertation Research Fellowship (IDRF), SAPIENS Public Scholars Training Fellowship, Social Science Research Council International Dissertation Research Fellowship, Wenner-Gren Foundation Dissertation Fieldwork Grant
• Preethi Saravanan , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Rebecca Wu , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program

Art and Art History

• Erin Dickey , Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts at the National Gallery of Art Chester Dale Fellowship
• Jennifer Wu , Paul Mellon Centre Junior Fellowship, Yale Center for British Art Visiting Scholar Award

Biochemistry and Biophysics

• Abigail Ballard , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
• Dalia Fleifel , American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellowship
• Anna Wheless , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program

Bioinformatics and Computational Biology

• John Patrick Flores , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Dhuvarakesh Karthikeyan , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Nina Nishiyama , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
• Sarah Parker , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Nicholas Randolph , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program

Biological and Biomedical Sciences

• Justin Ashby , NIH Diversity Supplement
• Salome Jaramillo Gil , Fulbright Foreign Scholarship
• Alayna Mackiewicz , P.E.O. Scholar Award
• Madelina Marquez , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Stephanie Peak , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Jadyn Sethna , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Eva Mei Shouse , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Elizabeth Smith , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Savannah Weaver , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program

Biomedical and Health Informatics

• Pamela Chacon Uscamaita , Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia Tuition Scholarship

Biomedical Engineering

• Keerthi Anand , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
• Elizabeth Doherty , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
• Emily Eichenlaub , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Institute on Aging
• Nina Moiseiwitsch , NIH Fellowship (F30) - National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
• Andrew Shelton , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Institute on Aging
• Sandra Stangeland-Molo , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Biostatistics

• Helal El-Zaatari , Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Fellowship
• Elena Kharitonova , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Haolin Li , American Statistical Association The Health Policy Statistics Section Student Paper Award
• Sophie Shan , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Quan Sun , CHARGE Consortium Travel Award, Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine (TOPMed) Research Fellowship
• Jesus Vazquez , NIH Diversity Supplement
• Ann Marie Weideman , American Statistical Association Caucus for Women in Statistics Travel Award, American Statistical Association Mary G. and Joseph Natrella Scholarship, American Statistical Association Student and Early-Career Travel Award
• Tarek Zikry , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Business Administration

Cell biology and physiology.

• Whitney Bell , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Cancer Institute
• Keith Breau , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
• Alexander Edwards , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Cancer Institute
• Reginald Edwards , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
• Rebecca Hirsch , North Carolina Academy of Science Robert R. Bryden Research Award
• Nicole Hondrogiannis , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Stephen Serafin , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
• Natalie Tanke , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
• Supraja Chittari , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Samantha Clouthier , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Jessica Coleman , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• John Dickenson , Department of Defense National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship
• Rachael Ditzler , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Uyen Doan , Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) on Carbohydrates Best Poster Award, Meeting of the Society for Glycobiology Travel Award
• Justine Drappeau , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Alyssa Felix Thayne , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Maria Furukawa , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Alexis Harvey , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Katelyn Kitzinger , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Samantha Litvin , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Ann May , Department of Defense NDSEG Fellowship
• Don McTaggart , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Caroline Mohler , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Rebecca Radomsky , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Evan Stair , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Olivia Steiner , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Charles Teeples , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Sydney Towell , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Benjamin Travis , Department of Defense National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship
• Thomas Whittemore , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program

City and Regional Planning

• Laurina Bird , Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship
• James Collins , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Abigail Cox , Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship, NCSITE Emily Blount Honorary Scholarship
• Jennifer Farris , Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship, NCSITE Matthew Bell Memorial Scholarship
• Ryan Ford , Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship
• Kimberly Hansen , Bald Head Island Conservancy Johnston Graduate Fellowship in Coastal Sustainability
• Carolyn Klamm , Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship
• Megan McIntyre , The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program
• Huijoo Shon , Korean National Institute for International Education Scholarship Program for Study Overseas
• Amy Watkins , Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship
• Amanda Ball , Kenyon College Marilyn Yarbrough Dissertation/Teaching Award
• Nicholas Bolig , American School of Classical Studies at Athens Philip Lockhart Fellowship
• Sarah Hilker , Archaeological Institute of America Olivia James Traveling Fellowship
• Jackson Miller , American School of Classical Studies at Athens Gorham Phillips Stevens Fellowship

Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling

Communication studies.

• Khari Johnson , New York Botanical Garden Mellon Research Fellowship - Food Humanities

Computer Science

• Anneliese Brei , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Inbar Fried , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Cancer Institute

Dramatic Art

Earth, marine, and environmental sciences.

• Maya Bracy , Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Research Scholarship
• Adam Canosa , National Science Foundation VITAL Prize Semi-Finalist
• Sahar Habib , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Alberto Valido Delgado , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Institute of Mental Health
• Fiona Winoto , Tillman Scholar Program

English and Comparative Literature

• Dailihana Alfonseca , PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers
• Christopher Catanese , Modern Language Association Convention Grant
• Isabel Howard , Society for Medieval Feminist Scholarship Trans Travel Fund
• Satoshi Ohnishi , Fulbright Foreign Student Program
• Karah Rice , American Antiquarian Society Lapides Fellowship in Pre-1865 Juvenile Literature and Ephemera

Environment, Ecology, and Energy

• Claire Johnson , International Women's Fishing Association Scholarship Trust, National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Maya Powell , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Sedona Ryan , Nancy Skinner Clark Fellowship for Graduate Study

