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Graduate Student Academic Supports and Events | Chapman University
Graduate Student Academic Supports and Events | Chapman University
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Graduate Student Academic Supports & Events
The Office of the Associate Vice President for Graduate Education (AVPGE) offers a
variety of academic supports, and hosts multiple events, often collaborating with
individual colleges and schools for our graduate and professional students.
Toggle Section
Upcoming AVPGE Events
Graduate and Professional Student Research Showcase
is held each spring. See the
Student Scholar Symposium
information page for abstract
submission
guidelines. Abstracts submissions will open February 2026. Submission deadline is
11:59 p.m. Friday, March 20, 2026. Poster deadline is at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, April
1st, 2026. Graduate Poster Session will be held on Friday, April 17, 2026, 3:00-5:00
p.m. in Argyros Forum 209, Orange Campus.
See this years
2026 Spring Abstract
as well as the
2025 Spring Abstract
for more information on presenters.
Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition
is scheduled for Friday, April 17, 5:30-8:00 p.m. in Argyros Forum 209, Orange Campus.
Thesis and Dissertation Submission Workshops
This workshop will give you all the information you need for that final step of your
dissertation or thesis journey: submitting it to the library. Learn about the procedures,
required documents, and formatting standards you need to know about to ensure a smooth
and successful submission process.
Topics covered in the workshop will include:
Checklists and fillable templates
Formatting requirements for dissertations and theses
Librarian review procedures
Submissions to Chapman University Digital Commons and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses
Global
There will also be time for Q&A about the specifics of your dissertation or thesis!
Related LibGuide:
Dissertation and Thesis Guidelines by Kristin Laughtin-Dunker
The
In-Person Workshop
is scheduled for
Wednesday, April 15th, 3:00-4:00 p.m.
in the Leatherby Libraries Instruction Room 305. Participants can register for this
workshop
here
The
Virtual Workshop
is scheduled for
Friday, April 17th, 1:00-2:00 p.m.
This is an online event. Event URL will be sent via registration email. Participants
can register for this workshop
here
Please contact the Chair of Resources & Scholarly Communications,
Kristin Laughtin-Dunker
, at
laughtin@chapman.edu
with any questions.
AI as a Collaborative Partner for Writing Hybrid Workshop
Curious about how AI can support, not replace, your writing? Explore how generative
AI tools can serve as thoughtful collaborators in academic work. All Chapman students,
faculty, and staff are welcome.
Hosted by the Writing Center on Wednesday,
April 22nd from 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m
. online and at Leatherby Libraries Instruction Room LL305.
National Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week (GaPSAW)
is the first week of April each year.
Presentation Skills Workshop
was held TBD via Zoom for finalists. We are happy to share that the Writing Center
partnered with us to host an online Presentation Skills Workshop tailored for 3MT
presentations, it covered the general skills of preparation and presentation of the
talks for a broad audience.
View presentation
and
recording here
from the March 12 workshop.
Annual Graduate and Professional Student Excellence Dinner and Celebration
is held in May of each academic year.
Additional events will be scheduled and information provided throughout the year;
visit this section often for updates.
Upcoming & Recent Dissertation and Thesis Defenses
Upcoming Defenses:
Tiffany Le on Friday, April 10, 2026 (Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, M.S.)
Jared Jamias on Tuesday, April 21, 2026 (Education, Ph.D.)
Kevin Le on Friday, April 24, 2026 (Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, M.S.)
Congratulations to all these 2025-2026 graduate students who recently successfully
defended!
Behavioral and Computational Economics, M.S. - Thesis
Communication, Ph.D. - Dissertation
Janella Eshiet on Thursday, July 17, 2025
Jarrod Ventura on Monday, March 30, 2026
Computational and Data Sciences, M.S. - Thesis
Computational and Data Sciences, Ph.D. - Dissertation
Duncan Ofosu on Thursday, May 29, 2025
Lucas Jeay-Bizot on Thursday March 12, 2026
Creative Writing, M.F.A. - Thesis
Blake Bullock on Wednesday, June 4, 2025
Aaron Grossman on Sunday, April 25, 2025
Sophia Zogopoulos on Monday, November 10, 2025
Cheyenne Torres on Friday, November 14, 2025
Cameron Zwierlein on Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Education, Ph.D. - Dissertation
Stephen Hinkle on Friday, October 24, 2025
Cristie Clancy on Wednesday, February 11, 2026
Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, M.S. - Thesis
English, M.A. - Thesis
Film and Media Studies, M.A. - Thesis
Food Science, M.S. - Thesis
Angela Banda on Sunday, July 13, 2025
Kai Filio on Friday, August 29, 2025
Gary Maloncon on Friday, February 13, 2026
International Studies, M.A. - Thesis
Andres Murillo on Friday, June 13, 2025
Samah Ahmed on Friday, June 20, 2025
Pharmaceutical Sciences, M.S. - Thesis
Srishhti Jha on Tuesday, July 29, 2025
Riad Bellili on Wednesday, November 19, 2025
Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ph.D. - Dissertation
Ashley Duche on Wednesday, September 3, 2025
Abdulelah Alhazza on Monday, November 10, 2025
