Dissertation Defenses

One of the degree requirements for students in Ph.D. and Ed.D. programs is the final defense of a dissertation. A defense is an oral examination that includes a public presentation of the research, and an examination/evaluation by the faculty (this portion is closed to the public).

The table below lists the defenses scheduled for the current semester. The public is invited to attend. Students enrolled in Ph.D. and Ed.D. programs might find it particularly helpful to attend so that they know what to expect during a defense. Dissertation defenses may be held in person or virtually via Zoom or Teams. If a dissertation defense is held virtually, you may contact the department for link and log-in information.

Fall 2024

Student Name	Title of Dissertation	Committee	College/Program	Date, Time, Location
Erick Posadas	Trauma and Identity: Theorizing a Strength-Based Approach to Supporting Immigrant Students	Dr. Rolf J. Straubhaar, Chair Dr. Miguel Guajardo, Dr. Patricia Guerra, Dr. Melissa Martinez	College of Education - School Improvement	August 30th, 2024 11:00 a.m. Zoom Contact the department for Zoom link.
Megan N. Benavidez	But What About the Kids? A Phenomenological Study Exploring Teachers' Perceptions of Professional Attrition	Dr. James W. Koschoeck, Chair Dr. Emily J. Summers, Dr. Clarena Larrotta, Dr. Rosa Peña	College of Education - School Improvement	September 9, 2024 11:00 a.m. Zoom Contact the department for Zoom link.
Stella F. Egbert	The Lived Experience of Deaf Education: How Macro Events Impact the Deaf Community and the Self	Dr. Duncan Waite, Chair Dr. Patricia Guerra, Dr. Cynthia Neese Bailes, Dr. Rolf Straubhaar	College of Education - School Improvement	September 27, 2024 10:30 a.m. Zoom Contact the department for Zoom link.
Courtney Peebles	Understanding the Research Professional Development Experiences of Women Physician Medical School Faculty	Dr. Jeremy Bohonos, Co-chair, Dr. Joellen Coryell, Co-chair, Dr. Shetay Ashford-Hanserd, Dr. Lisa Baumgartner	College of Education - Adult, Professional, and Community Education	October 10, 2024 9:00 a.m. Zoom Contact the department for Zoom link.
Yuting Lin	Understanding Support of Culturally Diverse Students in the Supplemental Instruction Program from the Perspectives of Program Staff	Dr. Jodi Patrick Holschuh, Chair Dr. Sonya Armstrong, Dr. Mitchell Ingram, Dr. Emily Suh	College of Education - Developmental Education	October 18, 2024 2:00 p.m. Academic Services Building North, Room 408
Christie Hill-Troglin Cox	Disabled Students in Higher Education: Self-Disclosure, Accommodations, and Degree Persistence	Dr. Carlton Fong, Chair Dr. Glenna Billingsley, Dr. Eric Paulson, Dr. Kristen Kremer	College of Education - Developmental Education	November 11, 2024 9:00 a.m. Academic Services Building North, Room 402
Madison K. Doyle	Exploring Public Responses to Active Shooter Events	Dr. J. Pete Blair, Chair Dr. M. Hunter Martaindale, Dr. Kathleen Padilla, Dr. Chul-Ho Lee	College of Applied Arts - Criminal Justice	November 7, 2024 10:00 a.m. Hines Academic Center Building, Room 103
James Dyer	"I can do this”: Understanding the Feedback Experiences of Linguistically Diverse Students in a Corequisite Writing Class	Dr. Emily Suh, Chair Dr. Sonya Armstrong, Dr. Eric Paulson, Dr. Jeanine Williams	College of Education - Developmental Education	October 29, 2024 12:00 p.m. Zoom Contact the department for Zoom link.
Muhammed Bayram	Advancing CO2 Sequestration and Engineering Properties in Alternative Cementitious Materials	Dr. Togay Ozbakkaloglu, Chair Dr. Jung Yeon, Dr. Anthony S Torres, Dr. Xijun Shi, Dr. Jian-Guo Dai	College of Science and Engineering - Materials Science, Engineering, and Commercialization	November 1, 2024 8:00 a.m. Zoom Contact the department for Zoom link.
Aamar Danish	Extending Aluminosilicate Material Horizons: Evaluating the Impact of Reclaimed Fly Ash on the Performance, Environmental Impact, and Economic Viability of Geopolymers Using Different Curing Regimes, Waste Materials, and Fibers	Dr. Anthony Torres, Chair Dr. Xijun Shi, Dr. Carlos Moro, Dr. Wilson F Espinoza Chavez, Dr. Fred Aguayo	College of Science and Engineering - Materials Science, Engineering, and Commercialization	October 31, 2024 1:00 p.m. Roy F. Mitte building, Room 2243, Zoom Contact the department for Zoom link.
Lori Wischnewsky	Reframing the Narrative: Stories From Adult-Diagnosed Autistic and ADHD Women in Postsecondary Education	Dr. Russ Hodges, Chair Dr. Taylor Acee, Dr. Emily Summers, Dr. Jack Trammell	College of Education - Developmental Education	November 4, 2024 12:30 p.m. Zoom Contact the department for the Zoom link.
Adam Clark	The Role of Cartography and Visualization in Hazard Risk Communication: An Examination of the Houston Chronicle, 1945 to 2020	Dr. Ronald Hagelman, Chair Dr.Alberto Giordano, Dr. Eric Sarmiento, Dr. Elyse Zavar	College of Liberal Arts - Geography	November 11, 2024 10:00 a.m. Evans Liberal Arts building, Room 344
Usha Brandon	Reimagining Leadership in Community-Based Organizations: An Emotional Intelligence and Ecological Systems' Approach to Professional Development	Dr. Clarena Larrota, Chair Dr. Jeremy W. Bohonos, Dr. James W. Koschoreck, Melissa A. Martinez	College of Education - Adult, Professional, and Community Education	November 13, 2024 10:00 a.m. Zoom Contact the department for the Zoom link.
Karla Hernandez-Swift	Latina Veterans' and Service Members' Experiences in the Military: An Intersectional Analysis of Race, Ethnicity, and Gender	Dr. Nicole Taylor, Chair Dr. Kate Spradley, Dr. Aimee Villarreal, Dr. Emily Brunson	College of Liberal Arts - Applied Anthropology	November 11, 2024 11:00 a.m. Evans Liberal Arts building, Room 227
Isaac Paintsil	Devaluation and Solvability: The Quest for Factors Affecting Violent Crime Clearance	Dr. Donna Vandiver, Chair Dr. Bob Vasquez, Dr. Ashley Arnio, Dr. Keller Sheppard	College of Liberal Arts - Criminal Justice	November 4, 2024 11:00 a.m. Zoom Contact the department for the Zoom link.
Jinli Liu	Analysis of association between demographic, socioeconomic, and built environment factors and pedestrian safety using traditional and AI approaches	Dr. F. Benjamin Zhan, Co-chair Dr. Subasish Das, Co-chair Dr. Tzee-Kiu Edwin Chow, Dr. Yihong Yuan	College of Liberal Arts - Geographic Information Science	November 15, 2024 8:30 a.m. Zoom Contact the department for the Zoom link.
Christopher Pierce	Deportable Adoptees: Citizenship, Statelessness, and Adoption in the United States	Dr. Sarah Blue, Chair Dr. Jennifer Devine, Dr. Eric Sarmiento, Dr. Kim Park Nelson	College of Liberal Arts - Geography	December 2, 2024 2:00 p.m. Evans Liberal Arts building, Room 344, Zoom Contact the department for the Zoom link.
Katlyn Casagrande	Who’s Got it Worse? Comparing Incarcerated Persons’ Experiences of Psychological Distress Symptoms in Jails and Prisons	Dr. Donna Vandiver, Chair Dr. Jeff Bumgarner, Dr. Melanie Soderstrom, Dr. Victoria Terranova	College of Liberal Arts - Criminal Justice	November 11, 2024 8:45 a.m. Zoom Contact the department for the Zoom link.
Christian Fritz	Spatial Patterns of Catalytic Converter Theft: Testing Routine Activities and Social Disorganization on Highly Mobile, "Pop-up" Theft	Dr. Christine Sellers, Co-chair Dr. Jeffery Bumgarner, Co-chair Dr. Yongmei Lu, Dr. Howard Williams	College of Applied Arts - Criminal Justice	November 11, 2024 3:30 p.m. Hines Academic Center, Room 105
Daniel Guerra	The Tortoise and the Landscape: Examining the Habitat, Daily Movement, Space Use, and Thermal Ecology of the Texas Tortoise (Gopherus Berlandieri)	Dr. Joseph Veech, Chair Dr. Caitlin Gabor, Dr. Ivan Castro-Arellano, Dr. Todd Esque, Dr. Lee Fitzgerald, Dr. Drew Davis	College of Science and Engineering - Aquatic Resources and Integrative Biology	November 15, 2024 10:00 a.m. Roy F. Mitte Building, Room 3224
Jessica S. Navarro	The Role of Context in Effective School Leadership: Insights from a Diverse Suburban Texas Community	Dr. Khalid Arar, Dr. Melissa Martinez, Dr. James Koschoreck, Dr. Dionne Davis, Dr. David Gurr	College of Education - School Improvement	November 13, 2024 3:00 p.m. Zoom Contact the department for the Zoom link.
Binod D.C.	Highly Sensitive Single Electron Box on the Atomic Force Microscopy Probe as an Electrometer	Dr. Yoichi Miyahara, Chair, Dr. Wilhelmus Geerts, Dr. Edwin L. Piner, Dr. Casey Smith, Dr. Keji Lai	College of Science and Engineering - Materials Science, Engineering, and Commercialization	November 15, 2024 3:00 p.m. Roy F. Mitte Building, Room 3219A