Environmental Sciences and Engineering

• Devin Alewel , Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education EPA Research Participation Program
• Clara Margarete Anita Eichler , ASTM International Graduate Scholarship
• Yarrow Linden , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Haley MacDonald , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Kristina Stuckey , Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Graduate Scholarship
• Lucy Tantum , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program

Epidemiology

• Joel Begay , Gates Millennium Scholarship, Graduate Cobell Scholarship, Native Forward BIE Science Post Graduate Scholarship
• Griffin Bell , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
• Theo Beltran , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Institute of Mental Health
• Maria Cook , Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo de Chile Becas Chile, Fulbright Foreign Student Program
• Katherine Gora Combs , Reserve Organization of America Henry J. Reilly Scholarship
• Taniqua Ingol , NIH Fellowship (F31) - Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
• Katie Mollan , International Society of Pharmacoepidemiology Travel Scholarship
• Camille Morgan , NIH Fellowship (F30) - National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, UJMT Fogarty Global Health Fellowship

Exercise and Sport Science

• Margaret Damar , American Heart Association Student Scholarship in Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke

Genetics and Molecular Biology

• Marielle Bond , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Institute on Aging
• Rachel Dumez , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
• Mark Geisler , NIH Fellowship (F31) - Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
• Gabrielle Gentile , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
• Benjamin Kornegay , Burroughs Wellcome Fund Graduate Diversity Enrichment Program Award
• Jeanne McPherson , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Institute on Aging
• Brandon Mouery , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Cancer Institute
• Mckenzie Murvin , NIH Fellowship (F31) - Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
• Nila Pazhayam , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Institute on Aging
• Carolyn Turcotte , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Institute on Aging
• Betul Aykac , Society of Women Geographers Evelyn L. Pruitt National Fellowship for Dissertation Research
• Ingrid Alexia Diaz Moreno , Wenner-Gren Foundation Dissertation Fieldwork Grant
• Saud Jabr , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Andreina Malki , American Council of Learned Societies Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Innovation Fellowship
• Caitilin McMillan , American Association of University Women American Dissertation Fellowship
• Bryttani Wooten , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program

Geological Sciences

• Marissa Dudek , Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology (FINESST) Program
• Lauren Grimley , American Geophysical Union Horton Research Grant, Association of American Geographers Student Travel Grant
• Jose Velez Castano , Fulbright Foreign Student Program

Germanic and Slavic Languages and Literatures

German studies, global studies.

• Sara Solomon Teklewold , Rotary International Peace Fellowship

Health Behavior

• Sophia Bartels , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Institute on Drug Abuse, P.E.O. Scholar Award
• Quetzabel Benavides , Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Research Scholarship
• Ana Cardoso Richter , NIH Fellowship (F31) - Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
• Mannat Malik , Canadian Institutes of Health Research Doctoral Foreign Study Award
• Adams Sibley , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Institute on Drug Abuse

Health Policy and Management

• Zhang Zhang , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
• Alison Curry , Saul Kagan Claims Conference Fellowship in Advanced Shoah Studies
• Nicole Harry , American Councils Title VIII Combined Research and Language Training Program
• Alma Huselja , Saul Kagan Claims Conference Fellowship in Advanced Shoah Studies
• Nurlan Kabdylkhak , Charlotte W. Newcombe Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship
• Till Knobloch , Free University of Berlin Berlin Program for Advanced German and European Studies Dissertation Fellowship
• Marlon Londono , Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Fellowship
• Megan McClory , Inter-University Center for Japanese Studies Scholarship
• Tess Megginson , Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Doctoral Fellowship
• Zora Piskacova , ASEEES Dissertation Research Grant, Polish Studies Association Graduate Student Research Award
• Ariel Wilks , Massachusetts Historical Society Short-Term Research Fellowship, New England Research Fellowship Consortium Research Fellowship

Human Movement Science

• Rachana Gangwani , NASPSPA Graduate Student Research Grant
• Samantha Moore , National Strength and Conditioning Association Women's Professional Development Scholarship

Information and Library Science

• Andrew Claybrook , American Library Association Miriam L. Hornback Scholarship
• Lan Li , Association for Information Systems Entrepreneurial Innovation Fellowship
• Alona Norwood , Association of Research Libraries Kaleidoscope Program Scholarship
• Mary Riemann , Friends of the Oberlin College Libraries Graduate Library School Scholarship
• Elizabeth Sanford , Ethel Carlisle Southern Librarian Scholarship
• Sarah Waugh , American Library Association Spectrum Scholarship

Journalism and Media

• Oluwajoba Ogun , The Sloan Research Fellowships
• Clay Williams , Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication - Mass Communication and Society Division Diversity and Inclusion Career Development Fellowship

Marine Sciences

• Ileana Fenwick , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Joshua Himmelstein , Geological Society of America Graduate Student Research Grant
• Yasamin Sharifi , National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Nancy Foster Scholarship

Materials Science

• Connor Slamowitz , NC/BW Faculty Mobility Scholarship Program

Maternal and Child Health

• Arisa Kiyomoto , The Masason Foundation Fellowship
• Julia Reddy , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Institute on Drug Abuse, Sidney H. Schnoll Early Career Scholarship Award
• Elizabeth Simmons , NIH Fellowship (F31) - Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
• Marissa Velarde , Society of Family Planning Emerging Scholars in Family Planning Grant

Mathematics

• Madelyne Brown , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Olivia Chandrasekhar , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Kirsten Giesbrecht , American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellowship
• Kaitlyn Hohmeier , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Karen Medlin , Department of Energy Graduate Research Fellowship, Department of Energy Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) program
• David Passey , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program

Media and Communication

Microbiology and immunology.

