While packing her bags to return to campus, Casey Zipfel was eager to don her doctoral regalia again and reunite with former lab mates. Alongside fellow alumnae Nohora Arrieta Fernández and Katherine O’Connell, she returned to campus for the 2023 Doctoral Hooding Ceremony to receive the prestigious Harold N. Glassman Distinguished Dissertation Award.
Each year, the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences recognizes three outstanding doctoral dissertations in the humanities, sciences and social sciences. Eligible nominees must have successfully defended their dissertation in the graduation cycle prior to the year of the award. They are judged by topic rather than by the student’s department or discipline; thus, interdisciplinary projects can win in unexpected categories.
This year’s awardees, notably all women, impressed the faculty committee who evaluated a strong pool of candidates put forth by their doctoral programs. Their dissertations, each unique, timely and incredibly impactful, embody the level of academic rigor and scholarly passion that the Graduate School aims to instill in each of its doctoral candidates.