Shih-Jing Yao on Monday, December 1, 2025
Aryan Shokrollah Shirazi on Tuesday, January 6, 2026
Huy Tran on Thursday, March 12, 2026
War, Diplomacy, and Society, M.A. - Thesis
Kirstin Hawkins on Friday, July 25, 2025
Shuhei Takahashi on Monday, November 17, 2025
Past Dissertation and Thesis Defenses
Past Defenses:
Behavioral and Computational Economics, M.S. - Thesis
James Gilmore on Monday, May 6, 2024
Jingzhi Liu on Monday, May 6, 2024
Aaron Berman on Monday, May 6, 2024
Saika Cer Askin on Wednesday, April 16, 2025
Marilyn Hazlett on Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Communication, Ph.D. - Dissertation
Jessica Marie Journeay on Wednesday, April 19, 2023
John Capra on Tuesday, May 23, 2023
Amy Hellem on Tuesday, December 5, 2023
Arielle Leaonard Hodges on Friday, April 12, 2024
Noel McGuire on Monday, April 15, 2024
Cailin Kuchenbecker on Tuesday, April 16, 2024
Sarah Downey on Friday, March 14, 2025
Kelly Anthony on Tuesday, March 18, 2025
April Batson-Bright on Tuesday, April 8, 2025
Lauren Pick on Wednesday, April 16, 2025
Computational and Data Sciences, M.S. - Thesis
Gregory Tyler on Friday, November 17, 2023
Grace Grupta on Monday, November 13, 2023
Gabriela Pinto on Thursday, April 27, 2023
David Licerio on Thursday, April 25, 2024
Howard Huang on Friday, April 26, 2024
Sarah Caruthers on Friday, April 26, 2024
Computational and Data Sciences, Ph.D. - Dissertation
Iris Kinzie Mowgood on Tuesday, April 25, 2023
Sam Oliver Ford on Friday, April 28, 2023
Ehsan Yaghmaei on Friday, May 26, 2023
Mohammed Rajeh Alshahrani on Thursday, May 17, 2023
Albert Pierce on Wednesday, May 31, 2023
Isaac Nwi-Mozu on Friday, June 9, 2023
John Jake Gavenas on Thursday, July 20, 2023
Krupa Rajen Nagori Friday, August 4, 2023
Mohammed Eyad Kurd-Misto on Wednesday, November 8, 2023
Yesha Patel on Friday, November 17, 2023
Sachi Perera on Monday, April 8, 2024
Rejoice Thomas on Monday, April 22, 2024
Sina Mohammadi on Monday, May 13, 2024
Dony Ang on Friday, July 26, 2024
Jacob Cohn on Wednesday, April 16, 2025
Creative Writing, M.F.A. - Thesis
Belana Beeck on Thursday, April 13, 2023
Matthew Lemas on Thursday, April 13, 2023
Vesper North on Friday, April 14, 2023
Nour Abuelreich on Monday, April 17, 2023
Sinclair Adams on Tuesday, April 18, 2023
Samantha Diaz on Tuesday, April 18, 2023
Piper Gourley on Tuesday, April 18, 2023
Lydia Pejovic on Tuesday, April 18, 2023
Kayla Chang on Wednesday, April 19, 2023
Montez Jennings on Wednesday, April 19, 2023
Nina Handjeva-Weller on Wednesday, April 19, 2023
Ximena Delgado on Thursday, April 20, 2023
Todd Gilbert on Thursday, April 20, 2023
Kate Hampton on Thursday, April 20, 2023
Emily Velasquez on Thursday, April 20, 2023
Nicole Cook on Friday, April 21, 2023
Audrey Fong on Friday, April 21, 2023
Isabelle Danforth Stillman, April 21, 2023
Mikayla McLean on Friday, April 28, 2023
Louis Labat on Thursday, August 3, 2023
Anthony Alegrete on Thursday, March 28, 2024
Yuya Hattori on Thursday, April 11, 2024
Casie Grambrel on Friday, April 12, 2024
Sarah Johnson on Tuesday, April 16, 2024
Diego Garcia on Friday, April 19, 2024
Henneh Kwaku Kyereh on Thursday, April 25, 2024
Bailey Powell on Friday, April 26, 2024
Amber Lee on Tuesday, April 1, 2025
Karanbir Singh on Thursday, April 10, 2025
Anna Dragt on Tuesday, April 15, 2025
Emma Niro on Thursday, April 17, 2025
Samantha Wilson on Monday, April 21, 2025
Rebecca Rhodes on Monday, April 21, 2025
Tess Canfield on Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Noor Vakili on Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Catherine Gallegos on Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Laila Freeman on Thursday, April 24, 2025
Charlie Pitt on Thursday, April 24, 2025
Arinzechukwu Akpa on Friday, April 25, 2025
Lucy Caborn on Friday, April 25, 2025
Brandon Leonard on Friday, April 25, 2025
Amanda Torres on Friday, April 25, 2025
Aaron Grossman on Friday, April 25, 2025
Education, Ph.D. - Dissertation
Huiru Zhu on Thursday, January 19, 2023
Lauren Dudley on Thursday, March 9, 2023
Abraham Aryadad on Wednesday, March 29, 2023
Sara Morgan on Thursday, March 30, 2023
Lara Ameen on Friday, July 28, 2023
Daryl Park on Monday, September 25, 2023
Pedro Espinoza on Thursday, December 14, 2023
Megan Doty on Thursday, March 21, 2024
Stacy Eldred on Friday, March 29, 2024
Michael Gorse on Wednesday, April 3, 2024
Yiying Teng on Wednesday, April 3, 2024
Xiuying Han on Monday, April 8, 2024
Weiyi Xia on Tuesday, April 9, 2024
Ivan Enzo Noe on Friday, April 12, 2024
Limei Cao on Monday, April 15, 2024
Nick Irwin on Monday, April 15, 2024
Xochitl Morales on Tuesday, April 16, 2024
Fei Wang on Thursday, April 18, 2024
Christopher Tran on Friday, April 19, 2024
Rabab Atwi on Friday, April 19, 2024
Ying Zhu on Friday, April 19, 2024
Qian Wei on Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Yiwei Li on Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Jiayu Shao on Thursday, April 25, 2024
Katelyn Kitchens on Thursday, April 25, 2024
Chaoran Li on Friday, April 26, 2024
Breána Victoria-Delgado on Wednesday, May 29, 2024
Victor Vega on Thursday, June 27, 2024
Joelle Prate on Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Amelia Holzer on Wednesday, April 2, 2025
Rachel Torres on Thursday, April 10, 2025
Miruna Ouatu-Lascar on Friday, April 11, 2025
Sarah Madrid on Tuesday, April 15, 2025
Elena Marquez on Tuesday, April 15, 2025
Daniel Noriega on Wednesday, April 16, 2025
Sherilyn Kile on Monday, April 21, 2025
