View Larger Image
Faculty and students recite the Affirmation of Scientists at the research induction ceremony. Image by Bryan Clifton

Graduate School Ceremony Celebrates Students’ Advancement Towards a Ph.D.

Sept. 24, 2024 | Students eagerly donned white lab coats during the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Graduate School’s recent research induction ceremony.

The Sept. 9 event, held in the I. Dodd Wilson Education Building with faculty, family and friends in attendance, recognized students who had passed their doctoral qualifying exam and are eligible to begin research on their dissertation.

“The white coat is a symbol of all your achievements here at UAMS so far, and it also marks the fact that you have officially become a Ph.D. candidate. You’re taking a major step in your careers,” said Graduate School Dean Sean Taverna, Ph.D., who presided over his first research induction ceremony since becoming dean Nov. 1, 2023.

“This is a big deal,” he continued. “I thank all of the family, friends, faculty and mentors here who have supported these students. It’s not an easy road to get to this point, and each student is very special.”

Latrina Prince, Ed.D., Graduate School associate dean for academic affairs, introduced program directors, track directors, mentors and students in the ceremonial donning of the white coats.

“It’s a very exciting day. It recognizes a lot of hard work by the students and their mentors — getting through their first two years of classes and their qualifying exam. It’s nice that we can recognize the hard work the students do as they move on to becoming full-fledged Ph.D. candidates,” said Karl Boehme, Ph.D., associate professor in the College of Medicine Department of Microbiology & Immunology and program director for the Graduate Program in Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences (GPIBS).

Educators from the College of Health Professions, College of Medicine, College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy and the College of Public Health comprise the UAMS graduate faculty.

Following the presentation of the white coats, Taverna led faculty and students in the recital of the Affirmation of Scientists, an acknowledgement of the acceptance of the expected standards of honor and integrity.

Doctoral candidates expressed excitement about this significant career step.

“It’s a fabulous feeling,” said pathobiology candidate Usran Ferdous. “You’re recognized as a true scientist, and you feel like you’re responsible for contributing to science.”

“I’m glad my family got to see me,” said Emory Malone, who is studying biochemistry and molecular biology. “I’m ready work and focus in on research.”

“It feels like a new beginning,” said Kennith Swafford, also a biochemistry and molecular biology candidate. “It’s great to be in the lab every day — it’s like a job now.”

“It feels good. I’m very excited to go into the lab and start research,” said pharmaceutical science candidate Tsigereda Weldemichael.

Seeing their students continue in their progression is satisfying for mentors such as Bolni Marius Nagalo, Ph.D.

“It’s fantastic,” said Nagalo, an assistant professor in the College of Medicine Department of Pathology. “It’s fulfilling to give back. I have international students, and I came through the same path, so I enjoy mentoring them not only as a scientist but on how to live here.”

“Faculty and mentors play an important role in the students’ success,” Taverna said. “The mentor a student chooses is one of their most important decisions. The science can change, but the mentorship will always remain with them.”

Track directors such as Mari Davidson, Ph.D., professor in the College of Medicine Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, mentor and guide students through this process.

“The most important time is getting them through the first two years as they establish as a strong relationship with their mentor,” Davidson said.

“It’s always exciting to see the students get to this point,” she added. “They’ve spent all summer preparing for their candidacy exam and passed it — I know it’s a great relief for them.

Doctoral programs, program directors, track directors, Ph.D. candidates, and mentors follow:

Bioinformatics

Program Director: Cesar Compadre, Ph.D., professor in the College of Pharmacy

• Brian Delavan (David Ussery, Ph.D., professor in the College of Medicine Department of Biomedical Informatics)

Biomedical Informatics

Program Director: Horacio Gomez-Acevedo, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine

• Journey Eubank (Fred Prior, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Biomedical Informatics)
• Enamul Hoq (Fred Prior, Ph.D.)

