Hall of Fellows and Awardees
The Graduate School is proud to recognize the current fellowship awardees, including all recipients of the Richard and Donna Falvo Outstanding Dissertation Award and the Outstanding Thesis Award.
SIU awards several different types of fellowships to its most outstanding students. These include:
- Delyte and Dorothy Morris Doctoral Fellowships
- Doctoral Fellowships, Master's Fellowships
- PROMPT (Proactive Recruitment of Multicultural Professionals for Tomorrow) Assistantships
- Graduate Dean's Fellowships, Dissertation Research Assistantships
- the Richard and Donna Falvo Outstanding Dissertation Award
- Outstanding Thesis Award. In addition
- the State of Illinois funds Diversifying Faculty in Illinois (DFI) Fellowships
Current fellowship holders, assistantships, and award winners
Delyte and Dorothy Morris Doctoral Fellowship Recipients
The Morris Doctoral Fellowship was established by Southern Illinois University to honor a distinguished former president (1949-1971) and his wife. This fellowship is for students new to Southern Illinois University who possess exceptional academic credentials and evidence of significant potential for research and publication. The Morris Doctoral Fellowship is a five-year financial support package. The Graduate School provides a 12 month 50% research fellowship award for the first three years and the department provides a 12 month 50% graduate assistantship for the last two years.
2022-2027
- Emily Donovan - Zoology
2020-2025
-
Abigail Pratt - Zoology
Doctoral Fellowship Recipients
The Doctoral Fellowship is for students who show the greatest promise for scholarly and professional achievement in their respective disciplines at the doctoral level. The fellowship is awarded for a total of eleven (11) months (fall, spring, and summer semesters).
2024-2025
- Muiz Olasupo, Economics
- Shannon Christensen, Criminology and Criminal Justice
- Rafee Akand, Mechanical Engineering
- Leidy Laur Arias Martinez, Plant Biology
- Tevyn Padilla Ulloa, English
- Bhagya Sri Kolitha Jayantha, Microbiology
- Donggyeom Yu, Electrical Engineering
- Sakib Mohammad, Electrical Engineering
- Toktam Valizadeh Kozalabad, Mathematics
- Janith Dassanayake, Electrical Engineering
- BreAnn Geralds, Zoology
- Andreas Karatzas, Electrical Engineering
- Bushra Elsnousi, Civil Engineering
- Sandhya Jayasinghe, Microbiology
Diversifying Faculty in Illinois Fellowships Recipients
Diversifying Higher Education Faculty in Illinois (DFI) fellowships provide financial assistance to graduate students from underrepresented populations with aspirations to becoming future faculty in institutions of higher learning in Illinois. The fellowships are for one year, renewable for up to four years. These are administered through the Office of Diversity and Equity.
2024-2025
- LaKendria Kenner, History
- Olivia Slater, Pharmacology
- George Hunt, History
- Roberto Cepeda, English
Master's Fellowship Recipients
The Master's Fellowship is a one-time award for students at the Master's level who show the greatest promise for scholarly and professional achievement in their respective disciplines. The fellowship is awarded for a total of eleven (11) months (fall, spring, and summer semesters).
2024-2025
- Clayton Bridgeman, School of Music
- Zafeiria Nektaria Nikolaidi, Chemistry
- Brock Storey, English
- Sofia Granados Martinez, Zoology
- Kayla Grey, Plant, Soil and Agricultural Systems
- Claire Hutchinson, English
- Jack Ryan, School of Languages and Linguistics
PROMPT Assistantship Recipients
The PROMPT (Proactive Recruitment of Multicultural Professionals for Tomorrow) assistantships are for new graduate students, to increase the number of individuals receiving advanced degrees in the United States from families which have traditionally not had access to the opportunities of higher education and who, through his or her life and/or cultural experiences, have unique and potentially positive contributions to make to the program, the discipline, and in the larger academic community.
2024-2026
- Kristine Cotton, Zoology
2022-2024
- Abigail Weber - Zoology
Graduate Dean's Fellowship Recipients
The Graduate Dean's Fellowship is designed for traditionally underrepresented individuals who have overcome social, cultural or economic conditions that have adversely affected their educational progress and who show promise for success in graduate study.
2024-2026
- Cierra Crowell, Plant, Soil and Agricultural Systems
2023-2025
- Jennifer Caudell - History
- Lydia Pensel - History
- Tracy Tran - English
Dissertation Research Assistantship Recipients
Dissertation Research Assistantships (DRA) are academic awards designed for students who are in the dissertation preparation stage of their graduate education. DRA support is based on the quality and importance of the dissertation research, and they provide between 1-3 semesters (fall, spring, summer) of support.