Previous Defenses

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Summer 2024

Student Name	Title of Dissertation	Committee	College/Program	Date, Time, Location
Holly Zolt	An Investigation Of Instructors’ Obligations And Pedagogical Choices During Instruction Of Quotient Groups	Dr. Kate Melhuish, Chair Dr. Sharon Strickland, Dr. Paul Dawkins, Dr. John Paul Cook	College of Science and Engineering - Mathematics Education	June 10th, 2024 10:00 a.m. Comal Bulding, Room 212
Shannon Belcher	Navigating the Doctoral Degree Pathway Through Resiliency and Self-Belief	Dr. Khalid Arar, Chair Dr. Melissa Martinez, Dr. Jim Koschoreck, Dr. Emily Summers	College of Education - School Improvement	May 20th, 2024 11:00 a.m. Zoom Contact the department for Zoom link.
Rachel “Rocky” Osborn	TikTok as an Adult Fitness Education Space: A Social Media Digital Ethnography	Dr. Jeremy Bohonos, Chair Dr. Lisa Baumgartner, Dr. Lance Villers, Dr. Yidan Zhu	College of Education - Adult, Professional, and Community Education	June 10th, 2024 9:00 a.m. Zoom Contact the department for Zoom link.
Samuel Kimmel	Synthesis, Structure and Properties of Nickel Hydroxide Nanomaterials for Energy Storage Applications	Dr. Christopher Rhodes, Chair Dr. Nikoleta Theodoropoulou, Dr. Jennifer Irvin, Dr. David Schilter, Dr. Harlan Beverly	College of Science and Engineering - Materials Science, Engineering, and Commercialization	May 20th, 2024 12:00 p.m. Centennial Hall, Room 331
Dillon Lohr	Toward viable end-to-end eye movement biometrics for user authentication in mixed reality devices	Dr. Oleg Komogortsev, Chair Dr. Vangelis Metsis, Dr. Apan Qasem, Dr. Vishnu Boddeti	College of Science and Engineering - Computer Science	June 7th, 2024 12:00 p.m. Comal Building, Room 212 Contact the department for Zoom link.
Brandon Watson	Investigating the Influence of Instructional Resources on Student Work in Real Analysis	Dr. Paul Dawkins, Chair Dr. Kristen Lew, Dr. Cody Patterson, Dr. Timothy Fukawa-Connelly	College of Science and Engineering - Mathematics Education	June 11th, 2024 3:00 p.m. Derick Hall, Room 122 Contact the department for Zoom link.
Alisa Hartsell	The Legal Violence of Liminal Status: Navigating US Immigration Courts and Asylum Seeking	Dr. Sarah Blue, Chair Dr. Yongmei Lu, Dr. Jennifer Devine, Dr. Rebecca Torres	College of Liberal Arts - Geography	June 12th, 2024 12:00 p.m. Evans Liberal Arts Building, Room 344 Contact the department for Zoom link.
Melissa Garza	"Traviesa Interdisciplinaria": An Exploration of Literacy in Rural Border Spaces Using Thirdspace	Dr. Emily Summers, Chair Dr. Sonya Armstrong, Dr. Eric Paulson, Dr. Melissa Martinez	College of Education - Developmental Education	June 26th, 2024 12:00 p.m. Contact the department for Zoom link.
Kushal Thapa	Photothermal Modulation of Hydrogels Crosslinked with Dynamic Thiol-Michael Bonds for Biomedical Applications	Dr. Tania Betancourt, Chair Dr. Adrianne Rosales, Dr. Shannon Weigum, Dr. Jennifer Irvin, Dr. Joyce Anderson	College of Science and Engineering - Materials Science, Engineering, and Commercialization	May 13th, 2024 9:00 a.m. Contact the department for Zoom link.
James Mendoza	Adult Learners’ Informal Thinking and Its Impact on Their Formal Understanding of College Algebra	Dr. M. Alejandra Sorto, Chair Dr. Hiroko Warshauer, Dr. Alex White, Dr. Daniel Fitzpatrick	College of Science and Engineering - Mathematics Education	June 21st, 2024 Comal Building, Room 212 Zoom Contact the department for Zoom link.
Miguel Garcia, III	A Critical Autoethnography: Mentorship for Newly Appointed Texas Public School Latino Administrators	Dr. Khalid H. Arar, Chair Dr. Miguel A. Guajardo, Dr. Melissa Martinez, Dr. James W. Koschoreck	College of Education - School Improvement	June 18th, 2024 9:00 a.m. Contact the department for Zoom link.
Xiu Wu	Multi-level Detection of the Correlation Between Environmental Factors and Lung Cancer Mortality	Dr. Ben Zhan, Chair Dr. Nathan Currit, Dr. T. Edwin Chow, Dr. Li Feng	College of Liberal Arts - Geographic Information Science	June 1st, 2024 1:00 p.m. Evans Liberal Arts Building, Room 344
Paul English	Reframing Organizational Learning for Occupational Safety: Implications of Single and Double-Looping Organizational Learning for Occupational Safety	Dr. Jeremy Bohonos, Co-chair Dr. Lisa Baumgartner, Co-chair Dr. Clarenta Larrotta, Dr. Robert Reardon	College of Education - Adult, Professional, and Community Education	June 28th, 2024 10:00 a.m. Contact the department for Zoom link.
Brian Samuels	Growth and Characterization of κ-(InxGa1-x)2O3 Thin Films and Indium’s Use as a Surfactant	Dr. Ravi Droopad, Chair Dr. Ariful Haque, Dr. Larry Larson, Dr. Maggie Chen, Dr. Tom Zirkle	College of Science and Engineering - Science and Engineering	June 27th, 2024 1:00 p.m. Bruce and Gloria Ingram Hall, Room 2001
Nischal Khakurel	Scalable deposition of wide band-gap hybrid halide perovskites using slot-die coating	Dr. Yoichi Miyahara, Co-chair Dr. Ir. Wilhelmus J. Geerts, Co-chair Dr. Maggie Yihong Chen, Dr. Casey Smith, Dr. Craig Swartz	College of Science and Engineering - Materials Science, Engineering, and Commercialization	July 2nd, 2024 2:30 p.m. Roy F. Mitte Building, Room 3219A
Vitor Goncalves	An Assessment of the Effects of Covid-19 Stay-At-Home Orders on Street and Cybercrimes in a Brazilian City	Dr. Mark Stafford, Chair Dr. Bob Vasquez, Dr. Mateus Renno Santos, Dr. Ludmila Ribeiro	College of Applied Arts - Criminal Justice	July 8th, 2024 8:30 a.m. Contact the department for Zoom link.
Luis Albiter	Metal-Substituted Ruthenium Oxide Oxygen Evolution Electrocatalysts: Structure, Catalytic Activity, and Electrochemical Stability	Dr. Christopher Rhodes, Chair Dr. Nikoleta Theodoropoulou, Dr. Jennifer Irvin, Dr. David Schilter, Dr. Perla Balbuena, Dr. Joaquin Resasco	College of Science and Engineering - Materials Science, Engineering, and Commercialization	July 5th, 2024 11:00 a.m. Contact the department for Zoom link.
Michael T. Perkins	Representation Matters: Examining the Relationship Between Racial Congruence and Black Student Achievement	Dr. Rolf J. Straubhaar, Chair Dr. James Van Overschelde, Dr. Larry Price, Dr. Marcus Johnson	College of Education - School Improvement	July 8th, 2024 9:00 a.m. Contact the department for Zoom link.
Jarell Routt	The Metamorphosis of a Black Man: Negotiating Self, Organization, and Community in the Process of Becoming	Dr. Miguel A. Guajardo, Chair Dr. Bergeron Harris, Dr. Karen Lunkin, Dr. Dionne L. Davis	College of Education - School Improvement	July 8th, 2024 10:00 a.m. Contact the department for Zoom link.
Thermajean Jones	Narratives of Successful Educational Journeys of African American Women Post Domestic Violence	Clarena Larrotta, Chair Joellen E. Coryell, Melissa A. Martinez, Jovita M. Ross-Gordon	College of Education - Adult, Professional, and Community Education	July 8th, 2024 11:00 a.m. Contact the department for Zoom link.
Joanna Ellis	Preserving patient dignity with cultural humility in healthcare: A narrative inquiry of Hispanic Community Health Workers (CHWs) in Texas	Dr. Joellen Coryell, Co-chair Dr. Jeremy Bohonos, Co-chair Dr. Emily Summers, Dr. Liesl Nydegger	College of Education - Adult, Professional, and Community Education	July 22nd, 2024 11:00 a.m. Contact the department for Zoom link.
Noushin Azami	Efficient Synthesis of High-speed Parallel Lossless Data-compression Algorithms	Martin Burtscher, Chair Franck Cappello, Tanzima Islam, Ziliang Zong	College of Science and Engineering - Computer Science	June 24, 2024 10:00 a.m. Comal Building, Room 310 Contact the department for Zoom link.
Emily Spivey	Shades of Stigma: Assessing the Impact of Intersectional Stigma for Women with a Criminal Record	Dr. Mark C. Stafford, Chair Dr. Ashley Arnio, Dr. Bob E, Vasquez, Dr. Meredith G.F. Worthern	College of Applied Arts - Criminal Justice	August 8th, 2024 11:00 a.m. Contact the department for Zoom link.