Clinical and Translational Sciences

Program Directors: Robert E. McGehee Jr., Ph.D., dean emeritus of the Graduate School, distinguished professor in the College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics and executive director of the Arkansas Biosciences Institute; Matthias Brochhausen, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Biomedical Informatics, College of Medicine

• Jennifer Rumpel, M.D., assistant professor in the College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics (Robert E. McGehee Jr., Ph.D.; Corey Nagel, Ph.D., associate professor in the College of Nursing)

Epidemiology

Program Director: Mohammed Orloff, Ph.D., associate professor in the Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health

• Anita Joshl (Mohammed Orloff, Ph.D.)

Graduate Program in Interdisciplinary Biomedical Sciences (GPIBS)

Program Director: Karl Boehme, Ph.D., associate professor in the College of Medicine Department of Microbiology & Immunology

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Track Director: Mari Davidson, Ph.D., professor in the College of Medicine Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

• Lokesh Akana (Adam Wolfe, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor in the College of Medicine Department of Radiation Oncology)
• Jaycelyn Hall (Craig Porter, Ph.D., professor in the College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics)
• Emory Malone (Wayne Wahls, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
• Benjamin May (Alicia Byrd, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
• Kennith Swafford (Samantha Kendrick, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)

Cell Biology & Physiology

Track Director: Melda Onal, Ph.D., assistant professor in the College of Medicine Department of Cell Biology & Physiology

• Ana Resende Coelho (Maria Schuller De Almeida, Ph.D., professor in the College of Medicine Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology)
• Alicen W. James (Melda Onal, Ph.D.)

Microbiology & Immunology

Track Director: Jon Blevins, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology

• Meghan Jones (Jason Stumhofer, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology)
• Clayton Matthews (Karl Boehme, Ph.D.)
• Kathleen Pierce (Daniel Voth, Ph.D., vice chancellor for Research and Innovation and professor and chair of the College of Medicine Department of Microbiology & Immunology)

GPIBS Pathobiology

Track Director: Thomas Kelly, Ph.D., professor in the College of Medicine Department of Pathology

• Usran Ferdous (Bolni Marius Nagalo, Ph.D., assistant professor in the College of Medicine Department of Pathology)

Pharmacology, Toxicology, & Experimental Therapeutics

Track Director: Paul Prather, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology

• Jovan Grujičić (Antiño Allen, Ph.D., associate dean of Pipeline and Career Development in the Graduate School and a professor in the College of Pharmacy)

Health Promotion & Prevention Research

Program Director: George Pro, Ph.D., assistant professor in the College of Public Health Department of Health Behavior and Health Education

• Alice Alexandra Gardner (Tiffany Haynes, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education; Dina Jones, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education)
• Ishu Karki (Alexandra Marshall, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education)
• Lachan E. Siebenmorgen (Alexandra Marshall, Ph.D.)

Health Systems & Services Research

Program Director: Mick Tilford, Ph.D., professor in the College of Public Health

• Melanie Boyd (Clare Brown, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management; Kelsey Owsley, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management)
• Roberto J. Bravo (Jure Baloh, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management)
• Aygul Tarlan (Mandana Rezaeiahari, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management)
• William P. Watson (Clare Brown, Ph.D.)

Pharmaceutical Evaluation & Policy

Program Director: Jacob Painter, Pharm.D., Ph.D., associate professor in the College of Pharmacy Division of Pharmaceutical Evaluation & Policy

• Nahed O. Elhassan, M.D., professor in the College of Medicine Department of Pediatrics (Bradley Martin, Pharm.D., Ph.D., professor in the College of Pharmacy Department of Pharmacy Practice)
• Ruston Koonce (Bradley Martin, Pharm.D., Ph.D.)

Pharmaceutical Sciences

Program Director: Antiño Allen, Ph.D., associate dean of Pipeline and Career Development in the Graduate School and a professor in the College of Pharmacy

• Christopher Godwin (Nukhet Aykin-Burns, Ph.D., associate professor in the College of Pharmacy)
• Baha’a Jabali (Brendan Frett, Ph.D., assistant professor in the College of Pharmacy Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences)
• Tsigereda Weldemichael (Antiño Allen, Ph.D.)
  

  Faculty, family and friends attend the ceremony at the I. Dodd Wilson Education Building.Image by Bryan Clifton