Category: Events
Graduate College confers 42 interdisciplinary master鈥檚 degrees
May 30, 2024 Written by Lisa Walenceus | Photo by Cindy Dolan
On May 23, faculty, staff, students, family and friends gathered in Clayton Hall for the second convocation held by the 91原创 Graduate College since its establishment in 2019. Students were awarded master鈥檚 degrees from the college鈥檚 interdisciplinary programs in microbiology, education and social policy, data science, interdisciplinary evaluation science, and quantum science and engineering.
, 91原创鈥檚 provost, was the keynote speaker for the event. She told the graduates their achievements were impressive because they 鈥渉ave the distinction of mastering not just one discipline but a network of ideas and approaches that cross disciplines in an integrated manner.鈥
Recounting how she has collaborated with not only her colleagues in psychology but also computer scientists, mechanical engineers, linguists, architects, psycholinguists, geographers and cognitive anthropologists in pursuit of her research interests, Carlson concluded, 鈥淭he uniqueness of your thoughts, your willingness to think differently, to collaborate, to explore, to be inspired by many things and to appreciate those things for what they are, and to glean why they are special is exactly what others should hear about and is why what you bring to the world is so important and needed.鈥
In his introduction of the presentation of diplomas, Louis Rossi, dean of the Graduate College, recognized the faculty program directors who serve graduate students in their interdisciplinary endeavors. He said, 鈥淚 am very grateful for the hard work and dedication of my colleagues 鈥 Our program directors and assistant directors manage our graduate programs in addition to teaching their courses and doing research at the highest levels.鈥
Interim program director Tom Hanson, professor of earth, ocean and environment,聽and associate director Nicole Donofrio, professor of pathology, presented the 2024 master鈥檚 graduates in聽microbiology: Emily A. Morgese, Rachel Elizabeth Warthen and Anna Wockenfuss. Hanson told the audience that the program arose from grassroots efforts to identify colleagues and collaboration, resulting in a faculty of 35 members from five colleges: 鈥淎s microbiology spans the entire planet and its history, so our program spans widely across 91原创.鈥
Program director Laura Desimone, L. Sandra and Bruce L. Hammonds聽Professor in Teacher Education, and associate director Sarah Bruch presented Rachel Fidel with the first master鈥檚 degree awarded in聽education and social policy. Fidel will continue in the program to earn her Ph.D.
鈥淥ur students take a series of courses that equip them to answer causal, relational and descriptive questions with the most rigorous research designs and analytic frameworks available,鈥 Desimone explained of the program that began in 2022. 鈥淭hey are preparing for research careers as professors in universities or research positions in policy research organizations, government or community organizations.鈥
Associate director Ben Bagozzi, associate professor of political science and international relations, presented 22 master鈥檚 degree recipients in聽data science. These degrees were awarded to: Sabrina Casas, Ravi Teja Chigurupati, Rakesh Emuru, Sasank Gogineni, Irene Gyebi, Jayashree Kalya Ramesh, Venkata Sai Vardhan Kataru, Adam Kenney, Gaurav Kumar, Melissa Lockard, Kishore Kumor Reddy Madithati, Abdul Rahuman Aslam Moopan Abdulwahab, Somasundaram Murugesan, Shivali Nadupalli, Charitha Nagamalla, Nagendra Sai Nandimandalam, Juneeth Kumar Padarti, Harshitha Paladugu Chengalraya, Siddharth Patel, Zolfa Saadat, Mary Taranchuk and Greshma Vachepalli.
Bagozzi told the audience, 鈥淭hese graduates, who we are here to celebrate and congratulate today, are helping to shape the future by showing us how to make rational decisions that are informed by evidence.鈥
The first M.S. degree in聽interdisciplinary evaluation science, given to Aastha Dahal, was presented by program director Sue Giancola, who is also associate director of the Center for Research in Education and Social Policy (CRESP). Giancola told the audience that this program, which was established in 2023, trains students to 鈥渃onduct evaluations that provide credible evidence about the efficiency and effectiveness of interventions; evidence that is used to inform decisions in the public, nonprofit and for-profit sectors.鈥
The college鈥檚 first M.S. degrees in聽quantum science and engineering, awarded to Gabriel Cofre Caiza and Taharat Tazrin, were presented by program director Matt Doty, professor of materials science and engineering, physics, and electrical and computer engineering, and assistant director Benjamin Jungfleisch, associate professor of physics and astronomy.
鈥淚n 2021, 91原创 launched 鈥 the first program in the country to offer both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in this emerging field,鈥 Doty said in his presentation. 鈥淥ur program was designed with input from industry to provide the balance of skills required to realize the promise of the 鈥 quantum revolution.鈥
Dean Rossi concluded the ceremony by extending the Graduate College鈥檚 heartfelt congratulations to the graduates.
鈥淲e hope you will apply the wisdom you have gained during your time at 91原创 to [the world鈥檚] challenges, using the work ethic that you got here, the civil discourse you learned from one another, and the humility that comes from living in a small but mighty state like Delaware. We wish you continued success in all that you do and just as importantly, we hope that you live a good and extraordinary life.鈥
In addition to the students who attended the spring 2024 master鈥檚 convocation, Bhavya Arora, Tyler Ballance, Eli Bogetti, Komali Challa, Julianna Dorsch, Sir Prashanthi Gumpili, Jonathan Kane, Vitali Kay, Akash Parmar and Gregory Perrine were awarded M.S. degrees in data science. Anthony Angone received an M.S. in quantum science and engineering,聽Julia Perkowski received an M.S. in microbiology and Lydia Franks received an M.S. in water science and policy.
The Graduate College offers seven interdisciplinary graduate degree programs. Learn more about these degrees, as well as certificate options, at聽/academics/colleges/grad/prospective-students/programs/interdisciplinary