Spring 2024

Student Name	Title of Dissertation	Committee	College/Program	Date, Time, Location
Kelley Glover	Sistas Vibin’: A Critical Embodied Perspective of Educational Leadership Through the Lens of Black Women Music Educators	Dr. Melissa A. Martinez, Chair Dr. Judy A. Alston, Dr. Dionne L. Davis, Dr. James W. Koschoreck, Dr. Miguel A. Guajardo	College of Education - School Improvement	February 27, 2023 11 a.m. Zoom Contact department for Zoom link.
Nathan Smalley	Teaching in Flux: Mindfulness & Conditionality in Pedagogical Practice	Dr. Duncan Waite, Chair Dr. Michael O’Malley, Dr. Rolf Straubhaar, Dr. Robert White	College of Education - School Improvement	March 6, 2024 10:30 a.m. Zoom Contact department for Zoom link.
Tijani Mohammed	Multi-Scale Investigation, Characterization, and Microstructural Analysis of Alternative Cementitious Materials for Sustainable Development	Dr. Anthony Torres, Co-chair Dr. Federico Aguayo, Co-chair, Dr. Xijun Shi, Dr. Carlos Moro Martinez, Dr. Meysam Khaleghian	College of Science and Engineering - Materials Science, Engineering, and Commercialization	March 5, 2024, 2:00 p.m. Zoom Contact department for Zoom link.
Sandra Luna	Latina Leaders Steadfast Disposition to Empower and Pave Pathways to Leadership in K-12 Education	Dr. Khalid Arar, Chair Dr. Miguel A. Guajardo, Dr. Clarena Larrotta, Dr. Melissa A. Martinez	College of Education - School Improvement	March 18, 2024 11:00 a.m. Zoom Contact department for Zoom link.
Mariah Moe	Finding the Missing and Unidentified: The Application of Predictive Modeling, Ground Penetrating Radar, and Drone-based Infrared Imaging for the Detection of Unmarked Graves in South Texas	Dr. Timothy Gocha, Co- chair Dr. Kate Spradley, Co-chair Dr. Nicholas Herrmann, Dr. Alberto Giordano	College of Liberal Arts - Applied Anthropology	April 1, 2024 10:00 a.m. Zoom Contact department for Zoom link.
Kaelyn Dobson	Influences of Captive Primate Facility Characteristics on Saimiri Microbiomes: Protocol Considerations	Dr. Jill Pruetz, Chair Dr. Beth Erhart, Dr. Deborah Cunningham, Dr. Camila Carlos-Shanley	College of Liberal Arts - Applied Anthropology	April 5, 2024 9:00 a.m. Zoom Contact department for Zoom link.
Elizabeth Roan	Explaining the Mathematical Expressions Undergraduate STEM Majors Construct to Model Dynamic Scenarios	Dr. Jennifer Czocher, Chair Dr. Alejandra Sorto, Dr. Hamilton Hardison, Dr. Gregory Passty, Dr. Nicole Panorkou	College of Science and Engineering - Mathematics Education	March 21, 2024 1:00 p.m. Comal Building, Room 212
Khan Bin Asad	Investigating the Impact of Different Spatial Scales on Human Movement Patterns Extracted from Geospatial Big Data	Dr. Yihong Yuan, Chair Dr. T. Edwin Chow, Dr. Nathan Currit, Dr. Rasim Musal	College of Liberal Arts - Geographic Information Science	March 29, 2024 11:30 a.m. Evans Liberal Arts Building, Room 344
Emilie Wiedenmeyer	Musculoskeletal Markers in Historic and Modern Populations: Investigating Relationships of Human Activity Levels and Osseous Change at Entheseal Sites	Dr. Michelle Hamilton, Chair Dr. Nicholas Herrmann, Dr. Nivien Speith, Dr. Daniel Wescott, Dr. Kate Spradley	College of Liberal Arts - Applied Anthropology	April 9, 2024 9:00 a.m. Grady Early Building, Room 102
Jonathan Lollar	Professional Development Instructors’ Perceptions of Postsecondary Learning Support Trainings	Dr. Emily Summers, Chair Dr. Taylor Acee, Dr. Russell Hodges, Dr. Gwendolyn May Morel	College of Education - Developmental Education	April 8, 2024 3:00 p.m. Zoom Contact department for Zoom link
Stephen Prentice	Environmental Impact on Cognitive Function and Stress in Adult Learners: A Comparison of Natural and Artificial Environments	Dr. Larry Price, Chair Dr. Lisa M. Baumgartner, Dr. Jeremy W. Bohonos, Dr. Joseph Etherton	College of Education - Adult, Professional, and Community Education	March 27, 2024 10:00 a.m. Teams Contact department for Teams link
Yiqian Liu	Designing Benchmark Suites of Irregular Programs	Dr. Martin Burtscher, Chair Dr. Apan Qasem, Dr. Ganesh Gopalakrishnan, Dr. Tanzima Islam	College of Science and Engineering - Computer Science	March 10, 2024 1:00 p.m. Comal Building, Room 310
Richard L. Ortiz	Emotional Intelligence for the Culinary Industry: Perspectives of Community College Instructors Participating in a Collaborative Inquiry Project	Dr. Clarena Larrotta, Chair Dr. Joellen E. Coryell, Dr. Jeremy W. Bohonos, Dr. Miguel A. Guajardo	College of Education - Adult, Professional, and Community Education	March 5, 2024 9:30 a.m. Zoom Contact department for Zoom link
Yuxiao Zhou	Accelerating and Improving Deep-Learning Inference on Embedded Platforms via TensorRT	Dr. Kecheng Yang, Chair Dr. Chul-Ho Lee, Dr. Apan Qasem, Dr. Zheng Dong	College of Science and Engineering - Computer Science	April 8, 2024 9:00 a.m. Zoom Contact department for Zoom link
Yvette Regalado	Pedagogy del Carazón: Investigating Cultural and Community Practices Embedded in IRW Courses Using the Methodology of Counterstory	Dr. Sonya Armstrong, Chair Dr. Eric Paulson, Dr. Emily Summers, Dr. Aja Y. Martinez	College of Education - Developmental Education	April 5, 2024 10:00 a.m. Academic Services Building, Room 408 Zoom Contact department for Zoom link
Christine Love	Evaluating Preparedness and Lessening Casualties in Active Attack Events: Avoid. Deny. Defend	Dr. Yongmei Lu, Chair Dr. T. Edwin Chow, Dr. Denise Blanchard, Dr. Scott Bowman	College of Liberal Arts - Geographic Information Science	April 5, 2024 10:00 a.m. Evans Liberal Arts Building, Room 142
Maria Magdalena Ureta Viroga	School as a Caring Space for Teachers: Tales on Morale, Professional Identity and Otras Yerbas at Secondary Public Schools in Uruguay	Dr. Melissa A. Martinez, Chair Dr. Leticia Grimaldo, Dr. James Koschoreck, Dr. Michael O’Malley	College of Education - School Improvement	April 4, 2024 11:00 a.m. Zoom Contact department for Zoom link