• David Aponte Diaz , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
• Wolfgang Beckabir , NIH Fellowship (F30) - National Cancer Institute
• Matthew Greenwald , National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia Synergy Grant
• Leslie Kent , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Drake Philip , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
• Amanda Velez , NIH Fellowship (F30) - National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Neuroscience

• Maya Bluitt , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Sara Conley , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
• Minna McFarland , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Institute on Drug Abuse
• Nicole Ochandarena , NIH Fellowship (F30) - National Institute on Drug Abuse
• Shannon Rhoads , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Institute on Aging
• Nicholas Ringelberg , NIH Fellowship (F30) - Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
• Rachel Sharp , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Preston Siegler , NEURAL Conference Travel Award, Neuroscience Scholars Program
• Abigail Beliveau , NIH Fellowship (T32) - Interventions for Preventing and Managing Chronic Illness
• Elisabeth Bernhardt , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Institute of Nursing Research
• Latesha Harris , Hillman Advancing Early Research Opportunities (AERO) Grant, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Research Scholarship
• Rebeca Harris , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Institute of Nursing Research
• Rebecca Hoover , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Cancer Institute, Oncology Nursing Foundation Doctoral Scholarship
• Kathryn Sabatelli , ENA Foundation Member-Supported Master's Scholarship, Mary Lewis Wyche Fellowship, WakeMed Helton Scholarship
• Cameron Ulmer , Mary Lewis Wyche Fellowship
• Kyle Busse , American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellowship
• David Gaviria , Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation Loyal E. Horton Memorial Scholarship
• Caitlin Martinez , Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation Amy Joye Memorial Research Award
• Joshua Miller , NIH Fellowship (F31) - Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

Occupational Science

• Rachel Vaughn , SSO:USA Student Research Award

Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

• Shea Ricketts , American Heart Association Predoctoral Fellowship

Pharmaceutical Sciences

• Brian Anderson , American Chemical Society (ACS) Division of Medicinal Chemistry Pre-Doctoral Fellowship
• Glory Dan-Dukor , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Alyssa Holden , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Sarah Howard , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Lauren Kass , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
• William Murphy , American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) Foundation Liver Meeting 2023 Advanced Practice Provider Abstract Award, Certara Simcyp Division Grant and Partnership Scheme

Pharmacology

• Madigan Bedard , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Institute on Drug Abuse
• Mingyu Choi , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Mckenzie Grundy , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Sarah Mott , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Mariah Stewart , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Dashiell Shulman , Amherst College Forris Jewett Moore Fellowship in Philosophy

Physics and Astronomy

• Guadalupe Duran , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Amy Glazier , American Astronomical Society Rodger Doxsey Travel Prize
• Zack Hall , Department of Energy Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) program
• Zackary Hutchens , NC Space Grant Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Sophia Kressy , NC Space Grant Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Joseph Moscoso , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Pa Chia Thao , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program

Political Science

• Cassandra Alvarino , Fulbright U.S. Student Program
• Sinan Arda , DAAD Scholarship
• Anita Knochelmann , Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation Scholarship, Swedish Women's Educational Association (SWEA) International North Carolina Scholarship
• Anthony Lindsay , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Silviya Nitsova , Institute for Humane Studies Graduate Sabbatical Grant, Smith Richardson Foundation World Politics and Statecraft Fellowship
• Suwon Shin , Fulbright Foreign Student Program
• Elena Sirotkina , DAAD Research Grant

Psychology and Neuroscience

• Sophie Bendrath , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
• Adrienne Bonar , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Megan Cardenas , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Michal Cook , Organization for Autism Research Graduate Research Grant
• Mallory Feldman , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Institute on Aging
• Janay Franklin , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Institute on Drug Abuse
• Manuel Galvan , Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Research Scholarship
• Shedrick Garrett , Ford Foundation Predoctoral Fellowship, Morehouse School of Medicine Emerging Scholars Program
• Louisa Kane , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Hannah Lewis , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Margarett McBride , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Madison McCall , Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Research Scholarship
• Rachel Phillips , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Institute of Mental Health
• Micaela Rodriguez , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Pedro Rodriguez-Echemendia , Burroughs Wellcome Fund Graduate Diversity Enrichment Program Award
• Michelle Shipkova , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Maurryce Starks , Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Research Scholarship
• Honoka Suzuki , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Danica Wilbanks , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Amanda Wylie , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Public Administration

Public health.

• Nefer Batsuli , Gates Millennium Scholarship
• David Bodden , Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholarship
• Mary Feser , Wellesley College Edna V. Moffett Fellowship
• Shaelyn Hawkins , North Carolina Public Health Association Graduate Education Scholarship
• Alexis Mwanza Kabongo , Rotary International Peace Fellowship
• Gideon Kapalasa , Rotary International Peace Fellowship
• Manasik Mohamed Idris , Segal AmeriCorps Education Award
• Kofi Opoku , American Society of Human Genetics Trainee Research Excellence Award

Public Policy

• Johnathan Conzelmann , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program

Religious Studies

• Emily Branton , W. F. Albright Institute of Archaeological Research Educational and Cultural Affairs Junior Research Fellowship
• Michelle Sdao , Dumbarton Oaks Junior Fellowship in Byzantine Studies

Romance Studies

• Elena Pena Argueso , Modern Language Association Convention Grant

Social Work

• Shalina Brady , Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) Traineeship
• Hayden Dawes , Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Research Scholars Dissertation Grant Award, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Research Scholarship
• Alexandra Rose , Rotary International Peace Fellowship
• Sumudu Wijesuriya Arachchige , Fulbright Foreign Scholarship, P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship
• Hayman Linn Lae Zaw , Fulbright Foreign Student Program
• Jarvis Benson , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Kaitlin Joshua , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Katharina Klaunig , DAAD Short-Term Research Grant
• Shreya Parikh , ZEIT-Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius Beyond Borders Ph.D. Scholarship
• Fatima Touma , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Austin Vo , Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Fellowship, National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program, ZEIT-Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius Beyond Borders Ph.D. Scholarship