Tanya Belom on Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Michelle Everitt on Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Brittany Contreras on Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Tajaun Hall on Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Electrical Engineering & Computer Science, M.S. - Thesis
Sarah Fieck on Friday, April 4, 2025
Kelsey Hawkins on Friday, April 4, 2025
Briana Craig On Friday, April 11, 2025
Olivia Chilvers on Wednesday, April 16, 2025
Talitha Holcombe on Thursday, April 17, 2025
Trey Alexander on Friday, April 18, 2025
Ponthea Zahraii on Friday, April 18, 2025
Arisa Trombley on Friday, April 18, 2025
English, M.A. - Thesis
Bekah Izard on Thursday, April 12, 2023
Su Chen on Friday, April 14 ,2023
Constance von Igel de Mello on Friday, April 14, 2023
Makena Metz on Monday, April 17, 2023
Patrick Hanna on Thursday, April 20, 2023
Elizabeth Tran on Friday, April 21, 2023
Ani Gazazyan on Monday, April 24, 2023
Karuna Hin on Monday, April 24, 2023
Eurydice Dye on Wednesday, April 26, 2023
Jessica Bocinski on Friday, April 28, 2023
Hannah Montante on Friday, April 28, 2023
Ian Koh on Wednesday August 23, 2023
Catherine Gallegos on Friday, November 17, 2023
Kristen Venegas on Friday, November 17, 2023
Tlotlo Tsamaase on Monday, April 8, 2024
Sarah Johnson on Friday, April 12, 2024
Miranda Roberts on Friday, April 19, 2024
Audrey Fong on Thursday, April 25, 2024
Emily Velasquez on Friday, April 26, 2024
Brianna Radke on Friday, April 26, 2024
Matthew Lemas on Friday, April 26, 2024
Sofia Sakzlyan on Friday, April 26, 2024
Rebecca Rhodes on Friday, April 26, 2024
Eileen Pierce on Friday, April 26, 2024
Sawyer Kelly on Friday, April 26, 2024
Lauren Sieberg on Friday, April 11, 2025
Cassandra Garate on Tuesday, April 15, 2025
Rhyan Warmerdam on Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Emi Thomas on Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Tessa Woodall on Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Ryan Penske on Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Tegan Rosso on Friday, April 25, 2025
Cambria Acheson on Friday, April 25, 2025
Film and Media Studies, M.A. - Thesis
Own Bradford on Monday, April 17, 2023
Frances Wendorf on Monday, April 17, 2023
Livi Edmonson on Tuesday, April 18, 2023
Austin Kang on Thursday, April 20, 2023
Bryce Thompson on Friday, April 21, 2023
Afra Nariman on Tuesday, April 25, 2023
Charna Flam on Friday, April 28, 2023
Marynell Dethero on Saturday, April 29, 2023
Mason Dickerson on Wednesday, April 10, 2024
Livia Lozoya on Wednesday, April 10, 2024
Nicolas Clark on Wednesday, April 10, 2024
William Yonts on Thursday, April 11, 2024
Manjima Tarafdar on Monday, April 15, 2024
Z Evan Long on Monday, April 15, 2024
Olivia Gerzabek on Friday, April 19, 2024
Laine Marshall on Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Alison Kreul on Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Jose Emilio Reyes Rocher on Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Sophia Rubino on Tuesday, April 29, 2025
Food Science, M.S. - Thesis
Charles Drucker on Monday, March 13, 2023
McKenna Rivers on Monday, April 24, 2023
Amanda Tabb on Wednesday, April 26, 2023
Jennifer McCoy Sanders on Wednesday, September 6, 2023
Christianne Yapor on Friday, April 19, 2024
Kylie Sacapano on Monday, April 22, 2024
Sarah Ahles on Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Diane Kim on Friday, April 26, 2024
Alton Chambers on Friday, August 2, 2024
Kristin Cheng on Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Ghana Tirpude on Thursday, April 24, 2025
International Studies, M.A. - Thesis
Joshua Jackson on Thursday, April 27, 2023
Reyhaneh Zamini on Thursday, November 16, 2023
Gary Mercer on Monday, April 22, 2024
Maggie Quiroz on Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Stephanie Santiago on Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Allison Flame on Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Eleina Beltran on Friday, April 26, 2024
Leah Shoff on Friday, May 24, 2024
Iara Gonzalez-Ascencio on Monday, June 3, 2024
Brianna Buzzell on Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Sabrina Laib on Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Roxanne Aguilera on Thursday, April 24, 2025
Declan Coakley on Friday, April 25, 2025
Pharmaceutical Sciences, M.S. - Thesis
Abdullah Jameel M Althomali on Monday, April 17, 2023
Mohammad Al Ghamdi on Monday, April 24, 2023
Khushbu Bhakta on Tuesday, April 25, 2023
Mrigank Rai on Friday, August 4, 2023
Choi Wonsuk on Tuesday, August 29, 2023
Wadj Zakir on Thursday, January 4, 2024
Taran Harris on Friday, April 26, 2024
Dorna Davanidavari on Thursday, June 13, 2024
Urvashi Panchal on Tuesday, April 15, 2025
Ashley Alexander on Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Berenice Morales-Rodriguez on Friday, April 25, 2025
Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ph.D. - Dissertation
Michael Sayer on Friday, January 20, 2023
Turki Altowairgi on Monday, April 24, 2023
Taibah Yousef Aldakhil on Thursday, April 27, 2023
Razan Saud Orfali on Wednesday, May 10, 2023
Nouf Saleh Alwadei on Thursday, May 11, 2023
Mohammad Asikur Rahman on Wednesday, June 14, 2023
Judy Weng on Thursday, September 7, 2023
Ajayi David Akinwale on Monday, April 22, 2024
Roya Hosseini on Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Jonathan Moreno on Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Khulud Bukhari
on Thursday, April 25, 2024
Olajide Adekunle on Thursday, April 25, 2024
Ashwaq Alanazi on Friday, April 26, 2024
Anika Patel on Monday, April 7, 2025
War, Diplomacy, and Society, M.A. - Thesis
Victoria Castillo on Friday, January 5, 2023