Analeasa Holmes	Educator Foster Parents: How the Lived Experiences of This Unique Group Can Support Outcomes for Children in Care	Dr. Melissa A. Martinez, Chair Dr. Miguel Guajardo, Dr. Rolf Straubhaar, Dr. Christine Norton	College of Education - School Improvement	April 4, 2024 1:00 p.m. Zoom Contact department for Zoom link
Gloria Velásquez-Garcia	Trauma, Healing, and Hope: Narratives of Undocumented Mexican Immigrants	Dr. Melissa A. Martinez, Chair Dr. Jeremy W. Bohonos, Dr. Miguel Guajardo, Dr. Yidan Zhu	College of Education - Adult, Professional, and Community Education	April 9, 2024 9:00 a.m. Zoom Contact department for Zoom link
Jianyuan Ni	Multimodal Learning for Wearable Sensor-based Human Action Recognition	Dr. Anne Ngu, Co-chair Dr. Yan Yan, Co-chair Dr. Kecheng Yang, Dr. XiaoXi Shen	College of Science and Engineering - Computer Science	April 9, 2024 4:00 p.m. Comal Building, Room 212
Tarek Salah Uddin Mahmud	Detecting, Analyzing, and Repairing Compatibility Issues in Android Apps	Dr. Anne Ngu, Chair Dr. Guowei Yang, Dr. Apan Qasem, Dr. Rodion Podorozhny	College of Science and Engineering - Computer Science	April 12, 2024 7:00 a.m. Zoom Contact department for Zoom link
Theresa Rene' LeBlanc	Developmental Literacy Educators’ Conceptualizations of and Attitudes Toward Students with Hidden Disabilities	Dr. Sonya Armstrong, Chair Dr. Emily Suh, Dr. Emily Summers, Dr. John Trammell	College of Education - Developmental Education	April 8, 2024 8:00 a.m. Zoom Contact department for Zoom link
Andrea Pinon	Exploring the Influence of Vertical Relief on Large Mammal Home Range and Occurrences of Illegal Activity	Dr. Jennifer Jensen, Chair Dr. Yanan (Nancy) Li, Dr. Kimberley Meitzen, Dr. David Butler	College of Liberal Arts - Geography	April 9, 2024 1:00 p.m. Evans Liberal Arts Building, Room 344
Raihan Jamil	Social Demands and Geospatial Distributions of Urban Green Spaces and Blue Spaces in Central Texas	Dr. Dr. Jason Jensen, Chair Dr. Jennifer Jensen, Dr. Kimberly Meitzen, Dr. Meredith Steele	College of Liberal Arts - Geographic Information Science	April 10, 2024 9:00 a.m. Evans Liberal Arts Building, Room 344
Kevin Elliott	Surviving the Badge: A Self-Assessment of Retired Law Enforcement Officers' Stress, Coping, and the Impact of a Career Walking the Thin Blue Line	Dr. Scott Bowman, Chair Dr. Mark Stafford, Dr. Brian Withrow, Dr. Durant Frantzen	College of Applied Arts - Criminal Justice	April 11, 2024 3:00 p.m. Hines Academic Center, Room 207
Yiqian Liu	Designing Benchmark Suites of Irregular Programs	Dr. Martin Burtscher, Chair Dr. Apan Qasem, Dr. Ganesh Gopalakrishnan, Dr. Tanzima Islam	College of Science and Engineering - Computer Science	April 10, 2024 1:00 p.m. Comal Building, Room 310 Contact department for Zoom link
Dinesh S. Pujara	Nuclear tRNA-derived RNA Fragments (tRFs) Trigger Immunity in Arabidopsis and Potentially Function as a Mobile Signal in Systemic Acquired Resistance	Dr. Hong-Gu Kang, Chair Dr. Nihal Dharmasiri, Dr. Sunethra Dharmasiri, Dr. Sibum Sung, Dr. Joe Louis	College of Science and Engineering - Aquatic Resources and Integrative Biology	April 11, 2024 10:00 a.m. Supple Science Building, Room 376 Contact department for Zoom link
Sadia Rab	Refinement of Magnesium Telluride Material Property by Molecular Beam Epitaxy Growth with Advanced Characterization	Dr. Edwin Piner, Co-chair Dr. Thomas Myers, Co-chair, Dr. Jennifer A Irvin, Dr. Mark Wistey, Dr. William Chittenden	College of Science and Engineering - Materials Science, Engineering, and Commercialization	April 12, 2024 12:30 p.m. Zoom Contact department for Zoom link
Jacob Armitage	Synthesis and Characterization of Laser-Annealed Molybdenum Sulfides with Enhanced Hydrogen Evolution Activity	Dr. Benjamin Martin, Co-chair Dr. Christopher Rhodes, Co-chair Dr. Todd Hudnall, Dr. William Chittenden, Dr. David Schilter	College of Science and Engineering - Materials Science, Engineering, and Commercialization	April 11, 2024 9:00 a.m. Zoom Contact department for Zoom link
Cedric Scott	Post-Secondary Education Pathways: The Disconnection For Texas Women Receiving TANF and Public Housing Assistance	Dr. Emily Summers, Co-chair Dr. Robert Reardon, Co- chair Dr. Patricia Guerra, Dr. Juanita Johnson-Bailey	College of Education - Adult, Professional, and Community Education	April 10, 2024 11:30 a.m. Zoom Contact department for Zoom link
Esther Pippins	The Talk: Learning that Binds Generations: A Critical Reflective Practice Begot from a Black Woman’s Dialogic Approach	Dr. Ann Brooks, Co-chair Dr. Lisa Baumgartner, Co-chair Dr. Jeremy Bohonos, Dr. Jovita Ross-Gordon, Dr. Corrine Hinton	College of Education - Adult, Professional, and Community Education	April 12, 2024 10:00 a.m. Zoom Contact department for Zoom link
Cecilia Trujillo-Lozano	Escuchen Nuestras Voces: Dual Language Teachers' Narratives	Dr. Rolf Straubhaar, Chair Dr. Miguel Guajardo, Dr. Melissa Martinez, Dr. Monica Valadez	College of Education - School Improvement	April 10, 2024 10:00 a.m. Zoom Contact department for Zoom link
Petra Banks	Identifying Skeletal Trauma Distribution Patterns by Event Type: A Comparison Between Blast and Non-Blast Events with Similar Physical Etiologies	Dr. Nicholas Herrmann, Chair Dr. Daniel Wescott, Dr. Kate Spradley, Dr. Jason Wiersema	College of Liberal Arts - Applied Anthropology	May 2, 2024 9:30 a.m. Grady Early Building, Room 102
Anival Ayala	Investigating Thermal Conductivity of HFCVD Diamond Films using Steady-State Thermal Reflectance	Dr. Mark W. Holtz, Chair Edwin L. Piner, Yoichi Miyahara, Andrea Banzatti, Carlos Gutierrez	College of Science and Engineering - Materials Science, Engineering, and Commercialization	April 26, 2024 11:00 a.m. Roy F. Mitte Building, Room 3219A