Speech and Hearing Sciences

• Orla Putnam , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders

Statistics and Operations Research

• Michael Nisenzon , National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program
• Aleah Bailey , Howard Hughes Medical Institute Gilliam Fellowship, Society of Toxicology Graduate Student Travel Award
• Charlotte Love , NIH Fellowship (F31) - National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
• Brittany Rickard , American College of Toxicology North American Graduate Fellowship, P.E.O. Scholar Award

Congratulations to all of these outstanding scholars!

GAPs Funding Opportunities

Check out potential funding opportunities for Graduate and Professional Students!

The Graduate School is now accepting applications for the following fellowships:

• Summer 2023 Summer Research Fellowship Deadline 2/20

Summer Research Fellowships provide summer support to doctoral students so they may focus exclusively on their dissertation research.

• AY2022-2023 Dissertation Completion Fellowship Deadline 3/6

Dissertation Completion Fellowships allow final-year doctoral students to focus exclusively on their research and writing obligation. Awardees are expected to defend their dissertation by the end of the academic year.

• Fall 2023 Off-Campus Dissertation Research Fellowship Deadline 3/6

Off-Campus Dissertation Research Fellowships support doctoral students conducting dissertation research away from the UNC-Chapel Hill campus.

Intelligence Community Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program hosting information fair 1/25

The IC Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program offers scientists and engineers from a wide variety of disciplines unique opportunities to conduct research in a wide range of topics relevant to the Intelligence Community. In partnership with a research advisor, the postdoc composes and submits a technical proposal that responds to a research opportunity.

Primary Sources Teaching Fellowships with Wilson Library Deadline 1/31

The Primary Sources Teaching Fellowship supports Master’s in Library and Information Science (MLIS) students interested in learning about teaching with primary sources. Up to eight fellowships will be awarded to graduate students in one of North Carolina’s five public Master’s in Library and Information Science (MLIS) programs.

  Rare Book Collection Fellowships Deadline 1/31

The Rare Book Collection Fellowships support scholarly research that makes significant use of the rich and deep rare book resources available in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s special collections.

Paid Summer Fellowships for Graduate Students in 2023 at Sandia National Laboratories Deadline 1/31

Universities Research Association anticipates making up to eleven appointments within Sandia’s participating Research Foundation, including Bioscience, Computing and Information Science, Earth Science, Material Science, Nanodevices and Microsystems, and Radiation, Electrical and High Energy Density Science. Applicants must be full-time masters or doctoral graduate students and US Persons (any United States citizen or alien admitted for permanent residence in the United States).

2023 Summer Graduate Fellows Program at Sandia National Lab Deadline 1/31

This program provides research experience in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics that support Sandia National Laboratories’ (SNL) Research Foundations(for information about the Research Foundations.

2023 Community Engagement Fellowship Deadline 2/1

The Community Engagement Fellowship at the Carolina Center for Public Service awards fellowships of $2,500 each year for engagement or engaged scholarship projects that are responsive to community priorities and have an academic connection. Returning, full-time graduate and professional students at Carolina are eligible to apply.

2023 Humanity in Action Fellowships Deadline 2/14

The Humanity in Action Fellowships explore issues of social justice, human rights, politics of memory and remembrance culture, and civic engagement. They look at the ways in which communities co-exist to create a pluralistic society, and the structural challenges arising from asymmetrical power dynamics.

CFE Outcomes and Assessment Assistant Open Until Filled

The UNC Center for Faculty Excellence Outcomes and Assessment Assistant will support the Center with survey preparation and evaluation, quantitative and qualitative data collection, and data management, including data analysis and reporting for TEAM ADVANCE. Other responsibilities may include data visualization, summarizing findings, and presentation preparation.

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DONATE EVENTS CONTACT

Graduate Student Resources

Use the menus below to navigate through numerous resources available to graduate students.  New students will find some of these resources particularly helpful.

• Faculty and graduate students in the department are housed in Coker Hall , Fordham Hall , Wilson Hall , and the Genome Science Building . Student offices are generally located near their major adviser.
• Student mailboxes are located in Coker Hall . Mail should be addressed to your name at: Department of Biology CB# 3280, Coker Hall 120 South Road University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280 .
• The departmental fax number is (919) 962-1625.
• Keys for access to the outside doors and student offices in Biology buildings are assigned through  Jason Worrell . Please contact him directly for more information.
• Conference rooms can be reserved online via our Room Reservation Request Form . Please make sure to review the departmental room calendar to check availability before making a request (you will be prompted to sign in with your ONYEN and password to access the calendar).

Mental Health Resources

Computing Services: The Biology Department maintains various departmental IT services and resources. The BioHelp group (led by Hínár Polczer) assists faculty, staff and students with information technology related questions or requests. Help requests for computing problems should be submitted via the Help Desk . (under “Type of help needed”, select “Biology IT Support”).

Sending FedEx Shipments:  If you need to send a package as part of your work with a laboratory, please ask for the assistance of your assigned lab’s manager. These staff members are the authorized representatives of the department to process all shipments.

Ordering supplies and reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses: To order supplies, or to obtain forms for reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses, contact your major professor (for research-related expenses) or course instructor (for TA-related expenses). 

