Graduate School 2025 Research Award Winners

Congratulations to the students selected as recipients of several awards at the recent Graduate Research Symposium, held on Dec. 3, 2025, as well as the winners of the Graduate Dean’s Citation Awards. These awards celebrate the outstanding effort and accomplishments of graduate students enrolled at UNC.

Graduate Research Symposium

Event held Dec. 3, 2025

The Graduate Research Symposium combines Graduate Research Evening and the Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition.

Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Winners

• First place: Taylor Keola Tamanaha, Research Advisor: Laura Stewart, Ph.D. Comparative Effects of Cold Tub and Cold Shower Exposure on Physical and Mental Health
• Second place: Lyndsay McCabe, Special Education Dissertation Chair: Nancy Sileo, Ph.D. LGBTQ+ Adolescents with Disabilities’ Experiences of School Connectedness and Identity Navigation
• Third Place: Caterina Belle Azzarello, Dissertation Chair: Joanna Lewis, Ph.D. Evaluating the Impact of Font on Dyslexic and Non-Dyslexic STEM Student Reading Comprehension and Speed

Hutchinson Lahman Larkins Research Awards

Poster Presentations:

• First place: Cesar Rosales Cordova
• Second place: Peyton Eitemiller
• Third place: Guancheng Liu

Oral Presentations:

• First place: Jordan Petz
• Second place: Bryan Lindstrom-Medina and Christa Haycock
• Third place: Keith Langford

Empowering Students Award, College of Education and Behavioral Sciences

• Cesar Rosales Cordova

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Dean’s Citation Awards

Event held Dec. 12, 2025

Dean’s Citation for Excellence

The Graduate Dean’s Citation for Excellence is awarded to students nominated by their school in recognition of superior academic achievement in graduate studies.

• Mary Hall, Master of Science, Chemistry

Nominated by Bonnie Buss, Melissa Weinrich and Murielle Watzky

• Edwin Rodriguez, Doctor of Philosophy, Sport and Exercise Science —Exercise Physiology Concentration

Nominated by Laura Stewart and Nicholas Pullen

• Isaac Subuloye, Master of Science, Chemistry

Nominated by Murielle Watzky and Aaron Apawu

Dean’s Citation for Outstanding Thesis, Dissertation and Scholarly Project

The Graduate Dean’s Citation for Outstanding Thesis, Dissertation and Scholarly Project is awarded to students recognized for outstanding research in graduate studies.

Dean’s Citation for Outstanding Thesis:

• Ahmad Al Mousa, Master of Science, Chemistry

Exploring Efficient Neuropeptide Extraction Methods for Quantitative Peptidomics and Application in a Principal Central Auditory Nucleus

Nominated by Aaron Apawu (Research Advisor) and Murielle Watzsky

Dean’s Citation for Outstanding Dissertation:

• Diana L. Cruz, Doctor of Philosophy, Special Education

“The goal is to help the community”: Motivations and Experiences of Diverse Families in a Special Education Parent Advocacy Program.

Nominated by Tracy Gershwin (Research Advisor) and Silvia Correa-Torres

Dean’s Citation for Excellence and Outstanding Dissertation:

• Lyndsay McCabe, Doctor of Philosophy, Special Education

LGBTQ+ Adolescents with Disabilities’ Experiences of School Connectedness and Identity Navigation

Nominated by Nancy Sileo (Research Advisor), Sandy Bowen, Tracy Gershwin and Maria Lahman