Distinguished fellows: Mary Whisenhunt, Jaime Crosswhite, Venkata Pavan Pillalamarri Narasimha Rao, Graduate Schoold Dean Ambika Mathur, Tara Gray and Solaleh Miar
(Sept. 11, 2019) -- The UTSA Graduate School is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2019 Distinguished Research Fellowship for advanced Ph.D. students.
This new, competitive award program provides a stipend and tuition and fee support of up to $40,000 for one academic year. The award allows Ph.D. candidates to work full-time on their dissertations in anticipation of defending their dissertations by Aug. 31, 2020.
“The majority of our Ph.D. students struggle immensely to be able to continue their scholarly work and write their dissertations while working full- or part-time to support their families,” said Ambika Mathur, vice provost and dean of the Graduate School.
“Oftentimes even the best students have to push their dissertation defense dates because they have not been able to make enough progress on writing. This annual support program will allow many exceptional UTSA doctoral candidates to have peace of mind and focus full-time on completing their degree so they can take the next steps in their professional career.”
Overall, 38 students were nominated by their dissertation advisers in this inaugural award cycle. Nominees were judged based on several criteria, including dissertation research summary; potential impact their work may have in the field and their likelihood of future success in the field; career development activities; and prior evidence of professional scholarship, including scholarly publications, presentations and research proposals.
Six students are this year’s DRF recipients:
Jamie Crosswhite is pursuing a Ph.D. in English in the College of Liberal and Fine Arts. Her dissertation synthesizes three area of scholarship—rhetoric, feminist geography and critical regionalism—to address how writers are exploring our contemporary relationships to land, climate and resources. Crosswhite was nominated for the fellowship by associate professor Sue Hum.
Tara Gray is pursuing a Ph.D. in physics in the College of Sciences. Gray was nominated by assistant professor Kathryn Mayer for her work testing the effects of gold nanoparticles in radiation therapy.
David Martinez-Prieto is pursuing a Ph.D. in culture, literacy and language in the College of Education and Human Development. He was nominated by Patricia Sánchez, professor and chair in the Department of Bicultural-Bilingual Studies. His work analyzes the impact of curriculum ideologies on transnational educators.
Solaleh Miar is pursuing a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering in the College of Engineering. Nominated by assistant professor Teja Guda, Miar is conducting research focused on advanced tissue regeneration and smart drug delivery systems.
Venkata Pavan Pillalamarri Narasimha Rao is pursuing a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering in the College of Engineering. His work involves experimental and computational modeling of pulmonary hypertension. He was nominated by associate professor Ender Finol.
Mary Whisenhunt is pursuing a Ph.D. in anthropology in the College of Liberal and Fine Arts. She was nominated by professor Robert J. Hard. Whisenhunt is studying ancient Native American societies along the Gila River in southeastern Arizona.
The UTSA Graduate School is committed to advancing academic excellence in graduate and postdoctoral education and training. Offering more than 100 doctoral and master’s degrees and graduate certificate programs across its seven colleges, UTSA currently enrolls about 4,500 graduate students.
Learn more about the UTSA Graduate School.
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Roadrunner Days events welcome UTSA's newest students and helps our returning Roadrunners learn strategies for success in the new year.
Various locations, Main and Downtown campusesThis exhibition, curated by Libby Rowe and Scott Sherer, presents the work of women artists who are compelled by their commitments to investigating and transforming social and cultural legacies and contexts.
UTSA Art Gallery (ART 2.03.04), Main CampusCelebrating the Year of the Rat, the 33rd annual Asian Festival will feature a wide spectrum of Asian cultures with family-friendly events and performances. Enjoy authentic Asian foods with a menu including Vietnamese, Korean, Thai, Pakistani, Chinese and Filipino cuisines. Vendors will sell clothing, artwork, dolls, silk items, jewelry and other exotic gifts.
Institute of Texan Cultures, Hemisfair Campus, 801 E. César E. Chávez Blvd., San AntonioPeniel E. Joseph, founding director of the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy at UT Austin, will discuss his book “The Sword and The Shield,” which focuses on the lives of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.
Student Union, Denman Room (SU 2.01.28), Main CampusThe Heart Walk will be held at all three campus locations starting at the same time. Support Go Red for Women Day by wearing red.
All UTSA campusesDon’t miss this opportunity to participate in an interactive discussion on how U.S. foreign policy affects the trajectory of global affairs, your community’s well-being, and your daily life. Admission is free. Register to attend.
Student Union, Retama Auditorium (SU 2.02.02), Main CampusThe best way to learn what UTSA has to offer is to experience it for yourself. Come to our Open House and see all that UTSA has to offer. The day features admissions and financial aid workshops and presentations, campus tours and much more.
Various locations, Main CampusThe University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
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