Fall 2023

Student Name	Title of Dissertation	Committee	College/Program	Date, Time, Location
Donna Kubena	Beginning Teachers’ Experiences During the Entry Year: A Phenomenological Study	Dr. Stephen Gordon, Co-Chair Dr. Rolf Straubhaar, Co-Chair Dr. Barry Aidman Dr. Kim Higdon	College of Education - School Improvement	August 24, 2023 1 p.m. Zoom Contact department for Zoom link.
Sojung Huh	Unpacking Geography Teachers’ Pedagogical Reasoning and Action while Teaching Sustainable Development in AP Human Geography	Dr. Injeong Jo, Chair Dr. Michael Solem Dr. Ronald Hagelman III Dr. Yun-Wen Chan	College of Liberal Arts - Geographic Education	October 16, 2023 9:00 a.m. Zoom Contact department for Zoom link.
Alex Katrompas	Recurrence and Temporal Attention Synergy for Optimal Time-Series Modeling and Interpretability	Dr. Vangelis Metsis, Chair Dr. Apan Qasem Dr. Ioannis Schizas Dr. Mylene Queiroz de Farias	College of Science and Engineering - Computer Science	October 10, 2023 10:00 a.m. Comal Building Room 212
Mei Yang	Colorectal cancer risk factors and geographical variations of these factors in the United Kingdom	Dr. Ben Zhan, Chair Dr. Yihong Yuan, Dr. Sarah Blue Dr. Vagheesh Narasimham,	College of Liberal Arts - Geographic Information Science	October 20, 2023 9:00 a.m. Evans Liberal Arts Building, Room 142
Barrie McGee	Amplifying Faculty Voices on the Field of Developmental Education: A Critical Examination of Practitioner Discourse	Dr. Emily Suh, Chair Dr. Sonya Armstrong Dr. Jodi Holschuh Dr. Theresa Catalano	College of Education - Developmental Education	October 19, 2023 10:00 a.m. Contact department for Zoom link
Md Abdul Halim	Magnetic, Optical, and Electrochemical Characterization of Tetracyanonickelate Based Metal-Organic Frameworks	Dr. William J Brittain, Co-Chair Dr. Gary W Beall, Co-Chair Dr. Kevin Lewis Dr. Christopher P. Rhodes Dr. Maggie Chen Dr. William T. Chittenden	College of Science and Engineering - Materials Science, Engineering, and Commercialization	October 12, 2023 8:00 a.m. Contact department for Zoom link
Adam Alejandro	Nakum tu Kuānitāp: Influences on Indigenous Men's Resource Seeking at Tribal Community Colleges	Dr. Carlton Fong, Chair Dr. Taylor Acee, Dr. Jameson D. Lopez, Dr. Eric Paulson	College of Education - Developmental Education	November 2, 2023 1:00 p.m. The Education Building, Room 3070 Contact department for Zoom link
Tasnuva Udita	Prioritization of Riparian Conservation Opportunities in the Upper Guadalupe River Basin (UGRB), South-Central Texas	Dr. Kimberly Meitzen, Chair Dr. Jason Julian, Dr. Nathan Currit, Dr. Jacquelyn Duke	College of Liberal Arts - Geographic Information Science	October 27, 2023 12:30 p.m. Evan Liberal Arts Building, Room 344
Cassandra Gonzales	Radicalizing Latina/o/x Students' Academic Help-Seeking: Exploring the Role of Community Cultural Wealth, Sense of Belonging, and Campus Climate	Dr. Carlton Fong, Chair Dr. Taylor Acee, Dr. Jodi Holschuh, Dr. Michael Nava	College of Education - Developmental Education	November 3, 2023 2:00 p.m. Academic Services Building North, Room 408 Contact department for Zoom link
Stephanie Finau	An Analysis of White Women Literacy Instructors at Texas Postsecondary Institutions Near the U.S. Southern Border	Dr. Emily Summers, Chair Dr. Sonya Armstrong, Dr. Jodi Holschuh, Dr. Tamara Bertrand Jones	College of Education - Developmental Education	November 2, 2023 10:00 a.m. Contact department for Zoom link
Delorean Wiley	Crafting Water Stewardship: Texas Craft Breweries as Water Advocates - a Participatory Action Research Project	Dr. Colleen Myles, Chair Dr. Samantha Krause, Dr. Eric Sarmiento, Dr. Alida Cantor	College of Liberal Arts - Geography	November 7, 2023 3:00 p.m. Evans Liberal Arts Building, Room 142
Barbara Dinkins	Measurement of Rape Myth Acceptance and Juror Decision-Making Regarding Internet-Facilitated Rape	Dr. Shayne Jones, Chair Dr. Angela Jones, Dr. Donna Vandiver, Dr. Eric Beauregard	College of Applied Arts - Criminal Justice	October 30, 2023 2:00 p.m. Contact department for Zoom link
Danielle Smilovsky	Spatiotemporal Analysis of Land Deformation in West Texas and the Arizona Willcox Groundwater Basin Using Remote Sensing InSAR	Dr. Jennifer Jensen, Chair Dr. Ronald Hagelman, Dr. Yanan Li, Dr. Franz Meyer	College of Liberal Arts - Geographic Information Science	November 6, 2023 2:00 p.m. Evans Liberal Arts Building, Room 344
Chijioke Anyanwu	Spatial Association Between Maternal and Early-Life Exposure to Air Pollution and Acute Respiratory Infection Among Children in Nigeria.	Dr. Ben Zhan, Chair Dr. Yongmei Lu, Dr. T. Edwin Chow, Dr. Harold Perkins	College of Liberal Arts - Geographic Information Science	December 4, 2023 9:00 a.m. Evans Liberal Arts Building, Room 344
Justin Z. Goldstein	Exploring Microstructural Signatures of Physiological Stress Through Cross-Sectional Geometry and Cortical Bone Histology	Dr. Timothy P. Gocha, Chair Dr. Nicholas P. Herrmann, Co - chair, Dr. Daniel J. Wescott, Dr. Amanda M. Agnew, Dr. Corey M. Maggiano	College of Liberal Arts - Applied Anthropology	October 9, 2023 11:00 a.m. Grady Early Building, Room 104
Devora Gleiber	Investigating Variation in Trabecular and Cortical Bone Structure due to Mobility Impairment: A Natural Experiment in Reduced Loading	Dr. Daniel J. Wescott, Chair Dr. Deborah Cunningham, Dr. Nicholas Herrmann, Dr. Adam Sylvester	College of Liberal Arts - Applied Anthropology	November 10, 2023 9:30 a.m. Grady Early Building, Room 102
Nekia Becerra	A Narrative Inquiry Analysis Centering the Voices and Validating the Lived Experiences of Mothering Black Teen Students through High School and Post - Secondary Opportunities	Dr. Melissa A. Martinez, Chair Dr. Rolf J. Straubhaar, Dr. Clarena Larrotta, Dr. Dessynie Edwards	College of Education - School Improvement	October 24, 2023 1:00 p.m. Contact department for Zoom link
Sascha Betts	Six Black Women Educators Coming Undone Together: The Power of Collective Healing and Self-Recovery Writing on Our Journeys Toward Emancipation	Dr. Rolf Straubhaar, Chair Dr. Dionne Davis, Dr. Miguel Guajardo, Dr. Melissa A. Martinez, Dr. Shetay Ashford-Hanserd	College of Education - School Improvement	November 1, 2023 3:00 p.m. Contact department for Zoom link
Marissa De Hoyos	Formation and Erosion of El Mar: Utilizing Storytelling to Analyze the Women of Color Assistant Principal Idenity	Dr. Rolf Straubhaar, Chair Dr. Melissa A. Martinez, Dr. Miguel A. Guajardo, Dr. Dionne L. Davis	College of Education - School Improvement	November 7, 2023 3:00 p.m. Contact department for Zoom link
Zachary Thomas	Making Space for Creativity Exploring Creativity in Praxis; An Arts-Based Autoethnography	Dr. Rolf Straubhaar, Chair Dr. Melissa A. Martinez, Dr. James Koschoreck, Dr. Miguel Guajardo	College of Education - School Improvement	November 6, 2023 11:30 a.m. Contact department for Zoom link
April Mouton	The Sounds of Blackness: A Genealogical Participatory Study of Identity, Community, and rooting	Dr. Miguel A. Guajardo, Chair Dr. Khalid Arar, Dr. Dionne Davis, Dr. Christopher Janson	College of Education - School Improvement	October 18, 2023 1:00 p.m. Contact department for Zoom link
Amanda Bryant	It’s Not Easy Being Green: The Effects of Conventional and Alternative Agricultural Practices on Stress Physiology and Immune Function in Tadpoles	Dr Caitlin Gabor, Chair Dr. Laure Fuess, Dr. David Rodriguez, Dr. Jessica Hua, Dr. Blake Hossack	College of Science and Engineering - Aquatic Resources and Integrative Biology	December 12, 2023 12:00 p.m. Supple Norris Building, Room 376

