Each year, the Graduate Council solicits nominations for the most outstanding theses/dissertations from the previous year. These award winners will be recognized during NIU’s annual Outstanding Graduate Student Recognition Reception planned for Tuesday, April 26 at 3 p.m. in the Altgeld Auditorium. This year, the Graduate School Student Awards Committee selected one dissertation and one thesis from each of the two categories:
Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, and Education
The Outstanding Dissertation Award ($750 prize) went to Dr. JoAnn LoSavio in the Department of History for her dissertation titled “Modern Mandala: A Transnational History of Southeast Asians from Burma, Malaya, and Thailand, 1950-1970”. Dr. LoSavio’s dissertation directors were Professor Trudy Jacobsen from the Department of History and Professor Andy Bruno, director of graduate studies for the Department of History.
The Outstanding Thesis Award ($500 prize) went to Maw Maw Tun in the Department of English for the thesis titled “Learners’ Perceptions of Willingness to Communicate in Myanmar”. Professor Emerita Doris Macdonald from the Department of English and Professor Scott Balcerzak , director of graduate studies for the Department of English were Dr. Tun’s thesis directors
Health Sciences & STEM
The Outstanding Dissertation Award ($750 prize) went to Dr. Xinyu “Judy” Hu in the Department of Psychology for her dissertation titled “Regaining Inbox Control: Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Demands, Work Rumination, and Well-Being”. Her dissertation co-directors were Professor Alecia Santuzzi from the Department of Psychology at NIU, Larissa Barber from the Department of Psychology at San Diego State University, and Kevin Wu, director of graduate studies, Department of Psychology.
The Outstanding Thesis Award ($500 prize) went to Sarah Fleck in the Department of Mechanical Engineering for her thesis titled “Physical and Mechanical Properties of Magnesium Incorporated Bone Substitute Materials”. Her thesis director was Professor Sahar Vahabzadeh and Professor Tariq Shamim, chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Distinguished Graduate Faculty Award
The Graduate School Faculty Awards Committee met on Oct. 7 to select recipients of the 2021 Distinguished Graduate Faculty Award. The following two faculty members were selected and will be recognized at the December and May graduate commencement ceremonies. See below which ceremony they will be participating in:
- Dr. Timothy J. Hagen, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry – December 2021 Graduate Commencement Ceremony — Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021 at 2 p.m.
- Dr. Brad Sagarin, Department of Psychology – May 2022 Graduate Commencement Ceremony – Friday, May 13, 2022 time TBA
