Ms. Yingyue Juno Liu will take her oral comprehensive examination
All Geography faculty may attend and participate in the oral examination. Geography graduate students and other non-committee members (e.g., family and friends) may attend with prior approval of the student being examined.
Committee:
Arika Ligmann-Zielinska (Chair)
Kyle Evered
Raechel Portelli
Paul B. Thompson (Philosophy)
Ms. Cheyenne Lei will be presenting and defending her dissertation proposal
Title: Albedo on Biofuel Ecosystems: Impact Assessment for Climate & Global Warming Impact 
Two hours will be allowed for the presentation and subsequent questioning. An initial uninterrupted presentation of the proposed research should be 20-30 minutes in length. Anyone, including faculty, students, and staff, is welcome to attend the presentation. The student’s Advisor will moderate the question session that follows, and all Guidance Committee members will actively participate. However, all persons attending may ask questions and offer comments.
Committee members:
Jiquan Chen (chair)
Lifeng Luo
Joseph P. Messina
Philip Robertson (Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences)
Please contact Sharon Ruggles if you would like an electronic copy of the proposal.
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Mr. Jiang Chang will present and defend his dissertation proposal.
Title: The Underprivileged and Displacement: Gentrification in Hong Kong, 1986 to 2016
Two hours will be allowed for the presentation and subsequent questioning. An initial uninterrupted presentation of the proposed research should be 20-30 minutes in length. Anyone, including faculty, students, and staff, is welcome to attend the presentation. The student’s Advisor will moderate the question session that follows, and all Guidance Committee members will actively participate. However, all persons attending may ask questions and offer comments.
Committee members:
Igor Vojnovic (chair)
Guo Chen
Laura Reese (Political Science)
Zeenat Karamchandani-Kotval (School of Planning, Design, and Construction)
If you would like an electronic copy of the proposal, please contact me ruggles@msu.edu
Read More →Greetings!
SWIG is a community for geographers at all levels— faculty, grad, undergrad and staff. If you support women in geography, you’re in! We’re a nation-wide organization developed at Penn State University, and our own chapter was initiated just a few years ago by Dr. Raechel Portelli, Cadi Fung, and April Franke.
Why join SWIG?
Each year SWIG members benefit from activities such as:
1) Guest speakers during a Coffee and Bagels networking hour
2) Mentorship between graduate/undergraduates in Geography
3) Award scholarships to undergrad/s for application fees to graduate school
4) Participate in activities related to Geography Week
5) Volunteer on campus and in the community
6) Collaborate with campus programs on diversity and inclusion
7) Organized game/movie nights and day field-trips
8) Build a sense of comradery and support
That said, our first meeting is meant to bring us all together for some goal-setting as well.
Please join us!
Our energetic advisory board is organizing our very first GEO golf outing, Friday, September 27, at 9 a.m. at Wheatfield Valley in Williamston. Proceeds will go to our Field Experience fund. If you are a good golfer, a marginal one, or just like swinging the club, please join us to have some fun!! See the flyer below for more details.
Michigan Coastal Dunes Symposium 2019: Learning to Live in Dynamic Dunes
Engage with researchers and policy makers. Ask questions and more, and learn how to live in Michigan’s dynamic coastal dunes!
Cost: $35 — includes a continental breakfast and lunch. Parking is free.
Space is limited, and registration is required. Reserve your place today! CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
You are invited to the Environmental Science and Policy Program’s first student-led colloquia series on September 9, 2019 (Monday). This panel discussion and networking event features five food security experts on campus. Free snacks, beverage and food are provided. RSVP to avoid food waste: https://agtechpanel.eventbrite.com See the event information below. Contact the event organizer, Lin Liu (liulin7@msu.edu), if you have any questions. 
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Ms. Victoria Breeze will defend her dissertation
Title: China in African Agriculture: Modeling Narratives, Spillovers, and Investments
The defense will consist of two steps: a 30-60 minute uninterrupted presentation by the student summarizing the dissertation research, and a subsequent two-stage questioning session. Anyone, including faculty, students, and staff, is welcome to attend the presentation and to participate in the initial portion of the question session, which will be moderated by the Advisor. The Advisor and Guidance Committee will ask questions in the second stage of this session. Faculty are welcome to stay for this stage.
Graduate students and other non-committee members (e.g., family and friends) may attend the second questioning stage with the prior permission of the defending student. Successful completion of the defense and approval of the dissertation will be determined by a majority vote of the dissertation committee.
Committee:
Nathan Moore (Chair)
Arika Ligmann-Zielinska
Jianguo ‘Jack’ Liu (Fisheries & Wildlife)
Jaime Monson (History)
Please contact Sharon Ruggles ruggles@msu.edu if you would like an electronic copy of the dissertation.
Read More →Ms. Libbey Kutch will defend her dissertation
Title: INVESTIGATING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN UV-B RADIATION EXPOSURE AND PREECLAMPSIA: A MEDICAL GEOGRAPHY STUDY
The defense will consist of two steps: a 30-60 minute uninterrupted presentation by the student summarizing the dissertation research, and a subsequent two-stage questioning session. Anyone, including faculty, students, and staff, is welcome to attend the presentation and to participate in the initial portion of the question session, which will be moderated by the Advisor. The Advisor and Guidance Committee will ask questions in the second stage of this session. Faculty are welcome to stay for this stage.