Natalie Pendergraft on Thursday, April 27, 2023
Megan Lee on Friday, April 28, 2023
Christen Kadkhodai on Monday, May 22, 2023
Brian Corteville on Thursday, December 14, 2023
Kyle Missbach on Friday, January 12, 2024
Socrates Mbamalu on Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Grayson Jones on Friday, April 26, 2024
Katerina Ludwig on Friday, April, 26, 2024
Amanda Dixon on Tuesday, April 1, 2025
Jade Im on Monday, April 7, 2025
Kelly Taylor on Tuesday, April 15, 2025
Garrett Cuadros on Tuesday, April 15, 2025
Connor Fershin on Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Tiana Taliep on Monday, June 2, 2025
Past Events with archived documents
Click on the hyperlinks for access to recent event programs, flyers, and additional
information.
Student Scholar Symposium Poster Session (Graduate)
, Spring 2024
Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition
, Spring 2023
Student Scholar Symposium Poster Session II (Graduate)
, Spring 2023
Virtual Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition
, Spring 2021
Virtual Graduate and Professional Student Research Showcase
, Spring 2020
Open Access Week (October 21-25)
Learn About Open Access Publishing with Workshops, Online Resources, and More! For
more information, please
view Leatherby Libraries announcements
page.
The LRDS team will be hosting four specially curated Library Workshops to help you
learn how to use OA resources.
OA Publishing Options at Chapman: Increase Your Scholarly Reach!
Discover the Potential of Open Educational Resources
Approachable Version Control with Git & GitHub Desktop
What to Consider When Choosing Where to Publish – OA Options and Helpful Strategies
Thesis and Dissertation Submission Workshops
This workshop will give you all the information you need for that final step of your
dissertation or thesis journey: submitting it to the library. Learn about the procedures,
required documents, and formatting standards you need to know about to ensure a smooth
and successful submission process.
Topics covered in the workshop will include:
Checklists and fillable templates
Formatting requirements for dissertations and theses
Librarian review procedures
Submissions to Chapman University Digital Commons and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses
Global
There will also be time for Q&A about the specifics of your dissertation or thesis!
Related LibGuide:
Dissertation and Thesis Guidelines by Kristin Laughtin-Dunker
The
In-Person Workshop
is scheduled for
Tuesday, November 4th, 1:00-2:00 p.m.
in the Leatherby Libraries Instruction Room 305. Participants can register for this
workshop
here
The
Virtual Workshop
is scheduled for
Wednesday, November 5th, 4:00-5:00 p.m.
This is an online event. Event URL will be sent via registration email. Participants
can register for this workshop
here
Please contact the Chair of Resources & Scholarly Communications,
Kristin Laughtin-Dunker
, at
laughtin@chapman.edu
with any questions.
Graduate Student Workshops:
A workshop series for advanced graduate students and postdoctoral scholars in STEM
fields at Chapman University applying for academic positions. Designed to help you
organize your search, prepare your written materials, and manage your time. Recommended
for everyone who plans to pursue an academic position, even if you do not plan to
apply this year!
Tools for Sanity during an Academic Job Search
(October 4th)
Leveling Up Your CV
(October 11th)
The Customizable Cover Letter
(October 18th)
Elements of the Teaching Statement
(October 25th)
Your Research Statement Needs Figures
(November 1st)
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion on Paper
(November 8th)
Facilitated by Dr. Greg Goldsmith
goldsmit@chapman.edu
, who is Associate Dean for Research and Development in Schmid College of Science
and Technology. All sessions are held on Fridays from 3:00-4:30PM in the Keck Center
for Science and Engineering room #156. Attendance in person strongly encouraged, with
hybrid available.
Space is limited. To register, please
RSVP:
Short Survey
Please reach out to
goldsmit@chapman.edu
with any questions.
Early Career Leadership Workshop Series,
will be held on six (6) consecutive Fridays from 12:00-1:30 p.m. via Zoom began on
February
2, 2024.
With generous support from both the Provost’s Office and the Dean’s Suite in the Schmid
College of Science and Technology, the University is happy to be hosting an
Early Career Leadership Workshop Series
for advanced Chapman University graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. This
series of interactive online workshops is designed to help early career scholars thrive
in a research environment, deal with conflicts, and be effective leaders and team
members. The topics have all been developed with a focus on research groups and the
academic environment. The training will provide strategies for effective integration
into the lab, and the department, as well as offering a forum for participants to
share experiences with peers and build community. We encourage participation from
advanced graduate students and postdoctoral scholars from across disciplines. The
agenda is described in further detail below. The workshops will be facilitated by
the remarkable Dr. Diana Azurdia. Dr. Azurdia serves as the Director for Recruitment
and Inclusion for the Graduate Programs in Bioscience at the University of California
Los Angeles, where she is also the Director of the UCLA Entering Mentoring Training
Program that provides mentorship support and development for researchers at all career
stages.
