Welcome back to campus and to the start of the fall semester! As we begin to settle in to the academic year, I want to highlight some of our newest resources and initiatives related to graduate education.

Kevin is a fifth-year master’s student from North Kingstown, RI. He completed his undergraduate degree with honors in Comparative Literature in English and Spanish in May 2019.

“It is such a privilege to work with people who are beautiful human beings—on the inside and out—that I genuinely enjoy being around. I am especially grateful for the families in the Ola Tuputupua’e study who have welcomed us into their homes and trust us with their information to understand how children are growing up in Samoa,” she says of her experiences thus far.

The Graduate Student Council welcomes all graduate students to another productive and meaningful year. We are excited to continue our mission serving as the official liaisons between all graduate students and the University, as well as fostering a broader sense of community across programs.

Political Science PhD student Rob Grace was recently awarded the Peace Scholar Dissertation Fellowship for his research on the politics of humanitarian action, with a particular emphasis on humanitarian access obstruction.

Eight doctoral students were awarded Global Mobility Research Fellowships for the 2019-20 academic year:

Théo Lepage-Richer, a third-year PhD student in Modern Culture and Media, was recently selected for a Doctoral Fellowship by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

Graduate students Watufani Poe, Katherine Freeze and Geoffrey Wildanger have recently completed their Fulbright year with research in Brazil, Tajikistan and Germany respectively. They share highlights of their research and study, key moments from the year and advice for future Fulbright applicants.

Graduate students from across campus groups have joined together to plan and execute a number of events this summer.

The Open Graduate Education Program at Brown grants select doctoral students the opportunity to pursue a master’s degree in a secondary field. The Open Graduate Education program enables students to bridge two research areas in collaborative and engaging ways, further advancing their studies in each field.

Amanda earned her PhD in Africana Studies and is currently working as the Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellow and as Assistant Professor/Faculty Fellow at the Marron Institute of Urban Management at New York University. She was also recently elected as a New Alumni Trustee on the Corporation for Brown University.

Prateek is from Odisha, India and has lived in Poland, Australia, Cuba, Austria, Sudan, and now the United States. He completed his undergraduate degree in Business Administration and Economics from Marist College. Read about his passion for policy and how his experience at Brown to date.

Gabriela Manzano Nieves is interested in the effects of early life stress (ELS) on brain development. A doctoral student in Neuroscience, her research uses mice as models to determine how ELS may delay and/or alter brain growth. Yet, Manzano Nieves’ interests lie beyond the purely scientific. Using science to aid in the crafting of sound and just public policy is also a key part of her work.

Master’s student Yvonne Navarrete is the Ruth J. Simmons Urban Education Policy Scholarship recipient for 2019. She is excited to be learning from experts in the field of education and to develop the skills needed to evaluate and understand the world of urban education politics and policies.

The 2019 Joukowsky Family Foundation Outstanding Dissertation Awards will be awarded to Reyhan Durmaz, William Jordan, Evgenios Kornaropoulos and Florian Gunsilius as they receive their doctoral degrees from Brown University on May 26.

Vanessa Ryan and Laura Sobik will receive the 2019 Graduate Student Council (GSC) Wilson-DeBlois and Bates-Clapp awards. Each year the GSC honors two staff members recognized by remarkable contributions to graduate students and the Graduate School.

Horace Mann Medal Awarded to Professor of Physiology and Biophysics

Four graduate students received the honor of being recognized for their teaching skills at the University Award Ceremony on April 29. David Abel (Computer Science), Kimberly Lewis (Anthropology), John Santiago (Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry) and Abner Santos (Portuguese and Brazilian Studies) all received incredible recommendations from faculty and former students.

Robinson’s role at the Graduate School involves assisting with the management and administration of distinctive opportunity programs such as Open Graduate Education, Research Matters, Brown Executive Scholar Training (BEST) and more.

Marlin is a third-generation Afro-Cuban raised in Michigan and New York. He received a master’s degree in Political Economics from Columbia University and his bachelor’s degree in International Affairs, Political Science and Latino Studies from the University of Michigan.

Sarah Cabral is a fourth-year student in the Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry program and a Brown University Presidential Fellow. She shares how her love of science has grown into a love of teaching.

Laura Garbes, Kirun Sankaran, Karina Santamaria, and Federico Zangani will teach at Wheaton College during the 2019-2020 academic year.

Erendina earned her master’s in Public Humanities from Brown. She is currently an Associate Curator of History at the Oakland Museum of California and has earned awards from the American Alliance of Museums and the National Council on Public History.

Ellis is from Houston, Texas and completed her undergraduate degree in Biology at Northeastern University. Read about her passion for global health and education and post-graduation plans.

Ten doctoral and master's students are exploring university administration as part of the ninth cohort of the Brown Executive Scholars Training program.

Lucas is from San Francisco, CA. He received his undergraduate degree in Playwriting & Art History from DePaul University in Chicago.

Anson Cheung, a second-year PhD student in Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, studies climate history to determine ways to best adapt to future climate change. He is a Brown University Presidential Fellow.

Zak earned his PhD from Brown in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry (MCB). He studied the cells that give rise to eggs and sperm using marine animals. Today, his research focus has expanded to the sea star. He reflects on how his time at Brown has shaped his early research career.

Robert (Bobby) Thorn is a recent graduate of the Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry (MCB) program at Brown. His dissertation focused on the brain and behavioral development and regeneration of zebrafish.

Johnny Page is from Storrs, Connecticut. He received his undergraduate degrees in Music with a focus on History, Theory and Composition and in Neuroscience from Brown University. While pursuing his Master’s, he continues combining his passion for music and science.

Joseph Meisel, a higher education leader, historian and humanities scholar was appointed in October 2018 as the Joukowsky Family University Librarian at Brown. He previously served as the Deputy Provost for eight years. Hear his thoughts on the new role and ways to enhance current and future services for graduate students.

As Associate Dean of Students and Director of Student and Employee Accessibility Services (SEAS), Catherine Axe ’87, along with her colleagues Jonathan Corey and Desirae Mix coordinate disability related accommodations and services at Brown.

Graduate Women in Science and Engineering (GWiSE) is a student organization with the mission of creating a community that supports women in the STEM fields.

Nick is from Rhinebeck, NY. He is a 5th-year master’s student who completed his undergraduate degree in sociology.

Although many colleges and universities, including Brown, have taken steps towards increasing diversity in their student populations, Latino students are still severely underrepresented in higher education and more so in advanced degree fields.

Abdulwahab is from Makkah, Saudi Arabia, and earned a bachelor’s degree in Physics from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals.

Kumar is the Assistant Director for Co-Curricular Initiatives, Brown Center for Students of Color.