by Maria Khochinskaya

Congratulations to Mariah Maxwell, Niko Wagner and Sarah Araldi-Brondolo, who have each been awarded Graduate School Summer Dissertation Fellowships.

• As part of her Ph.D. studies in college science teaching, Mariah Maxwell is also pursuing a master's degree in biology.
• Niko Wagner is pursuing his Ph.D. studies in biology and neuroscience, with research focused on how atypical neocortical development causes neurodevelopmental disorders-related behavioral deficits.
• Sarah Araldi-Brondolo is pursuing her Ph.D. studies in the Department of Biology, with her research focusing on examining the impact of microorganisms on plant responses to environmental stress in a changing climate.

Up to 30 dissertation funds are available to advanced doctorate candidates through the Summer Funding Competition. The summer dissertation scholarship awards $4,000 to a chosen group of exceptional Ph.D. candidates to help them complete their dissertations. Funding might be utilized to pay living expenses and/or research-related expenditures.