This workshop series should be particularly helpful for the students who want to stay
in academia.
Space is limited. To register, please fill out the following
form
. Please feel free to reach out to Dr. Greg Goldsmith
goldsmit@chapman.edu
Associate Professor and Director of the Grand Challenges Initiative
, with any questions.
Entering Mentoring Workshop, August 21, 2023
With generous support from the provost's office, Schmid College of Science and Technology
will be offering a workshop
open to all Chapman Universit
y post doctoral scholars and advanced doctoral students.
This 8-hour workshop, designed by the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences
in Research (CIMER; cimerproject.org), is built on interactive discussion driven by
example scenarios. It will cover
topics
including
aligning expectations, promoting professional development, maintaining effective communication,
addressing equity and inclusion, assessing understanding, fostering independence,
and cultivating ethical behavior.
This outstanding curriculum is designed to empower you to build more effective relationships
with those you are mentoring and those who are mentoring you, whether that is an undergraduate
student doing research in your lab group or your next supervisor after you complete
your time at Chapman. The workshop is appropriate for scholars from all research-driven
disciplines. Those who have participated consistently report that they found the training
to be very valuable. The training will be facilitated by Professor Aparna Bhaduri
(UCLA) and
Associate Professor and Director of the Grand Challenges Initiative
Gregory Goldsmith (CU)
. This workshop should be particularly helpful for the students who want to stay in
academia.
Habit+Accountability=Success, October 8 and 9, 2019
Presented by Dr. Leslie Blood, Director of Graduate Community and Professional Development
at University of Colorado Boulder.
Flyer
This graduate student success event included three seminars:
Graduate Student Seminar
Video
Graduate Program Directors and Support Staff Seminar
Video
Graduate Deans, Associate Deans, and Ph.D. Program Directors Seminar
Video
Graduate and Professional Student Research Showcase
, Spring 2019
If you need access to events prior to last academic year, please email
GradEd@chapman.edu
for assistance. Thank you.
Three Minute Thesis (3MT®)
What is 3MT?
Three Minute Thesis or 3MT® is an internationally recognized competition founded at
the University of Queensland, Australia. Participation in the competition helps students
develop and practice their academic, presentation, and research communication skills.
Presenting in the competition increases student’s capacity to effectively explain
their research in three minutes in a language appropriate to an audience unfamiliar
with the topic.
3MT celebrates excellent research, scholarship and creative works of graduate students.
3MT cultivates students’ academic, presentation, and research communication skills.
3MT is a three-minute presentation with a single visual in a language appropriate
to a non-specialist audience.
Why participate?
Skills development for graduate students to present their research and scholarly activities.
Contributes to graduate student and scholarly culture at Chapman University.
Cash prizes are provided to the top presenters and a People's Choice award.
The first prize winner represents Chapman at the Western Association of Graduate Schools
(WAGS) annual meeting with the chance to compete at the national Council of Graduate
Schools (CGS) meeting thereafter.
Eligibility and rules:
Active doctoral and master's students in research-based graduate programs at Chapman
are eligible to participate.
A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted. No slide transitions, animations. No
additional electronic media (e.g., sound and video files).
No additional props (e.g., costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment) are
permitted.
Presentations are limited to 3 minutes maximum.
Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g., no poems, raps or songs).
Tips and resources:
Wear business attire.
Use limited text on the PowerPoint slide.
Use visuals such as charts, graphs, illustrations & photos.
Practice, practice, and practice!
Time yourself; keep it under 3 minutes (but not less than 2:40!).
Speak to your audience, make eye-contact, speak clearly and confidently.
Avoid jargon: present your ideas in an accessible way.
Be engaging: make the audience feel something.
Watch other 3MT presentation videos
for guidance and inspiration.
Be aware of the scoring
rubric t
o help you prepare your presentation.
Complete instructions for participation can be found at
bit.ly/3MTChapman
It is with great pleasure that the Office of Research and Graduate Education announces
this year’s winners of the graduate student Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition,
conducted Friday, April 11 at the Orange campus. 3MT® is an internationally recognized
competition founded at the University of Queensland, Australia that challenges students
to summarize their thesis or dissertation scholarship in under 3 minutes with a single
PowerPoint slide.
--------------------
2026 Chapman University Three Minute Thesis (3MT®)
Winners & Finalists
--------------------
First Place - Tatiana Padgett,
candidate for Master of Science in Food Science,
Schmid College of Science and Technology;
advisor Dr. Rosalee Hellberg
What is in your Supplement
Second Place - Lucas Jeay-Bizot
, candidate for Doctor of Philosophy in Computational and Data Sciences,
Schmid College of Science and Technology
; advisor Dr. Aaron Schurger
Turning Suggestibility into a Probe of Intention
People's Choice - Kevin Le,
candidate for Master of Science in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science,
Fowler School of Engineering;
advisor Dr. Mark Harrison
The Future of Computing is Light
Finalist - Monica Dupuy
candidate for Doctor of Philosophy in Communication,
School of Communication;
advisor Dr. Michelle Miller-Day
Depression on Screen: Rewriting Depression
Through Arts-Based Methods
Finalist - Alejandro de Miguel
candidate for Doctor of Philosophy in Computational and Data Sciences,
Schmid College of Science and Technology
; advisor Dr. Uri Maoz
The Neural Pathway of Voluntary Actions
Finalist - Tiffany Le
candidate for
Master of Science in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science,
Fowler School of Engineering;
advisor Dr. Yuxin Wen
Multimodal Learning for Disease Diagnosis and
Progression Modeling
Chapman’s first-place winner will have the opportunity to participate in the regional
3MT® competition at the Western Association of Graduate Schools Annual Meeting in
March 2027.