NC Residency & Tuition Waiver

Out-of-state students are expected to obtain in-state residency as soon as possible because the University’s out-of-state tuition waiver funds are very limited in number. This means that it is helpful for students to do a few things as soon as they arrive in North Carolina. We strongly suggest that students obtain an NC driver’s license, register their car here, register to vote, actually vote in November, and perhaps join the public library (Carrboro/Chapel Hill). Students need to apply one year after they “set up residency” in NC (July or August after their first year). You should review the guidelines and on-line application for in-state status.

NOTE : You cannot get a NC license or register your car until you have valid car insurance. This often means getting insurance in the state and bringing proof of insurance with you.

To get your car registered, you will need to bring your license (and another ID), the title, and proof of insurance to the DMV registration place. There is one conveniently located at the corner of Elliot Drive and Franklin Street. They will then tell you to get your car inspected and get the inspection sticker, which you could do all at once if you drop your car off first at Chapel Hill Tire 942-8723 at University Mall (shopping center by Harris Teeter on Estes Drive) or at another inspection station of your choosing.

To get your license, you will have to take the eye test and NC drivers test on the computer, so reviewing the driving rules first is a good idea. The most convenient location is off of NC 54 bypass and NC 54 business ( 104 V Carrboro Plaza , 919-929-4161). Be sure to bring your old driver’s license, proof of your residence (lease, any bill/letter mailed to your new address with your name on it, etc), your insurance, and your checkbook. To be safe, check the ID options online  and the NC DMV Newcomer’s guide for other helpful tips.

Financial Support (EEOB/QBio Students)

As a Biology graduate student, you will be provided a guaranteed 9-month stipend of a minimum of $20,000 and support throughout your graduate career as long as you remain in good academic standing. Through a combination of funding during the academic year as well as the summer, we will strive to provide you with a minimum annual stipend of $26,000. This minimum will be reviewed yearly to consider increases based on the MIT living wage calculator, representative apartment rents, and input from Biology graduate students. Several sources of stipend support are available.

Link to updated Biology Graduate Student Stipend Policy

EEOB students are supported by teaching assistantships, research assistantships, or fellowships (described in greater detail below) during the academic year and summer. It is very important that funding packages are discussed in detail during the recruitment process between the prospective advisor and student, and that realistic expectations of funding are shared.

Academic Year Funding :

During the 9-month academic year, you will be funded on either a teaching assistantship, research assistantship, or fellowship. Fellowships usually fund students on a 9-month or annual basis and vary in stipend amounts. Assistantships provide a minimum stipend of $10,000 per semester ($20,000 for the 9-month academic year). If your advisor does not have sufficient grant funding to fund you as a research assistant, then teaching assistantships will be available to you.

Summer Funding :

Our graduate students are funded during the summer and the goal is that they are funded on their advisor’s grants as research assistants. If the advisor does not have grant funding, teaching assistantships are available during both summer sessions. Each session lasts 5 weeks with a 20 hour per week average for teaching one lab or one recitation. Compensation for teaching one lab is $3575 and for teaching one recitation is $3250. We strive to provide our students with sufficient lab or recitation sections to reach $26,000 (two labs, two recitations, or a combination of the two). However, it is greatly encouraged that advisors provide grant funding to bridge any potential gap between summer teaching availability and $26,000.

SPECIFIC FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Teaching Assistantships (TAs)

TAs help teach undergraduate courses and lead recitations and laboratories. A TA in Biology currently pays $10,000 per semester for a 9-month stipend of $20,000 (plus health insurance, tuition coverage, and student fees). The expected average workload for a TA during the academic semester is 20 hours per week or less.

There are orientation/training sessions sponsored by the Center for Faculty Excellence (CFE) for all new TAs. TAs must also attend a one-hour OSHA session offered by the Biology Department. TAs are evaluated by the course instructor(s) and students enrolled in the course. TAs are expected to receive satisfactory evaluations.

Research Assistantships (RAs)

Graduate school fellowships.

Fellowships are often the most desirable form of funding because they typically carry no service requirements. There are two main kinds of fellowships for beginning students. First are those offered by the UNC graduate school (for information, see the funding information page on the UNC graduate school website). Second, are those offered by external funding agencies, such as the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program. The Graduate Funding Information Center is a resource that assists current and prospective graduate students in finding appropriate funding sources. Through some of the funding databases, you can set up alerts to notify you when new opportunities are available based on information you provide.

A limited number of fellowships are also available to support continuing students. These fellowships are described in greater detail below. The UNC Graduate School holds an annual competition for a limited number of fellowships aimed at supporting advanced students (i.e., those who have been admitted to candidacy). Most are merit-based. For example, the Graduate School conducts competitions for one-semester Off-Campus Research Dissertation Fellowships and one-year Doctoral Dissertation Completion Fellowships.

For a complete listing of fellowships offered, visit the UNC Graduate School website .

Supplies and Travel Support

As the departmental budget permits, several awards are offered annually through the Biology Department to help graduate students with research expenses (generally a few hundred dollars per year). The competition for these awards is normally announced in April.

In addition, the UNC Graduate School awards transportation grants. These grants cover travel expenses only and are available for doctoral and masters students presenting research papers at international, national, regional academic conferences or meetings of professional societies. Students may receive this grant only once. Applications are considered throughout the year and must be submitted prior to travel. For more information, visit the UNC Graduate School website .

PAYROLL AND BENEFITS INFORMATION

Teaching Assistants and Research Assistants are paid monthly for the academic year, usually beginning at the end of August and continuing through mid-May. Those who will be supported as Research Assistants during the summer will continue to be paid monthly, while those who will be supported as Teaching Assistants during the summer are paid at the end of each summer session. Students on University payroll are required to have their paychecks automatically deposited to their bank account by completing a direct deposit authorization form via ConnectCarolina. Students on Graduate School fellowships are generally paid in lump sums at the beginning of the semesters (and/or summer).