Graduate students and other non-committee members (e.g., family and friends) may attend the second questioning stage with the prior permission of the defending student. Successful completion of the defense and approval of the dissertation will be determined by a majority vote of the dissertation committee.
Committee:
Sue Grady (Chair)
Julie Winkler
Sharon Zhong
Masako Fujita (Anthropology)
Please contact Sharon Ruggles ruggles@msu.edu if you would like an electronic copy of the dissertation.
Read More →Ms. April Frake will defend her dissertation
Title: Scaling Irrigation and Malaria Risk in Malawi
The defense will consist of two steps: a 30-60 minute uninterrupted presentation by the student summarizing the dissertation research, and a subsequent two-stage questioning session. Anyone, including faculty, students, and staff, is welcome to attend the presentation and to participate in the initial portion of the question session, which will be moderated by the Advisor. The Advisor and Guidance Committee will ask questions in the second stage of this session. Faculty are welcome to stay for this stage.
Graduate students and other non-committee members (e.g., family and friends) may attend the second questioning stage with the prior permission of the defending student. Successful completion of the defense and approval of the dissertation will be determined by a majority vote of the dissertation committee.
Committee:
Joseph Messina (Chair)
Sue Grady
Leo Zulu
Edward Walker (Microbiology and Molecular Genetics)
Pouyan Nejadhashemi (Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering)
Please contact Sharon Ruggles (ruggles@msu.edu) if you would like an electronic copy of the proposal.
Read More →Mr. Brad Peter will defend his dissertation
Title: Integrated remote sensing and crop system modeling for precision agriculture across spatial and temporal scales.
The defense will consist of two steps: a 30-60 minute uninterrupted presentation by the student summarizing the dissertation research, and a subsequent two stage questioning session. Anyone, including faculty, students, and staff, is welcome to attend the presentation and to participate in the initial portion of the question session, which will be moderated by the Advisor. The Advisor and Guidance Committee will ask questions in the second stage of this session. Faculty are welcome to stay for this stage.
Graduate students and other non-committee members (e.g., family and friends) may attend the second questioning stage with the prior permission of the defending student. Successful completion of the defense and approval of the dissertation will be determined by a majority vote of the dissertation committee.
Committee:
Joseph Messina (Chair)
Leo Zulu
Kyla Dahlin
Sieglinde Snapp (Plant Soil and Microbial Sciences)
Please contact Sharon Ruggles (ruggles@msu.edu) if you would like an electronic copy of the proposal.
Read More →Ms. Shiqi Tao will defend her thesis at the following date and time:
Title: Urban Expansion and Urban Environmental Evaluation in Chengdu, China
The defense will consist of two steps: a 30-60 minute uninterrupted presentation by the student summarizing the thesis research, and a subsequent two-stage questioning session. All faculty and students are welcome to attend the presentation and to participate in the initial portion of the question session, which will be moderated by the Advisor. The Advisor and Guidance Committee will ask questions in the second stage of this session. Geography graduate students and other non-committee members may attend the second questioning stage with permission of the defending student.
Committee:
Jiaguo Qi (chair)
Kyla Dahlin
Carolyn Malmstrom (Plant Biology)
Please contact Sharon Ruggles (ruggles@msu.edu) if you would like to an electronic copy of the thesis.
Read More →Ms. Kara Komoto will defend her thesis
Title: A CLIMATOLOGY OF PERSISTENT HIGH RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR THE LOWER PENINSULA OF MICHIGAN: IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH AND AGRICULTURE.
The defense will consist of two steps: a 30-60 minute uninterrupted presentation by the student summarizing the thesis research, and a subsequent two-stage questioning session. All faculty and students are welcome to attend the presentation and to participate in the initial portion of the question session, which will be moderated by the Advisor. The Advisor and Guidance Committee will ask questions in the second stage of this session. Geography graduate students and other non-committee members may attend the second questioning stage with permission of the defending student.
Committee:
Julie Winkler (chair)
Kyla Dahlin
Martin Chilvers (Plant Soil and Microbial Sciences)
Please contact Sharon Ruggles at, ruggles@msu.edu if you would like to an electronic copy of the thesis.
Read More →Ms. Judith Namanya will present and defend her dissertation proposal
Title: Investigating Uganda’s Persistently High HIV Prevalence among Young Women in an Era of Widespread Gains in HIV Prevention and Treatment
Two hours will be allowed for the presentation and subsequent questioning. An initial uninterrupted presentation of the proposed research should be 20-30 minutes in length. Anyone, including faculty, students, and staff, is welcome to attend the presentation. The student’s Advisor will moderate the question session that follows, and all Guidance Committee members will actively participate. However, all persons attending may ask questions and offer comments
Committee members:
Leo Zulu (Chair)
Sue Grady
Clifford Broman (Sociology)
Robin Miller (Psychology)
Please contact Sharon Ruggles (ruggles@msu.edu) if you would like an electronic copy of the proposal.
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