We look forward to next year’s competition and hope that our graduate students who
will be returning next year will plan now to participate in 2027 and continue the
tradition of excellence demonstrated by this year’s competitors.
--------------------
2025 Chapman University Three Minute Thesis (3MT®)
Winners & Finalists
--------------------
First Place - Laura Neis,
candidate for Master of Arts in War, Diplomacy, and Society,
Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Science;
advisor Dr. Jennifer Keene
The Value of Holidays in World War I America
Second Place - Ghana Tirpude,
candidate for Master of Science in Food Science,
Schmid College of Science and Technology;
advisor Dr. Rosalee Hellberg
Shining light on Bacteria: Using the Contamination Sanitization Inspection and Disinfection
(CSI-D+) Device to Inactivate Salmonella.
People's Choice - Ponthea Zahraii,
candidate for Master of Science in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science,
Fowler School of Engineering;
advisor Dr. Nasim Mohammadi Estakhri
Machine Learning-Assisted Characterization of Optical Forces Near Gradient Metasurfaces
Finalist - Briana Craig
candidate for
Master of Science in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science,
Fowler School of Engineering;
advisor Dr. LouAnne Boyd
Reducing Stigma Around Autism Through the use of Ice Breaker Activities Designed for
Inclusivity in First-Year Undergraduate Classrooms
--------------------
2024 Chapman University Three Minute Thesis (3MT®)
Winners & Finalists
--------------------
First Place - Lauren Fillet
, candidate for Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders,
Crean College of Health and Behavioral Sciences
; advisor Dr. Zed Sehyr
Spelling without Sound
Second Place - Lucas Jeay-Bizot
, candidate for Doctor of Philosophy in Computational and Data Sciences,
Schmid College of Science and Technology
; advisor Dr. Aaron Schurger
Spontaneous Decisions are Also Spontaneous in the Brain
People's Choice - Cailin Kuchenbecker,
candidate for Doctor of Philosophy in Communication,
School of Communication
; advisor Dr. Hannah Ball
An Examination of Missing Person Social Media Engagement Through Data Mining and Experimentation:
An Application of the Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication Model
Finalist - Sarah Ahles
, candidate for Master of Science in Food Science,
Schmid College of Science and Technology
; advisor Dr. Rosalee Hellberg
Seafood Mislabeling in the U.S. Marketplace
Finalist - Ajayi David Akinwale,
candidate for Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences,
School of Pharmacy
; advisor Dr. Jason Yamaki
Mechanistic Studies and Antimicrobial Effectiveness of Cyclic Peptide [R4W4]
Finalist - Katherine Canero
, candidate for Educational Specialist Degree in Psychology and Master of Arts in
Educational Psychology,
Attallah College of Educational Studies
; advisor Professor Cynthia Olaya
How to Support LGBTQ+ Students in Schools with a Multi-Tiered System of Supports
Finalist - Diane Kim
, candidate for Master of Science in Food Science,
Schmid College of Science and Technology
; advisor Dr. Rosalee Hellberg
Using DNA Barcoding and Multiplex PCR to Detect Adulteration in Ginseng Supplements
--------------------
2023 Chapman University Three Minute Thesis (3MT®)
Winners & Finalists
--------------------
First place - McKenna Rivers
candidate for Master of Science in Food Science, Advisor Dr. Rosalee Hellberg
Labeling Compliance Species Authentication, and Short-Weighting of Prepackaged Frozen
Shrimp Sold in Grocery Stores in Southern California
Second Place - Jessica Journeay
candidate for PhD in Communication, Advisor Dr. Megan Vendemia and Rebecca Tukachinsky
Forster
Examining Heterosexual Women's Social Comparisons and Perceptions of Sexual Competition
with Porn Stars
People's Choice Winner - Kristin Cheng
candidate for Master of Science in Food Science, Advisor Dr. John Miklavic.
Improving Health Outcomes for Babies with Chylothorax
Finalist - Buthainah Ghanem
candidate for PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Advisor Dr. Enrique Seoane-Vazquez
The Landscape of Gene Therapy Products
Finalist - Jennifer McCoy Sanders
candidate for Master of Science in Food Science, Advisor Dr. Rosalee Hellberg
Disinfection of Foodborne Bacteria using the Contamination Sanitization Inspection
and Disinfection (CSI-D) Device
Finalist - Vesper North
candidate for Master of Arts in English and Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing,
Advisor Dr. Justine Van Meter
Trauma and Transformation in Takaya Natsuki's
Fruits Basket
Finalist - Amanda Tabb
candidate for Master of Science in Food Science, Advisor Dr. Rosalee Hellberg
Single-Laboratory Validation for the Detection of Salmonella enterica in Meat Analog
Products
Finalist - Christianne Yapor
candidate for Master of Science Food Science, Advisor Dr. Lilian Were Senger
Inhibitory Effects of Chlorogenic and Caffeic Acids on the Formation
of Advanced Glycation End-Products Produced by the Maillard Reaction
--------------------
2021 Chapman University Three Minute Thesis (3MT®)
Winners, Finalists & Videos
--------------------
First place and People's Choice Winner - Sook Mun (Alice) Wong,
candidate for PhD in Computational and Data Sciences, Advisor Dr. Uri Maoz
Whodunnit? Explorations in the Sense of Agency with Neurostimulation
Second Place - Natalie Paterson,
candidate for Master of Science in Food Science, Advisor Dr. John Miklavic
Human Milk: What's Genetics Got to Do With It?
