Defenses: Master's and Doctoral

Katie Miller

Date: October 21, 2025, 3:00 p.m.

Location: Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Science Campus, Grosvenor South, Room S116 (if available). 

Thesis Title: Assessment of Reproductive Characteristics of Blacknose Sharks (C. acronotus) and Sandbar Sharks (C. plumbeus) near Miami, Florida

Corin O'Shea

Date: October 22, 2025, 10:00 a.m.

Hybrid Defense, Medical Campus. In-Person: RMSB, Room 6018. Virtual via Zoom: Contact corinoshea@miami.edu, to request access.

Dissertation Title: Understanding and Extending the N-Degron

Yujie Wang

Date: October 23, 2025, 12:30 p.m.

Location: Coral Gables Campus, McArthur Engineering Bldg., Room 289. 

Dissertation Title: Advanced Heterogeneous Recurrence Analysis of Complex Spatial-Temporal Dynamics with Biomedical Applications

Mistoria Brown

Date: October 29, 2025, 1:00 p.m.

Hybrid Defense, Coral Gables Campus. In-Person: Center for Global Black Studies, Room 306. Virtual via Zoom: Contact mkb140@miami.edu, to request access.

Dissertation Title: The Wealth We Carry: Mapping Literate Identity Across Affinity Spaces

Lais Lautenschlager Rodrigues

Date: October 31, 2025, 12:20 p.m.

Hybrid Defense, Coral Gables Campus. In-Person: Cox Science Bldg., Room 166. Virtual via Zoom: Contact lais.lrodrigues@miami.edu, to request access.

Dissertation Title: Dietary Ecological Functioning of a Large Herbivore in a Tropical Forest

Michele Serita Mayne

Date: November 4, 2025, 10:00 a.m.

Hybrid Defense, Coral Gables Campus. In-Person: Merrick Bldg., Room 122A. Virtual via Zoom: Contact mxm193734@miami.edu to request access.

Dissertation Title: Understanding Barriers and Decision-Making Pathways in Drug Addiction Treatment: A Community-Based Study on Black/African Americans in Miami-Dade County

Francisco Cardozo Macias

Date: November 5, 2025, 12:00 p.m.

Virtual Defense, Medical Campus. 

Dissertation Title: Integrating Generative AI into Prevention Science: Using Large Language Models to Enhance the Implementation of Preventive Interventions

Yaxin Liu

Date: March 20, 2026, 10:00 a.m.

Hybrid Defense, Coral Gables Campus. In-Person: Frost South Studio, Charles Mason's Office. 

Doctoral Essay Title: From Brushstrokes to Soundwaves: Reinterpreting Chinese Calligraphic Aesthetics in Contemporary Music