2024-2025
- Prabhangshu Das, Chemistry
- Jacob Hutton, Zoology
- Robinson Karunanithy, Physics
- Sreehari Surendran Rajasree, Chemistry
- Taylor Simmonds, Plant Biology
- Ishani Senanayake, Chemistry
- Xiaoyu Xu, Environmental Resources and Policy
- Connor Seavers, Mechanical Engineering
- Shanika Chandrasena, Mathematics
- Taniya Chandrasena, Mathematics
- Sunil Karn, Mathematics
- Sai Krishna Kancharla, Mechanical Engineering
- Devjani Basu, Mathematics
- Gautam Biswas, Economics
- Deanna McGuckin, History
- Jelena Nikolic, Sociology
- Lumban Arofah, Anthropology
- Fanny Mazna, Education Administration and Higher Education
- Jie Shi Liew, Curriculum and Instruction
- Kuan-Chun Chen, Curriculum and Instruction
- Ishani Banerjee, MBMB
- Kazi Hasan, School of Arts and Media
Richard and Donna Falvo Outstanding Dissertation Award Recipients
| Year | Name | Department or Program | Dissertation |
|---|---|---|---|
|
2023 |
Alex Glass |
Zoology |
|
|
2022 |
Vishal Reddy Singireddy |
Engineering Science |
Development of New Friction Material for Vehicles with Regenerative Braking Systems |
|
2021 |
Mirian Filgueira Pimentel |
Agricultural Sciences |
|
|
2020 |
Anil Aryal |
Applied Physics |
Exploration of Novel Magnetocaloric Materials for Applications in Magnetic Cooling Technology |
|
2019 |
Sudip Pandey |
Applied Physics |
|
|
2018 |
Gauri A. Pitale |
Anthropology |
|
|
2017 |
Bailey Shaw |
English |
|
|
2016 |
Ali Behjatian Esfahani |
Engineering Science |
|
|
2015 |
Anish Poudel |
Engineering Science |
Bond Strength Evaluation in Adhesive Joints Using NDE and DIC Methods |
|
2014 |
Priya Londhe |
Molecular Biology, Microbiology, and Biochemistry |
Unraveling the Molecular Mechanisms of the Class II Transactivator, CIITA in Skeletal Muscle |
|
2013 |
Shivani Malik |
Molecular Biology, Microbiology, and Biochemistry |
Regulatory mechanisms of transcription and associated DNA repair |
|
2012 |
Rachael E. Urbanek |
Zoology |
|
|
2011 |
Arjun Kumar Pathak |
Applied Physics |
|
|
2010 |
Abhijit Shukla |
Molecular Biology, Microbiology, & Biochemistry |
Histone posttranslational modifications and gene expressions in Saccharomyces cerevisiae |
|
2009 |
Phillip Julius Wanyerka |
Anthropology |
|
|
2008 |
Mahmud Khan |
Applied Physics |
|
|
2007 |
David John Goldstein |
Anthropology |
|
|
2006 |
John B. Ruhl |
Geography |
|
|
2005 |
Matthew A. Tornow |
Anthropology |
|
|
2004 |
Kelly S. Bender |
Molecular Biology, Microbiology, & Biochemistry |
|
|
2003 |
Saikat Talapatra |
Physics |
Adsorption studies of simple gases on As-produced single-walled carbon nanotubes |
|
2002 |
Keith M. Prufer |
Anthropology |
|
|
2001 |
Timothy W. Pugh |
Anthropology |
|
|
2000 |
Penelope A. McLorg |
Anthropology |
Aging and glycemia in a nonwesternized context: Rural Maya females in Yucatan, Mexico |
|
1999 |
Kevin B. Clark |
Psychology |
|
|
1998 |
Warren D. Anderson |
Anthropology |
Ethnic identity and migration among Mexican wage laborers in southern Illinois |
|
1997 |
Donna J. Maurer |
Sociology |
The vegetarian movement in North America: An examination of collective strategy and movement culture |
|
1996 |
Elizabeth Clark George |
History |
Eliminated from eternity: Animal soul in nineteenth century discourse |
|
1995 |
Liming Zhou |
Anthropology |
|
|
1994 |
Marcelo da Silva Cecim |
Physiology |
Fertility of female transgenic mice expressing the bovine growth hormone gene |
|
1993 |
Kristy Ann Franklin (Neilson) |
Psychology |
|
|
1992 |
(none awarded) |
|
|
|
1991 |
Abdullah Mubarak Al-Gheithi |
Educational Administration & Higher Education |