Summer 2023

Student Name	Title of Dissertation	Committee	College/Program	Date, Time, Location
Navid Hemmati	Characterization of Polymer Modified Asphalt Binders Containing Processed Oil	Dr. Soon Jae Lee, Chair Dr. Harlan Beverly Dr. Byoung Hee You Dr. You Jae Kim Dr. Jung Yeon	College of Science and Engineering - Materials Science, Engineering, and Commercialization	July 7, 2023 9 a.m. Zoom Contact department for Zoom link.
Dmytro Katrychuk	Generating realistic eye images to evaluate photosensor oculography eye-tracking for portable headsets	Dr. Oleg Komogortsev, Chair Dr. Vangelis Metsis Dr. Martin Burtscher Dr. Dan Witzner Hansen	College of Science and Engineering - Computer Science	July 6, 2023 9:30 a.m. Comal 212 & Zoom Contact department for Zoom link.
Michael T. Ota	Parent Perspectives of Autistic Students on Factors of Denial from Special Education in Texas: A Multiple Case Study	Dr. Melissa A. Martinez, Chair Dr. David DeMatthews Dr. Miguel Guajardo Dr. Larry Price	College of Education - School Improvement	June 28, 2023 9 a.m. Zoom Contact department for Zoom link.
Humberto de Faria Santos	Data Science Professionals' Reflections on and Learning About Issues of Privacy and Autonomy: A Phenomenological Study	Dr. Joellen Coryell, Chair Dr. Craig Hanks Dr. Floyd Quinn Dr. Jeremy Bohonos	College of Education - Adult, Professional, and Community Education	June 26, 2023 10 a.m. Comal Building, Room 116
Mehmet Kirmizi	The Mediating Role of Teacher Expectancy on Participation in Mathematics Whole Class Discussions	Dr. Sharon Strickland, Co-Chair Dr. Hiroko Warshauer, Co-Chair Dr. Cody Patterson Dr. Kate Melhuish Dr. Naneh Apkarian	College of Science and Engineering - Mathematics Education	June 21, 2023 3 p.m. DERR 336 & Zoom Contact department for Zoom link.
Tuhin Dey	Growth and Characterization of Germanium Tin Carbide Alloys: Possible Photonic Materials for Lasers and Amplifiers	Dr. Mark A. Wistey, Chair Dr. Mark W. Holtz Dr. Edwin L. Piner Dr. Ravi Droopad Dr. Seth R. Bank	College of Science and Engineering - Materials Science, Engineering, and Commercialization	June 21, 2023 9 a.m. RFM 3219A & Zoom Contact department for Zoom link.
Ashraf Demian	A Characterization of College Algebra Assessment During the Transition to Emergency Remote Teaching	Dr. Alex White, Chair Dr. Sharon Strickland Dr. Samuel Obara Dr. Taylor Acee	College of Science and Engineering - Mathematics Education	June 14, 2023 1 p.m. DERR 339
Christina G. Hernandez	The Gibbous and Crescent of La Luna: Emergent Bilingual Educator Experiences in the K-20 Public School System as Student and Educator	Dr. Miguel Guajardo, Chair Dr. Melissa A. Martinez Dr. Rolf Straubhaar Dr. Liliana Patricia Saldaña	College of Education - School Improvement	June 9, 2023 10 a.m. Zoom Contact department for Zoom link.