Biology Graduate Student Aid Fund

This fund is intended to provide immediate, “stop-gap” financial support to Biology graduate students experiencing acute financial events, thus building community, aiding retention, and reducing time-to-degree. The department will not be dictating acceptable and unacceptable uses for the fund, but some categories are listed below:

• A medical emergency or expense (physical and mental health)
• Mechanical repairs (car, laptop, household, etc.)
• Temporary help if unable to meet welfare needs (food, housing, utilities, etc.)
• Assistance with moving or relocating
• Urgent transportation needs (flights, train tickets)
• Unexpected family care
• Visa/passport/legal documentation fees

Graduate Student Health Insurance

Graduate students with a Research Assistantship (RA), Teaching Assistantship (TA) or on Fellowship are eligible for the Graduate Student Health Insurance Program (known as GSHIP or the RA/TA health insurance plan), which is administered by Blue Cross Blue Shield NC. The policy year is August 1st-July 31st and students must meet the following enrollment requirements:

• Be registered as a full-time student
• Function as an active RA or TA, or be on a fellowship from the Graduate School
• External fellowship recipients are eligible as well if their stipend is at least $6500 for the policy year

Students are enrolled by the department each year prior to the start of the policy year. Biology’s Graduate Student Services Manager will provide all students with the enrollment form over the summer. For more information on plan benefits, please visit the BCBS website for the UNC-CH RA/TA plan . Under the plan benefits tab, you will find a Medical Benefits Summary as well as a Member Guide. This link will also provide additional resources, such as claim forms, HIPAA authorization forms, and link to registering for Blue Connect .

Dental insurance is currently not offered through the Graduate Student Health Insurance Program. However, dental care is offered in the Campus Health building by Campus-Smiles and Campus-Smiles has partnered with a low-cost dental plan . Please see more information regarding dental care on the Graduate School’s website .

Biology Graduate Student Association (BGSA)

The BGSA would appreciate any input you have on happenings within the department! If you have any ideas for the departmental symposium, social activities, outreach activities, etc. please feel free to contact any of the officers below.

Visit our  official website !

2023-2024 Officers:

• Co-Presidents: Stephanie Peak & Lorrie He
• Treasurer: Nicolas Frasson
• Secretary: Phu Zhang
• Web Manager: Stephen Mayer
• GPSG Representative: Indigo Edwards & Jadyn Sethna
• Faculty Representatives: Madelina Marquez

Living in Chapel Hill

Where to live:  Most students live off-campus, and the options are numerous. There are a wide range of nearby apartments and townhouses located on bus lines into campus that are well within most students’ budgets. Some students decide to begin their stay in University housing. There are several dorms for graduate students and on-campus married student housing. Others rent townhouses or houses, and there are rentals in the surrounding countryside that provide rural living options. Below you will find links to campus maps as well as a housing guide compiled current Biology graduate students.

• UNC Campus Map
• Housing Guide

What to do: 

After a long stretch of work in the lab, it’s always refreshing to walk up to Franklin Street to find an interesting place to enjoy some food and drink. Several places feature live music with a small cover charge or a “pass the hat” policy. Also located in downtown Chapel Hill are the Morehead Planetarium and the Ackland Art Museum. The ArtsCenter, also in Carrboro, showcases local companies or national touring groups in a 350-seat theater. The PlayMakers Repertory Company is a full-season theater group right in Chapel Hill with exciting performances. Further down the road, Walnut Creek is a major amphitheater with top name performers and several festivals. Just outside town is the N.C. Botanical Garden with extensive walking paths, and Duke Forest is a large area north of Chapel Hill with lots of trails. There are many local farmer’s and flea markets, including a large farmer’s market on Saturday mornings in nearby Carrboro.

The college spectator sports here are world-class. Student tickets are available for our exciting UNC Tar Heel men’s basketball and football games. Admission to most other games, such as men’s and women’s soccer, women’s basketball, lacrosse, and baseball, is free to students. Down the road the Durham Bulls provide great baseball entertainment on warm summer nights. The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional hockey team that play at their new stadium only 20 minutes from Chapel Hill. Local biking clubs provide strenuous activity as they explore the surrounding countryside. In short, it is likely that whatever your tastes and life-style, you will be able to find stimulating activities that are accessible in Chapel Hill.

And when it’s time to hit the road for a trip, you are only three hours by car from the North Carolina coast with its lovely and historic beaches, including Kitty Hawk, the site of the first heavier-than-air plane flight in the world. You are also only three hours east of the majestic Smoky Mountains, part of the Appalachian range. Smoky Mountain National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway in the western part of the state offer truly stunning views of some of the oldest mountains in the world. And the large metropolitan areas of Atlanta, Georgia, and Washington, DC are only 4-5 hours by car. Raleigh Durham International Airport is ever-expanding to accommodate more travelers, and it is easy to fly almost anywhere from here. Chapel Hill has a moderate climate, with mild winters (snow is rare) and warm summers.

Transportation & Parking

There is an express bus to and from Duke University available to students and faculty.  The schedule is found on the website.  The Robertson Express Bus is operated by Go Triangle and riders need to present either a GoPass or pay the $3.00 fare when boarding. Please visit the Transportation and Parking website  for more information on how to obtain a GoPass.

Harassment & Grievance Policies and Resources

• UNC-Chapel Hill Improper Relationship Policy
• UNC-Chapel Hill Policies on Discrimination, Harassment, and Misconduct
• Biology Department Safe Spaces Committee
• Grievance Reporting Form
• BBSP Student Reporting Site

Graduate Student Check-In Form

There are a series of forms that are needed for tracking your degree progress. The majority of these forms are required by the Graduate School, while a few are required by our department. The Graduate Student Services Manager (GSSM) will compile the necessary forms for you and keep them on file. Once a milestone has been scheduled or completed, you must inform the GSSM. They will work with your committee and/or the DGS to acquire signatures and then submit the relevant form(s) to the Graduate School (unless the form is a departmental form; those will stay with the department). If you would like to have copies of the forms for your own documentation purposes, please let the GSSM know.

