Nadya Vera, who begins her doctoral studies this fall in sociology, wants to be a problem solver. And it all started when she rescued a dog. Vera is one of five PhD students recently honored as Tennessee Doctoral Fellows. Tennessee Doctoral Fellows are chosen every three years; this is only the second group of fellows at UT. The fellowships are funded by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and UT’s Graduate School.

Since taking her first physics class and learning about electricity and magnetism, Maria Virginia White has been drawn to the study of electrons and quantum mechanics. White, from Buenos Aires, Argentina, is a second-year PhD student who expects to complete her degree in quantum chemistry in another four years. She is one of five PhD students recently honored as Tennessee Doctoral Fellows.

Julian Cosner, who begins his PhD studies this fall in entomology and plant pathology, has set his sights on an area that’s just taking root: pest management for the industrial hemp industry in the southeastern United States. Cosner, from the Fountain City area of Knoxville, is one of five PhD students recently honored as Tennessee Doctoral Fellows.

Kayla Jones began volunteering at the Norton’s Children’s Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky—two hours away from her hometown in Columbia—when she was in grade school. Touched by some of the young patients she met, she began raising money to fight pediatric cancer. She even wrote a young adult novel about a girl fighting cancer to help in raising funds for pediatric oncology. Now Jones is taking her desire to help young cancer patients a step further: she is beginning a doctoral program in the College of Nursing with the goal of doing research that will improve cancer treatments. Read more about Kayla Jones, the incredible work she has already done, and how the PhD program at UT will allow her to do even more.

Charli Kerns, a PhD student in the School of Journalism and Electronic Media, was recently featured in Tennessee Today. An avid action sports enthusiast, her research focuses on how action sports media can help re-imagine issues of gender in sport and culture. Read more about Charli, her dissertation research, and the ups and downs of whitewater canoeing.

Laura Smith, a PhD student in Geography, has been taking up research on tree rings begun in the 1930s and her research has made it into various media outlets. Florence Hawley started research on tree rings to understand long-term weather patterns in the Norris Basin, while working with the Tennessee Valley Authority. 80 years later, Smith is continuing the work by the trailblazing researcher, using new technologies available to the field. Besides moving the research forward, Smith wants the world to know more about Florence Hawley, her work, and her challenges. Read more about Laura Smith’s work in the Chattanooga Free Press, and hear her as she talks about her research and Florence Hawley in Science Minute.

Joe Strong combined his frustration with the health insurance industry and a lifelong interest in neurology and is now a PhD candidate in the College of Social Work. The Office of Research and Engagement recently told his story, giving him the opportunity to discuss how he hopes to show the benefits of VR technology to assist older adults with early to moderate dementia.

Nigerian-born Chidimma Nwaneri will graduate from the UT College of Law this month. After Nwaneri completes her bar exam in July, she plans to return to Nigeria to begin planting seeds that she hopes will make a difference for other girls who want to pursue their education. Read more about Chidimma Nwaneri at the College of Law.

Chase Moore, a native of Dallas, Georgia, will receive a law degree during spring commencement at noon Friday, May 10, and soon after will join the Navy as a JAG Corps officer. “Service to others is at the core of my upbringing and part of what drew me into the Volunteer family,” Moore said. “I see no more attractive way to use my legal education than to serve our country and the service members who work so hard to support it.” Read more about Chase’s story in Tennessee Today.

Nick Giecek graduates in May with a master’s degree in recreation and sport management with a concentration in therapeutic recreation. Giecek, who played ice hockey and lacrosse at Knoxville Catholic High School, wanted to work in sports when he came to UT for his bachelor’s degree in recreation and sport management. But it wasn’t until attending Camp Koinonia as a counselor during his sophomore year that he realized he wanted to make adaptive sports his career. Read more about Giecek future plans and his contributions as the Adaptive Recreation program’s first graduate assistant.