Spring 2023

Student Name	Title of Dissertation	Committee	College/Program	Date, Time, Location
Nitindra Chowdary Pavuluri	Lempel-Ziv (LZ) Based Compression Algorithms with Adaptive and Parallel System Configurations	Dr. Dan Tamir, Chair Dr. Apan Qasem Dr. Tanzima Islam Dr. Semih Aslan	College of Science and Engineering - Computer Science	April 14, 2023 3:30 p.m. Comal 212
Isha Desai	Direct Capture and Amplification of SARS-CoV-2 RNA Using Novel Molecular Buoys From Wastewater Samples	Dr. Shannon Weigum, Chair Dr. Tania Betancourt Dr. Keisuke Ikehata Dr. Sean Kerwin Dr. Rodney Rohde	College of Science and Engineering - Materials Science, Engineering, and Commercialization	April 14, 2023 2:30 p.m. Zoom Please contact department for Zoom information
Sophia Mavroudas	An Exploration of Histological Variation in the Human Rib: Applications for Age Estimation Methods in Applied Anthropology	Dr. Nicholas P. Herrmann, Chair Dr. Christian M. Crowder Dr. M. Kate Spradley Dr. Daniel J. Wescott	College of Liberal Arts - Applied Anthropology	April 14, 2023 10 a.m. Grady Early Building, Room 102
Amanda Gregory	Viability Study of the BIPV-PCM Microfacility Under Severe Weather Conditions	Dr. Tongdan Jin, Chair Dr. Jana Minifie Dr. Yoichi Miyahara Dr. Eduardo Perez Dr. Byoung Hee You	College of Science and Engineering - Materials Science, Engineering, and Commercialization	April 13, 2023 10 a.m. Zoom Please contact department for Zoom information
Yusik Choi	Patterns of Space, Time, and Theme Inscribed in Texas Official Historical Markers	Dr. Alberto Giordano, Chair Dr. Ronald Hagelman Dr. Edwin Chow Dr. Kenneth Foote	College of Liberal Arts - Geography	April 11, 2023 8 a.m. Zoom & ELA 344 Please contact department for Zoom information
Ghadeer Ahmed Alabandi	Optimizing Parallel Graph Analytics through Advanced Innovative Techniques	Dr. Martin Burtscher, Chair Dr. Keshav Pingali, UT Austin Dr. Apan Qasem Dr. Jelena Tesic	College of Science and Engineering - Computer Science	April 10, 2023 3:30 p.m. Comal 310
Eulogia Martinez	A Pedagogy of Hopes and Dreams: An Invitation to a Dynamic Critical Learning Process	Dr. Miguel Guajardo, Chair Dr. Monica Valdez Dr. Clarena Larrotta Dr. Rolf Straubhaar	College of Education - School Improvement	April 10, 2023 3 p.m. Please contact department for Zoom information
Luis Baeza	Narratives Of Older Male Latino Migrant Workers From A Texas Border Town	Dr. Clarena Larrotta, Chair Dr. Jeremy W. Bohonos Dr. Miguel A. Guajardo Dr. Melissa A Martinez	College of Education - Adult, Professional, and Community Education	April 10, 2023 11:30 p.m. Please contact department for Zoom information
Yolanda G. Grijalva	The Journey of Interrogating the Impostor: Four Maestras Narrate the Transformational Process of Authoring a Collective Story of Latina Leadership	Dr. Miguel Guajardo, Chair Dr. Melissa A. Martinez Dr. Rolf Straubhaar Dr. Leticia Grimaldo	College of Education - School Improvement	April 6, 2023 11 a.m. Zoom Please contact department for Zoom information
Luciano Castro	Using Autoenthogrpahy to Re-Frame School Turnaround: Praxis Through the Eyes of a Chicano School Leader in Texas Schools	Dr. Miguel Guajardo, Chair Dr. Khalid Arar, Co-chair Dr. Benjamin Grijalva Dr. Melissa A Martinez Dr. James W. Koschoreck	College of Education - School Improvement	April 6, 2023 9 a.m. Zoom Please contact department for Zoom information
Gentry Atkinson	Mitigating the Effects of Label Noise in Time-Series Sensor Data Using Deep Feature Extraction	Dr. Vangelis Metsis, Chair Dr. Ju Gao Dr. Ziliang Zong Dr. Vassilis Athitsos	College of Science and Engineering - Computer Science	April 5, 2023 5 p.m. Comal 212
Venancio Saldaña	The Educational Struggles of Three Emergent Bilinguals: A Critical Ethnography	Dr. Miguel Guajardo, Chair Dr. Khalid Arar, Co-chair Dr. Benjamin Grijalva Dr. Melissa A Martinez Dr. James W. Koschoreck	College of Education - School Improvement	April 5, 2023 1 p.m. Zoom Please contact department for Zoom information
Lee Hinkle	Deep Neural Network Representations of Physiological Time-Series Sensor data for Improved Recognition Performance	Dr. Vangelis Metsis, Chair Dr. Hee (Anne) Ngu Dr. Apan Qasem Dr. Damian Valles Molina	College of Science and Engineering - Computer Science	April 5, 2023 12 p.m. Comal 212
Araceli "Sally" Sosa	Latinas Negotiating Borders in Formal Education: A Deeper Spectrum Understanding of the Mestiza	Dr. Melissa Martinez, Chair Dr. Patricia Guerra Dr. Clarena Larrotta Dr. Sarah Jean Baker	College of Education - School Improvement	April 5, 2023 10 a.m. Zoom Please contact department for Zoom information
Heriberto Arambula Acosta	Story of Re-Creating Home: Learning as a Tool for Healing Post Military Service	Dr. Miguel Guajardo, Co-chair Dr. Khalid Arar, Co-chair Dr. Rachel V. Gonzalez-Martin Dr. Melissa A Martinez Dr. Rolf J Straubhaar	College of Education - School Improvement	April 4, 2023 2:30 p.m. ASB-South Room 306 (Conference Room)
Holly Shinn	Developmental Educators’ Perspectives of Online Teaching and Learning within a Community of Inquiry Framework	Dr. Jodi Holschuh, Chair Dr. Taylor Acee Dr. Sonya Armstrong Dr. Doug Holschuh	College of Education - Developmental Education	April 4, 2023 2 p.m. ASBN 450-B and via Zoom
Mark Cantú	Nuestra Historia: A Multi-Sited Critical Ethnography	Dr. Miguel Guajardo, Chair Dr. Khalid Arar, Co-chair Dr. Melissa Martinez Dr. James Koschoreck Dr. Benjamin Grijalva	College of Education - School Improvement	April 3, 2023 1 p.m. Zoom Please contact department for Zoom information
Chandan Howlader	Ink Formulation for Antisolvent-Free Tin-Based Perovskite Thin Film Deposition and Application in Solar Cells	Dr. Maggie Yihong Chen, Chair Dr. Ravindranath Droopad Dr. Ir. Wilhelmus J. Geerts Dr. Semih Aslan Dr. Sanjoy Paul	College of Science and Engineering - Materials Science, Engineering, and Commercialization	April 3, 2023 11 a.m. Ingram 2001
Maria G. Narvaez	Latinx Parent and Family Engagement Within the Bilingual Community: Building Collective Learning Partnerships Through the Use of Non-Conventional Methods	Dr. Miguel Guajardo, Co-chair Dr. Khalid Arar, Co-chair Dr. Benjamin Grijalva Dr. Melissa A Martinez Dr. James Koschoreck	College of Education - School Improvement	April 3, 2023 11 a.m. Zoom Please contact department for Zoom information
Molly Miranker	Principles of Humanitarian Gisci: Migrant Death Along the Texas-Mexico Border, 1990–2020	Dr. Alberto Giordano, Chair Dr. Jennifer Devine Dr. Eric Sarmiento Dr. Kate Spradley	College of Liberal Arts - Geography	April 3, 2023 10 a.m. Zoom & ELA 344 Please contact department for Zoom information
Cody Blakeney	Reducing Training Cost and Improving Inference Speed Through Neural Network Compression	Dr. Ziliang Zong, Chair Dr. Tanzima Islam Dr. Yan Yan Dr. Vangelis Metsis	College of Science and Engineering - Computer Science	March 31, 2023 9 a.m. Comal 116
Ikechukwu Okechi	Carbonation and Chloride-ion-Induced Corrosion in Alternative Cementitious Material Concrete	Dr. Anthony Torres, Co-Chair Dr. Federico Aguayo, Co-Chair Dr. Yoo-Jae Kim Dr. Meysam Khaleghian Dr. Xijun Shi Dr. Ted Moffatt	College of Science and Engineering - Materials Science, Engineering, and Commercialization	March 28, 2023 9 a.m. Zoom Please contact department for Zoom information
Autumn Guel	An Examination of Adult Undergraduate Students' Perceptions of Career Development, Lifelong/Continuous Learning, and The Development of Possible Selves After Participating In A Career-Based Capstone Experience	Dr. Jovita M. Ross-Gordon , Co-Chair Dr. Joellen E. Coryell, Co-Chair Dr. Ann K. Brooks Dr. Robert F. Reardon	College of Education - Adult, Professional, and Community Education	March 27, 2023 9:30 a.m. Zoom Please contact department for Zoom information
Peg Richmond	How Adult Entrepreneurs Perceive and Resolve Differences in their Own and Others' Assessments of Their Entrepreneurial Competence: A Study of Self-directed Learning and Coping	Dr. Joellen E. Coryell, Co-Chair Dr. Robert F. Reardon, Co-Chair Dr. Jana R. Minifie Dr. Larry R. Price	College of Education - Adult, Professional, and Community Education	February 24, 2023 9 a.m. Zoom Please contact CLAS department for Zoom information
Tanjina Ahmed	Magnetic Characterization of the Hard-Magnetic Polymer Composite 3DPrinter Filament for the Development of Magnetic Field Assisted Additive Manufacturing (MFAAM)	Dr. Ir. Wilhelmus J. Geerts, Chair Dr. Gary W. Beall Dr. Jitendra S. Tate Dr. Maggie (Yihong) Chen Dr. Craig Hanks	College of Science and Engineering - Materials Science, Engineering, and Commercialization	January 23, 2023 2 p.m. RFM 3219A
Sindura Subanemy Kularajan	STEM Undergraduates' Structural Conception of Situational Attributes	Dr. Jennifer Czocher, Chair Dr. Jessica Bishop Dr. Hwa Young Lee Dr. Hamilton Hardison Dr. Gloria Stillman	College of Science and Engineering - Mathematics Education	January 20, 2023 3:30 p.m. Derrick Hall, Room 333