Graduate School forms (required for tracking your degree progress):

• Doctoral Exam Report Form : For recording when your qualifying exams and doctoral dissertation are completed
• Masters Comprehensive Exam Report : For recording when your qualifying exams and masters thesis are completed
• Report of Doctoral Committee Composition : For recording your doctoral committee
• Report of Approved Dissertation Project : For recording when you hold your feasibility meeting and your committee has approved your dissertation project

There are additional forms provided by the Graduate School that may or may not be relevant to you during your tenure in our program. These forms you can find here .

Departmental Forms

• Annual Committee Meeting : For when you hold your yearly committee meetings. When the meeting has commenced, please inform the GSSM so they can get the relevant signatures.
• Pre-Defense Meeting : For when you hold your pre-defense meeting. When the meeting has commenced, please inform the GSSM so they can get the relevant signatures.

If you have further questions about the above forms, please contact the Biology Department’s GSSM.

Graduate Program Committees

Eeob graduate studies committee members:.

Hedrick, Tyson L.

Hurlbert, Allen

Matute, Daniel

Mendez, Laura

Mitchell, Charles E.

Willett, Christopher S.

Yitbarek, Senay

Eeob graduate admissions committee members:, qbio graduate studies committee members:.

Bloom, Kerry S.

Gordon, Kacy

Hamilton, Matthew

Maddox, Paul

Shiau, Celia

Vision, Todd J.

Qbio graduate admissions committee members:, quick links:.

• Program in Evolution, Ecology, & Organismal Biology
• Program in Molecular, Cell, & Developmental Biology
• Quantitative Biology Graduate Track
• How to Apply
• 2024 Graduate Student Appreciation Week Highlights

For Prospective Students

Thank you for considering Geography and Environment at UNC-Chapel Hill for your graduate education. Prospective MA and PhD students in Geography and Environment will find information on the application process under How to apply . All applications for Fall 2024 are due 12 December 2023 .

Making contact with possible Faculty mentors is a crucial step in finding out if our Department is a good fit for you. We also encourage you to browse the interests of our Current Students and the career paths of our recent graduates ( coming soon ). If you are interested in a (virtual) campus visit , we would be delighted to meet you, answer any questions, and arrange a departmental tour. We encourage you to contact faculty members independently but may be able to assist with making those arrangements.

We are always excited to bring outstanding graduate students to Geography and Environment at Carolina.  Admission to our program is highly competitive, with a primary focus on students pursuing the PhD who enter the program with or without an MA.  Keep in mind that many students come to our program without a geography and environment degree. Applicants who are considering applying to the terminal MA program (rather than the MA/PhD program) are encouraged to consider this carefully and discuss with their prospective faculty sponsor(s) prior to submitting their applications.

  Further questions can be directed to Dr. Clark Gray, Director of Graduate Studies, at [email protected].

Kent Lee Awarded a UNC Dissertation Completion Fellowship

By Tamsen Foote

Kent Lee, a graduate student in Social Psychology, is the recipient of the 2017 Dissertation Completion Fellowship by UNC’s Graduate School.

The Dissertation Completion Fellowship supports promising students in the final year of dissertation work by enabling them to focus full time on their research and completing their program of study without the obligation of a service assignment. It supports doctoral students for one year with a $18,000 stipend.

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Graduate School Fellowships, Awards and Competitions

Ninerscholars.

NinerScholars is the student application portal for admitted graduate students. This portal is UNC Charlotte's online scholarship application portal that matches students to scholarships. New graduate students must be accepted and activate their NinerNET account to create a scholarship profile .

Fellowships

Summer fellowships.

The Graduate School offers fellowships for summer funding. Applications are due each March through the funding application portal and are reviewed by faculty.

Graduate Fellowships

Each spring the Graduate School administers fellowships to outstanding UNC Charlotte graduate students. Awards begin in the upcoming academic year. The below fellowships are available to UNC Charlotte students only. 

JOANNA R. BAKER MEMORIAL GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP A $3,000 grant plus $750 travel allowance  for new or continuing master’s or doctoral mathematical, computer science or information technology research.

CRAIG R. BROWN GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP $2,000 grant plus NC resident tuition for a first-year U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident master’s or doctoral student conducting research to address societal issues.

DRReaM GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP $1,000 needs-based award for a continuing master’s or doctoral student in a health-related program.

FAYE JACQUES MEMORIAL GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP $1,000 needs-based grant to a continuing master’s or doctoral student.

JOAN F. LORDEN GRADUATE OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIP $2000 award for a continuing master's or doctoral student.

JOHN PAUL LUCAS, JR. SCHOLARSHIP FOR EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP $1,000 scholarship for a new or continuing master’s student pursuing a degree in English or English Education.

CLAUDIA M. REYNOLDS GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP $1,000 award for continuing non-traditional master's or doctoral students.

THOMAS L. REYNOLDS GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH AWARD Up to $1,500 for continuing master’s or doctoral students to assist with costs often overlooked in other funding sources.

ZONTA CLUB SCHOLARSHIP $1,000 grant for new US resident master’s or doctoral students.

Graduate Program Director Nomination Only Awards

​ WAYLAND H. CATO JR. FIRST-YEAR DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP GPD Nominated.  $20,000, tuition and health insurance for a newly admitted doctoral student.