Finalist - Jake Gavenas,
candidate for PhD in Computational and Data Sciences, Advisor Dr. Uri Maoz
No unconscious decisions: a neural network that spontaneously ramps
Finalist - Jiahleen Roungchun,
candidate for Master of Science in Food Science, Advisor Dr. Rosalee Hellberg
DNA Mini-Barcoding System for the Species Identification of Tuna Products
--------------------
Sponsored by the Office Research and Graduate Education.
Graduate Student Achievements & Entry Database
Chapman University's graduate and professional students distinguish themselves in
the following ways:
Scholarly or creative works published
Presentations at state, national, and international conferences
External grant awards received
Honors or awards received from professional associations or organizations external
to Chapman
Recognition and awards received at external festivals, juries, and competitions
Recognition or honors for scores received on professional licensure examinations
Participation in Chapman’s Three Minute Thesis competition
Nomination to represent their academic unit in the Doti Awards competition.
Graduate students submit their outstanding achievements in the Graduate Achievement
Submission System by completing the
Graduate Student Achievement submission form
This year’s reporting period is June 1, 2025 - May 31, 2026 - all achievements/activities
must have been earned/conducted within these dates.
Graduate Student Scholarly/Creative Grants
Consistent with Chapman University's commitment to the scholarly and creative activity
of its graduate students, Graduate Student Scholarly/Creative Activity Grants are
offered through funding from the Associate Vice President for Graduate Education. If
you are interested in applying for funding for a specific scholarly/creative activity
you are undertaking
independent
of a class assignment (e.g. master’s thesis, doctoral dissertation, research or creative
publication, or other original research or creative work), please read the following.
There are three graduate student grant types for which you might be eligible:
Travel: Scholarly or creative activity
preparation
(funding that supports travel to undertake or carry out research or creative activity)
Travel: Scholarly or creative activity
dissemination
(funding that supports sharing your work
external
to Chapman University)
Scholarly or creative activity financial support,
non-travel
(funding that supports the purchase of consumable research materials, data access,
publication fees, or other non-travel related expenses)
Note: Priority for funding in 2025-26 will be given to the first three categories.
Funding for "attendance only" travel awards will likely be extremely limited as we
prioritize student supports for the resumption of preparation, dissemination, and
non-travel research/creative endeavors after COVID-19's.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: ALL STUDENTS WHO ACCEPT THIS GRANT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRESENTING
AT A CONFERENCE ARE COMMITTED TO PARTICIPATE AND PRESENT YOUR POSTER IN THE SPRING
2026 GRADUATE RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM IN APRIL.
You may start an application in the online submission system, save it, and return
to it later to finish. You should apply BEFORE incurring the expenses. Please be mindful
of the timing of the expenses as all expenses must be incurred by May 15, 2026 for
any grant given this academic year.
Applications are routed to reviewers twice per month, on the 1st and 15th, with their
decisions requested within two weeks. Please keep this in mind if you are applying
with little time before your start date/travel date. For example, if you submit your
completed application on October 18, you should not expect a decision until mid-November.
In addition to answering questions about your planned activity, you will need the
following to supplemental materials complete your online application:
A copy of your Chapman IRB or IACUC approval (or exemption) letter
if
your research involves human or animal subjects;
Proof of acceptance at conference/venue if applying for a dissemination grant;
Email address of faculty member to request a letter of support;
A document that you compile that contains verification of estimated expenses for which
you are requesting funding.
Please read all instructions in the application carefully. Deadlines and financial
terms are contained in the instructions. Expenses submitted which do not comply with
university and IRS rules will not be reimbursed. Additionally, funds received may
be subject to tax; complete information is provided in instructions and award documents.
Please choose your college/school to access your application website:
Argyros School
Attallah College
Crean College
Dodge College
Fowler School of Engineering
Fowler School of Law
School of Communication
School of Pharmacy
Schmid College
Wilkinson College
If you encounter questions or problems as you complete your application, please email
Lonnise Magallanez
in the Associate Vice President’s office.
Graduate Student Awards
The James L. Doti Outstanding Graduate Student Award
The Doti Award is given annually to one doctoral and one master's student and is the
highest honor for graduate students at Chapman University. The Doti Award trophy,
incorporating artist Nick Hernandez's sculpture Emergence, remains on perpetual exhibit
in Argyros Forum. The trophy is engraved with the names of all Doti Award recipients
and is displayed at Commencement.
The recipients of the Doti Award receive a cash award in the amount of $1,000 and
a replica of the Emergence sculpture, crafted by the artist himself. The recipients
are publicly recognized at their schools' graduation ceremonies.
To qualify, nominees must have:
Received degree conferral in January of the current academic year, or have applied
for degree conferral for May or August of the current academic year.
Exhibited academic excellence and outstanding professional leadership as a graduate
student at Chapman University.
The selection procedure for the recipient of the Doti Award is as follows:
The faculty of each college/school may select up to two doctoral-level nominees and
tor master level nominees for submission for its cohort of graduates who qualify under
the criteria.
Nominations will be forwarded by staff to the Graduate Academic Council for selection
of the doctoral and master level recipient. Each award recipient and their college/school
will be notified in writing.
The recipients of Chapman University’s 2025 James L. Doti Outstanding Graduate Student
Award are:
Doctoral category -
Anika Patel, Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy
Master’s category -
Iara Gonzalez-Ascencio, Master of Arts in International Studies, Wilkinson College
of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences.
Our warmest congratulations to the recipients, their peers, friends, and supporters.
Special thank you and congratulations to the faculty advisors and programs for their
continuous support of our great students!