Fall 2022

Student Name	Title of Dissertation	Committee	College/Program	Date, Time, Location
Andrea Flores	The Latina Doctoral Student Experience: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study	Dr. Jovita M. Ross-Gordon , Co-Chair Dr. Clarena Larrotta, Co-Chair Dr. Melissa Martinez Dr. Robert F. Reardon	College of Education - Adult, Professional, and Community Education	December 8, 2022 10 a.m. Contact Dept for Zoom link
Travis Jack	Navigating Identity and Persistence Through Mentoring: The Experiences of Black Male Teachers in Predominantly White Schools	Dr. James W. Koschoreck, Chair Dr. Bergeron Harris Dr. Melissa Martinez Dr. April Peters-Hawkins	College of Education - School Improvement	November 9, 2022 8 a.m. Contact CLAS Dept for Location
Alexis Campbell	District Superintendents' Experiences During the Covid-19 Crisis	Dr. Rolf J. Straubhaar, Chair Dr. Barry Aidman Dr. Bergeron Harris Dr. Melissa Martinez	College of Education - School Improvement	November 8, 2022 8 a.m. Contact CLAS Dept for Location
Michael Gildner	Bromination of Activated Arenes using Carbene Supported Chalcogen Catalysts	Dr. Todd Hudnall, Chair Dr. Bill Brittain Dr. Sean Kerwin Dr. Ben Martin Dr. Casey Wade	College of Science and Engineering - Materials Science, Engineering, and Commercialization	November 7, 2022 9 a.m. Online (Zoom)
Bhagyashree Mishra	Fabrication Of All Aerosol Jet Printed Flexible Carbon Nanotube (CNT) Transistor and Its Application	Dr. Maggie (Yihong) Chen, Chair Dr. Ravindranath Droopad Dr. Gary Beall Dr. Semih Aslan Dr. Craig Hanks	College of Science and Engineering - Materials Science, Engineering, and Commercialization	November 4, 2022 11 a.m. Online (Zoom)
Haitao Gong	Improving Pavement Distress Measurement with Deep Learning	Dr. Feng Wang, Chair Dr. Jelena Tešić Dr. Xijun Shi Dr. William Stapleton Dr. Yaxiong Huang	College of Science and Engineering - Materials Science, Engineering, and Commercialization	November 4, 2022 8:30 a.m. Online (Zoom)
Lauren Chaney	Civic Education Initiatives in Central Texas: A Descriptive Case Study	Dr. Clarena Larrotta, Chair Dr. Joellen E. Coryell Dr. Emily M. Payne Dr. Rolf Straubhaar	College of Education - Adult, Professional, and Community Education	November 3, 2022 10 a.m. Contact CLAS Dept for Location
Diana Saenz	Experiences of Secondary-Aged Latinx English Learner Students in Virtual Learning During the Covid-19 Pandemic	Dr. Rolf J. Straubhaar Dr. Melissa Martinez Dr. Chaitra McGrew Dr. James Koschoreck	College of Education - School Improvement	October 26, 2022 10 a.m. Contact CLAS Dept for Location
Molly McDowell	Social Disorganization Theory, Gentrification, and Intimate Partner Violence in Austin, Texas	Dr. Bob. E. Vasquez Dr. Callie M. Rennison (External) Dr. Kim Rossmo Dr. Mark C. Stafford	College of Applied Arts - Criminal Justice	October 4, 2022 1 p.m. Online (Zoom)

Summer 2022

Student Name	Title of Dissertation	Committee	College/Program	Date, Time, Location
Shayne R. O'Brien	The Influence of Teleconnections on the Presence of North Atlantic Icebergs South of 48 Degrees North: 1983-2020	Dr. Richard Dixon, Chair Dr. Yanan (Nancy) Li Dr. Nathan Currit Dr. Todd Moore	College of Liberal Arts - Geography	August 3, 2022 3 p.m. Online (Zoom)
Abbie Salcedo	Addressing Racial Workplace Injustice: A Phenomenological Comparative Study Between the Perspectives of African American and White Women with Full Professorships	Dr. Jeremy Bohonos, Chair Dr. Jasmine Austin Dr. Joellen Coryell Dr. Miguel Guajardo Dr. Melissa Martinez	College of Education - Adult, Professional, and Community Education	July 13, 2022 8 a.m. Online (Zoom)
Mariana Acosta	Electrospun Electroactive Polymer Nanocomposites for Photocatalysis	Dr. Jennifer Irvin, Chair Dr. Tania Betancourt Dr. William Chittenden Dr. Ryan Peterson Dr. Nikoleta Theodoropoulou	College of Science and Engineering - Materials Science, Engineering, and Commercialization	July 8, 2022 9 a.m. Online (Zoom)
Thu Ya Aung	Policy Trajectories in Myanmar’s Education Reform and the Relationship Between Policymakers and Policy Actors	Dr. Rolf Straubhaar, Chair Dr. Khalid Arar Dr. James Koschoreck Dr. Melissa Martinez	College of Education - School Improvement	July 8, 2022 8 a.m. Online (Zoom)
Ashley Mutchler	The Role of Esc2 and DNA in Smc5/6-mediated Sgs1-Top3-Rmi1 Sumoylation	Dr. Xiaoyu Xue, Chair Dr. Xiaolan Zhao Dr. Tania Betancourt Dr. Karen Lewis Dr. Kevin Lewis	College of Science and Engineering - Materials Science, Engineering, and Commercialization	July 7, 2022 11 a.m. Online (Zoom)
Esther Renée Bocanegra	El Jardín For Latina Scholars: Cultivating, Nurturing, And Sustaining Pedagogical Spaces For Identity Formation And Community Building	Dr. Miguel Guajardo, Chair Dr. Melissa Martinez Dr. Leticia Grimaldo Dr. Bergeron Harris	College of Education - School Improvement	July 6, 2022 2 p.m. Online (Zoom)
Elizabeth Lambert	Mathematicians as Professors: Narrative Accounts of Their Teaching Experiences and Conceptions of Teaching	Dr. Jessica Bishop, Chair Dr. Cody Patterson Dr. Sharon Strickland Dr. Luz Maldonado Rodriguez	College of Science and Engineering - Mathematics Education	July 5, 2022 4 p.m. Online (Zoom)
Allison Fernandez	The Impact of Parental Incarceration on Adolescent Offending	Dr. Shayne Jones, Chair Dr. Ashley Arnio Dr. Bob E. Vásquez Dr. Josh C. Cochran	College of Applied Arts - Criminal Justice	July 5, 2022 10 a.m. Online (Zoom)
Andrei Kushkin	Cognitively Congruent Color Palette for Emotional Mapping	Dr. Alberto Giordano, Chair Dr. Injeong Jo Dr. Eric Sarmiento Dr. Amy Griffin	College of Liberal Arts - Geographic Information Science	July 1, 2022 7 a.m. Online (Zoom)
Keshav Bhandari	Motion and Activity Understanding in 360-degree Videos: An Egocentric Perspective	Dr. Yan Yan , Co-Chair Dr. Ziliang Zong , Co-Chair Anne Hee Hiong Ngu Dr. Lawrence V Fulton	Science and Engineering - Computer Science	June 29, 2022 2 p.m. Comal Building, Room 2012
Chayanika Singh	Examining Spatial Relationship Between Housing Environments and Physical Functioning of Older Americans	Dr. Yongmei Lu, Chair Dr. Ben Zhan Dr. Eric Sarmiento Dr. Xi Pan	College of Liberal Arts - Geographic Information Science	June 20, 2022 2 p.m. ELA 344
Sabrina Perez	Preservice Teachers’ Journey Towards Cultural Competence	Dr. Rolf J. Straubhaar, Chair Dr. Miguel Guarjardo Dr. Minda López Dr. Melissa Martinez	College of Education - School Improvement	June 17, 2022 2 p.m. Online (Zoom)
Jesus Salvador Adame Solorio	Ruthenium-Chromium Oxide Aerogels Oxygen Evolution Electrocatalysts: Structure, Activity, and Stability	Dr. Christopher Rhodes, Chair Dr. Benjamin Martin Dr. Todd Hudnall Dr. Chang Ji Dr. Craig Hanks	College of Science and Engineering - Materials Science, Engineering, and Commercialization	June 16, 2022 9 a.m. Online (Zoom)
Joel Denney	The Legitimacy of Police and Courts Around the World	Dr. Mark C. Stafford, Chair Dr. Bob Vasquez Dr. Christine Sellers Dr. Justice Tankebe	College of Applied Arts - Criminal Justice	June 8, 2022 10 a.m. Hines 104
Md Abdul Ahad Talukder	Growth and Characterization of b-(InxGa1-x)2O3, NiO and their Heterostructures	Dr. Ravi Droopad, Co-Chair Dr. Ariful Haque, Co-Chair Dr. Wilhelmus Geerts Dr. Maggie Chen Dr. Clois Powell	College of Science and Engineering - Materials Science, Engineering, and Commercialization	June 7, 2022 12 p.m. Online (Zoom)