December doctoral students graduate with distinction
In December 2025, the Graduate School conferred 197 PhD degrees. Of those, 40 were awarded distinction, an honor given when all readers unanimously recognize the work as outstanding scholarship. The distinguished graduates represent programs across the Graduate School.
For his dissertation, José Aravena ’25PhD (public health) focused on reducing dementia risk by identifying and promoting social determinants of health. He developed an interactive guide for Alzheimer’s prevention, tailored to the Indigenous community where he conducted fieldwork. Aravena is now an assistant professor at the University of Chile.
Frankie Barrett ’25PhD (American studies) focused on the history of corporate dollar stores and the political economy of the US South. Her dissertation research underscores the intersections of business, consumer, and labor histories. She’s currently a postdoctoral fellow at UNC–Chapel Hill.
For his dissertation, social psychologist Arin Korkmaz ’25PhD (psychology) focused on the role of learning and memory processes in impression updating, or how and when we change our minds about others. He is continuing his research as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Toronto.
Vertebrate paleontologist Dalton Meyer ’25PhD (Earth and planetary sciences) was part of a team that identified a new species of lizard during his dissertation research. He used micro-CT scanning to reexamine previously identified fossils from the Dinosaur National Monument in Utah. He is continuing his research and teaching classes at Roanoke College in Virginia.
December 2025 graduates will take part in commencement exercises on May 18.
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