World-system position, dependency, and higher education expansion: A cross-national study, 1970-1987 |
|
1990 |
Sharon E. Bartholomew-Began |
Plant Biology |
A morphogenetic reevaluation of Haplomitrium Nees (Hepatophyta) |
|
1989 |
William Bruce Masse |
Anthropology |
The archaeology and ecology of fishing in the Belau Islands, Micronesia |
|
1988 |
Jay C. Close |
Geology |
Coal bed methane potential of the Raton Basin, Colorado and New Mexico |
|
1987 |
Klaas Bakker |
Communication Disorders and Sciences |
A comparative investigation of the sensory-motor reaction-times of stutterers and nonstutterers |
|
1987 |
James E. Weber |
Physiology |
Outstanding Thesis Award Recipients
| Year | Name | Department or Program | Thesis |
|---|---|---|---|
|
2023 |
Abeer Matar Almalky |
Computer Science |
Deep Learning for Detecting and Classifying the Growth Stages of Weeds on Fields |
|
2023 |
Elijah Conlin Lockhart |
Creative Writing |
|
|
2022 |
Kendall A. Hyde |
Animal Science |
Preantral Follicle Population, Spatial Distribution, and Ovarian Tissue Autotransplantation in Mares |
|
2022 |
Lauren Lourdes Ramos |
Creative Writing |
|
|
2021 |
Subash Kharel |
Computer Science |
Pothole Detection Using Deep Learning and Area Assessment Using Image Manipulation |
|
2020 |
Sarah Jilek |
English |
Saint Catastrophe |
|
2020 |
Nita Shillova |
Molecular Biology, Microbiology, & Biochemistry |
|
|
2020 |
Survesh Shrestha |
Mechanical Engineering and Energy Processes |
Defect Detection on Rail Base Area Using Infrared Thermography |
|
2019 |
Casey J. Bryan |
Plant Soil and Agricultural Systems |
|
|
2019 |
Samuel Smucker |
Department of Cinema and Photography |
The Baadasssss and The Avant-Garde: The Radical Aesthetics and Politics of Melvin Van Peebles |
|
2018 |
Julia Ryherd |
Geography & Environmental Resources |
|
|
2018 |
Nibedita Sen |
English |
Leviathan |
|
2018 |
Yub Raj Sapkota |
Physics |
Physical Properties of Topological Insulator: Bismuth Selenide Thin Films |
|
2017 |
Kirk Schlueter |
English |
Sugar, Rust, Bone |
|
2016 |
Liana Kirillova |
Historical Studies |
Exceptional Cases of White Ethnic Inclusion in Affirmative Action Policy since 1970 |
|
2015 |
Sudip Pandey |
Physics Department |
Magnetic, Transport, and Magnetocaloric Properties of Boron Doped Ni-Mn-In Alloys |
|
2014 |
Evan R. Walters |
Geology |
|
|
2013 |
Lindsey G. Roberts |
Anthropology |
|
|
2012 |
Ruth Awad |
English |
Maps of a Glass Country |
|
2011 |
Anish Poudel |
Mechanical Engineering and Energy Processes |
|
|
2010 |
Alison Marie Hantak |
Physiology |
|
|
2009 |
Mary M. Coonce |
Physiology |
|
|
2008 |
Gabriel P. Johnson |
Plant Biology |
|
|
2007 |
Forrest M.R. Brem |
Plant Biology |
|
|
2006 |
Jemil Yesuf |
Civil & Environmental Engineering |
|
|
2005 |
Joshua P. Der |
Plant Biology |
|
|
2004 |
Hilda Medalia |
Mass Communication & Media Arts |
|
|
2003 |
Haagen D. Klaus |
Anthropology |
|
|
2002 |
Philip J. Jensik |
Physiology |
Cloning and characterization of P2X receptor channels from larval bullfrog skin |
|
2001 |
Chad S. Briggs |
Psychology |
Supermaximum security prisons and institutional violence : an impact analysis |
|
2000 |
Ernesto Valenzuela |
Agribusiness Economics |
Gravity model application for estimation of interregional trade within the U.S. |
|
1999 |
Steven J.T. Jackson |
Physiology |
|
|
1998 |
Christopher A.P. Nelson |
Philosophy |
Coming to terms with the ineffable : Meister Eckhart, discourse and the divine |
|
1997 |
Charles Kingsley |
Radio-Television |
The therapeutic application of television : an experimental study |
|
1996 |
April L. Jackson |
Physiology |