Dr. Vaishali Raval and Global Initiatives’s Karla Guinigundo were recently awarded $100K from the US Mission India Public Diplomacy Grants Program to support their project entitled, “Using Best Practices to Promote Internationalization of Higher Education in India in Collaboration with US Partnerships.” The project is designed to develop models for higher education in India. The program will run throughout the calendar year of 2021 to encourage institutional partnerships between universities in the United States and in India. Congrats Vaishali!

Congratulations goes to Elizabeth Sneddon-Yepez, who was just awarded a prestigious F99/K00 NIH Blueprint Diversity Specialized Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Advancement in Neuroscience (D-SPAN) Award from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke!

Elizabeth is now in her fourth year of the BCD doctoral program, with Anna Radke as her advisor. Her research explores the brain systems that control behavior and how substance abuse can alter these brain systems and the neural networks associated with behavior. In particular, she is interested in the neuroplasticity of alcohol addiction.

This two-phase award facilitates completion of the doctoral dissertation (F99; up to two years of support) and the transition of talented graduate students to strong neuroscience research postdoctoral positions (K00; up to four years of support), providing career development opportunities relevant to their long-term career goal of becoming independent neuroscience researchers.

Elizabeth’s F99 will provide her with support for the next two years to complete her dissertation work here at Miami. Congrats to Elizabeth and to her mentor Anna Radke for this well-deserved recognition!

Elizabeth Sneddon-Yepez was named a recipient of the Smith Promise Award. Her faculty advisor is Dr. Anna Radke. The Smith Promise Award is awarded to an exceptional graduate student studying behavioral neuroscience. Elizabeth’s exceptional scholarship modeling gender and alcohol addiction coupled with her commitment to mentorship (e.g., DUOS award winner), service to her discipline (e.g., President of the Ohio Miami Valley Brain Bee), and support for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts in the department (e.g., grad representative for Diversifying Psychology Day) make her an deserving recipient of this honor. Congrats Elizabeth!

Also, Max Teaford was named the recipient of the Dorothy Jean Smith Award. His faculty mentor is Dr. Jay Smart. The Dorothy Jean Smith award recognizes a graduate student studying spatial memory. Max’s research examining physiological factors in spatial localization and his successes as an instructor (e.g., Psi Chi Graduate Student of the Year) make him an deserving recipient of this honor. Congrats Max!

The Department of Psychology Awards Committee is pleased to announce that Cynthia Wang is the recipient of this year’s Patten Prize, which is awarded annually to a top senior in the Department of Psychology. Her faculty advisor is Dr. Chris Wolfe. She has been deeply involved with research in the Psychology of Medical Decision Making lab on text comprehension (related to both medicine and the law). Congratulations Cynthia!

Congratulations go to PSY majors Manuel Acuna and Brandon Arnold for being named Dean’s Scholars for the 2020-21 academic year. Acuna will be conducting research with advisor Dr. Jenn Quinn, and Arnold will be conducting research with advisor Dr. Anna Radke. Dean’s Scholars are competitive recognitions (only about 30 students in the entire College receive them each year) that provide high-qualified students and their mentors with professional expenses to support their scholarly work. Congrats to Manual, Brandon, Jenn, and Anna!

Psi Chi president Mackenzie Trevethan announced the 2020 recipients of the Psi Chi’s Faculty and Graduate Student of the Year awards. These honors are based on nominations and subsequent voting from our psychology majors. Brooke Cropenbaker was named Psi Chi Faculty Member of the Year and Max Teaford was named Psi Chi Graduate Student of the Year. Congrats to Brooke (this is her fourth time receiving this honor since joining our faculty in 2009) and Max (Jay Smart, advisor)!

The Department of Psychology is pleased to announce that Alejandro Trujillo has been selected as Dissertation Scholar for the 2020-21 AY. Alejandro studies the processes underlying, and the consequences resulting from, social belongingness in areas including self-harm and intergroup relations. The Dissertation Scholarship will allow him to devote his full time to his dissertation work next year. Congrats to Alejandro (and his advisor, Heather Claypool)!

The Department of Psychology is also pleased to announce that the faculty have recommended that six of its graduate students be recognized with the Patrick J. Capretta Memorial Scholarship: Pankhuri Aggarwal (Vaishali Raval, advisor), Mitch Dandignac (Chris Wolfe, advisor), Joey Fredrick (Aaron Luebbe, advisor), Katie Knauft (Vrinda Kalia, advisor), Shelby Ortiz (April Smith, advisor), and Randi Phelps (Liz Kiel, advisor). The Capretta Scholarship recognizes the creation and dissemination of graduate student research and scholarship. Congrats to all of our Capretta recipients and their advisors!

Congratulations go out to Sarah Adut, who won the Graduate School’s Three Minute Thesis competition on Tuesday evening, April 28, 2020. Her presentation on “The Imagery of Desire” was recognized with the First Place award and a $500 cash prize. She was among 10 finalists who took part in the final round. Congratulations also go out to Mitch Dandignac, who was also a finalist with his presentation on “The Arena of Medical Information and Misinformation.” Finally, kudos go out to Sarah’s (Josh Magee) and Mitch’s (Chris Wolfe) advisors as well!