HERSCHEL AND CORNELIA EVERETT FOUNDATION FIRST-YEAR GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP GPD Nominated.  $11,000 for a newly admitted U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident master’s student, $15,000 for a newly admitted doctoral student, both plus tuition. Doctoral students also receive health insurance.

LUCILLE P. AND EDWARD C. GILES DISSERTATION-YEAR GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP $24,000, tuition and fees, health insurance and $1,000 for travel for a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident doctoral student in the STEM disciplines.

WILLIAM F. KENNEDY GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP GPD Nominated.   Review criteria .  $20,000, tuition and health insurance for a first-year doctoral student.

Apply through the Graduate School

GRADUATE DEAN'S DISTINGUISHED DISSERTATION AWARD Presented by the Graduate School to recognize outstanding research and scholarship by a doctoral student at UNC Charlotte.

OUTSTANDING MASTER'S THESIS AWARD   The Master’s Thesis Award is awarded to a student on the basis of clarity of style and presentation, scholarship, research methodology, and contributions to the field or discipline.

Apply through the Thomas L. Reynolds Center for Graduate Life and Learning

OUTSTANDING GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANT AWARD The award recognizes master's and doctoral students nominated by faculty supervisors for their outstanding and innovative teaching techniques.

THREE-MINUTE THESIS COMPETITION Originating at the University of Queensland, Australia, 3MT® challenges graduate students to condense their graduate body of work into a clear and engaging three-minute presentation supported by only one static overhead slide.

Conference Expenses

When additional funding is available, graduate students who have been selected to present at a scholarly conference may apply for a $1,500 scholarship to help with expenses. The Graduate School has provided up to $120,000 so far on conference expenses. When available, opportunities will be posted in the funding application portal .

Sixteen students receive prestigious funding from National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program

Sixteen students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have received prestigious awards from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP). These students represent both undergraduate and graduate education, and their research covers several STEM-related fields, including biology, sociology, genetics, anthropology, and more.  

This fellowship is the oldest of its kind directly supporting graduate students in STEM. Its purpose is to not only ensure the quality and vitality in the scientific and engineering workforces of the United States but also to broaden and diversify the talent in STEM-related professions.  

Many of this year’s recipients have research based in life and geosciences, highlighting the significant effect our students’ work has on our global environment.   

Beth Mayer-Davis , dean of The Graduate School, noted that the recipients of this year’s awards are making fundamental strides in overcoming obstacles that affect the lives of people and the environment in not just our state, but around the globe. Their research represents many key areas of study across campus and exemplifies the power of our strategic initiative to strengthen our University’s global impact.     

“The excellent work of these students highlights the depth of knowledge being generated through graduate education at UNC-Chapel Hill,” Mayer-Davis said. “It is this kind of impactful research that sets Carolina students apart as our next generation of leaders.”  

The UNC-Chapel Hill chapter of the Materials Research Society (MRS) is an organization that works to connect graduate students to industry and academic professionals. They partner with The Graduate School to offer several events to help students develop key skills and provide opportunities to network with scientific professionals. One such opportunity is the NSF GRFP peer-review workshop. This annual peer-review workshop provides senior undergraduates and first- and second-year graduate students an environment to meet one-on-one with NSF GRFP fellows.  

The NSF GRFP launched in 1952. Federal funding through a three-year stipend provides educational support, professional development and international research opportunities for recipients.   

UNC-Chapel Hill graduate student recipients of the NSF GRFP

• Andrew Boyle (Department of Physics and Astronomy; College of Arts and Sciences)  
• Henry Dieckhaus (UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy)  
• Abigail Foes (Department of Biostatics; UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health)  
• Georgina Gemayel (Department of Geography and Environment; College of Arts and Sciences)  
• Camryn Gloor (Department of Chemistry; College of Arts and Sciences)  
• Lauren Hutchinson (Department of Chemistry; College of Arts and Sciences)  
• Micah Hysong (Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology; College of Arts and Sciences; UNC School of Medicine)  
• Athena Owirodu (Department of Sociology; College of Arts and Sciences)
• Ryan Salcido (Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology; College of Arts and Sciences, UNC School of Medicine)  
• Gates Schneider ( Biological & Biomedical Sciences Program; UNC School of Medicine)  
• Samuel Weaver ( Department of Chemistry; College of Arts and Sciences)  
• Adriana Wisniewski (Department of Anthropology; College of Arts and Sciences)  

Graduate Student Honorable Mentions

• Corina Damian (Department of Pharmacology; UNC School of Medicine)  
• Katherine Degner ( Neuroscience curriculum; UNC School of Medicine)  
• Kieran Fitzmaurice (Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering; UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health)  
• Skylar Grimsley (Department of Pathology; UNC School of Medicine)  
• Samantha Hamontree (Department of Earth, Marine and Environmental Sciences; College of Art and Sciences)  
• Brittney Haney ( Department of Chemistry; College of Arts and Sciences)  
• Devon Leimkuhl (Department of Chemistry; College of Arts and Sciences)  
• Ethan Madden (Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology; College of Arts and Science, UNC School of Medicine)  
• Rachel Miller (Department of Pharmacology; UNC School of Medicine)  
• Alexandra Ro (Department of Sociology; College of Arts and Sciences)  
• Michael Rodriguez ( Department of Chemistry; College of Arts and Sciences)  
• Emily Speciale ( Department of Earth, Marine and Environmental Sciences; College of Art and Sciences)  
• Hayli Spence-Osorio ( Neuroscience curriculum; UNC School of Medicine)  
• Nazaret Suazo ( Department of Psychology and Neuroscience; College of Arts and Sciences)  
• Rachel Szymanski ( Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology; College of Arts and Sciences; UNC School of Medicine)  

City Council Candidate Profiles: Bryce Blankenship

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