WAGS/ProQuest Awards
Chapman University is a Full Member of the
Western Association of Graduate Schools
. WAGS is a regional association affiliated with the national
Council of Graduate Schools
One benefit of the WAGS membership is the opportunity to submit a nominee to participate
in the WAGS Regional Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) GradSlam Competition at the Annual
Meeting in spring and the opportunity to advance to the 3MT competition at the Council
of Graduate Schools Annual Meeting each December.
Another WAGS membership benefit is the opportunity to nominate outstanding graduate
students from Chapman University’s graduate and professional programs for recognition.
ProQuest partners with WAGS and supports four awards. Each member institution may
submit one nomination for each award. Nominations are collected over the summer each
year and submitted to WAGS in September. Categories include:
The WAGS/ProQuest Innovation in Technology Award
The WAGS/ProQuest Distinguished Master’s Thesis Award STEM
The WAGS/ProQuest Distinguished Master’s Thesis Award Non-STEM
The WAGS/ProQuest Distinguished Master’s Thesis and/or Final Master’s Capstone Project
Award in the Creative, Visual and Performing Arts.
For additional information, including nomination details, please visit the
WAGS award website
Contact your Program Director for more information; submission instructions have been
sent to all Graduate Program Directors. If you need assistance, please email the VPGE
office at
GradEd@chapman.edu
Writing Supports for Graduate Students
The following writing supports for graduate students are available through the Writing
Center and IS&T.
Thesis & Dissertation Help
is availble through the Writing Center with in-person or virtual appointments. Book
a graduate pulse check to get assistance on composition, clarity, formatting, personal
goals, and more.
The Writing Center Tutors
are available to help you with any kind of writing assignment, research project, or
presentation at any stage in the composing process, in all academic subjects. Enroll
to gain access to on-on-one Zoom appointments with a tutor.
Learn more about the Writing Center's new Canvas Den
Grammarly Premium
is available for FREE to all Chapman graduate students. Not only does Grammarly Premium
provide a robust copy editing platform that works in web-based and desktop computer
applications, it also provides writing productivity tracking.
Learn more about Grammarly Premium and how to install it on your computer here
WAGS/ProQuest Awards
Chapman University is a member of the
Western Association of Graduate Schools (WAGS)
, the western regional affiliate of the national
Council of Graduate Schools
. One of the membership benefits is the opportunity to nominate outstanding graduate
students from Chapman University’s graduate and professional programs for regional/national
recognition.
ProQuest partners with WAGS and supports four awards each year. Each member institution
may submit one nomination for each award. Our goal is to have one nominee in every
category!
The WAGS/ProQuest Innovation in Technology Award (master’s
or
doctoral student)
The WAGS/ProQuest Distinguished Master’s Thesis Award STEM (master’s only)
The WAGS/ProQuest Distinguished Master’s Thesis Award Non-STEM (master’s only)
The WAGS/ProQuest Distinguished Master’s Thesis and/or Final Master’s Capstone Project
Award in the Creative, Visual, and Performing Arts (master’s only)
Submit your program’s nominee materials to
GradEd@chapman.edu
as one continuous PDF document containing all required elements for that category
(see
WAGS award website
for specifics) by
5 p.m. on Tuesday, September 10, 2024
Students who had their degrees conferred in December 2023, January 2024, May 2024,
and August 2024 are eligible for nomination.
WAGS requires that the nominee have submitted their thesis/dissertation to ProQuest
(via our Chapman library submission process)
prior to
being nominated.
Do not submit your nominee information directly to WAGS; send it to the GradEd Office.
The Graduate Academic Council will review all nominations and choose the
one
student in each category who will represent Chapman in the regional competition.
Tryphena Yeboah, MFA ’21 of Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences was
the national winner of the 2020-2021 WAGS/ProQuest Distinguished Master’s Thesis and/or
Final Master’s Capstone Project Award in the Creative, Visual and Performing Arts
category for her award-winning thesis, “
First Light
.” and, Liz Harmer, MFA ‘19, of Wilkinson was the national winner in 2019-2020 in
the same category for her award-winning thesis, “
Interpretation Machine: A Memoir
.”
2024 Update:
We are happy to share with you that the Chapman University Graduate Academic Council
chose these graduate students to represent Chapman in this year’s regional WAGS/ProQuest
competition in these categories.
Regional decisions on winners are not received until very late December/early January.
If selected as the regional winner in their category, they will represent Chapman
University at the Western Association of Graduate Schools conference, which will be
held in Denver, CO, March 16-19, 2025, to accept their award.
We wish them much luck as their work moves forward in the regional competition, and
we congratulate them on their outstanding accomplishment!
Jonathan Moreno, Doctor of Philosophy in Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy
Dissertation:
Amphipathic Hybrid Cyclic-Linear Peptides as a Drug Delivery System
The WAGS/ProQuest Innovation in Technology Award (doctoral student)
Taran Harris, Masters of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy
Thesis:
Proteomic Identification of Hemp (Cannabis sativa) Seeds by Tandem Mass Spectrometry
and Evaluation of Cytotoxic Activity
The WAGS/ProQuest Distinguished Master’s Thesis Award STEM (master’s only)
Tlotlo Tsamaase, Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, Wilkinson College of Arts
Humanities and Social Sciences
Thesis:
A Siren of Terror – A Novel
The WAGS/ProQuest Distinguished Master’s Thesis Award in the Creative, Visual, and
Performing Arts (master’s only)
Graduate Education
Graduate Education
Prospective Students
Current Graduate Students
Graduate Student Academic Supports & Events
Helpful Links
Graduate Curriculum Handbook
Graduate Education SharePoint
Quick Sign Ups & Info Links:
Achievement Database (publication & presentation entry system)
Institutional Review Board (IRB)
Graduate Student Library Policies