Graduate Student Dissertation and Thesis Defense Notices

From Patterns To Processes: Limits of Linking Catchment Attributes to Stream DOC and Nitrate Dynamics Across Flow Conditions and Time

Defense: August 7, 2026, 1:00 p.m., Delehanty Hall, Room 101 and Teams

Advisor: Julia N. Perdrial

Degree: Master of Science

Department: Geosciences

Trauma and Substance Use Disorders in People with Opioid Use Disorders 

Defense: August 3, 2026, 12:00 p.m., Teams

Advisor: Timothy Stickle, PhD

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

Department: Clinical Psychology

Characterization of Priming Transients in Spacecraft Propulsion Systems

Defense: July 31, 2026, 1:00 p.m., Teams

Advisor: William Louisos, Ph.D.

Degree: Master of Science

Department: Mechanical Engineering

The Role of Gonadal Hormones and Their Receptors in Sex-Specific Instrumental Learning and Behavior in Rats

Defense: July 29, 2026, 9:30 a.m., Dewey Hall 238

Advisor: Donna Toufexis, Ph.D.

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

Department: Psychological Science

The Economics of Grass-Fed Dairy in the Northeastern United States: Empirical Analysis of the Cost of Production and Consumer Willingness to Pay

Defense: July 28, 2026, 11:30 a.m., Dean’s Conference Room 104, Morill Hall

Advisor: Qingbin Wang

Degree: Master of Science

Department: Community Development & Applied Economics

ATF6 Response to Influenza Infection

Defense: July 22, 2026, 2:00 p.m., Courtyard S-359

Advisor: Dr. Arti Shukla

Degree: Master of Science

Department: Pathology

Understanding First-Generation Support Services at Nesu: A Merger Case Study

Defense: July 22, 2026, 1:30 p.m., 110 James M. Jeffords Hall and Teams

Advisor: Rebecca Callahan, Ph.D.

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

Department: Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

The Angel of the House: A Literary Parallel to Benevolent Sexism in Public and Private Sectors

Defense: July 20, 2026, 10:00 a.m., Teams, angel_in_the_house (3) long (1).pptx

Advisor: Daniel Mark Fogel

Degree: Master of Arts

Department: English

Enclosure, Exposure, and Exclusion: An Exploratory Analysis of Digital Equity and Climate Adaptation in Vermont Correctional Facilities

Defense: July 17, 2026, 11:00 a.m., Aiken 311 and Teams

Advisor: Bindu Panikkar, Ph.D.

Degree: Master of Science

Department: Natural Resources

Pro-Environmental Behavior in the Presence of Social Dilemmas

Defense: July 16, 2026, 10:00 a.m., Farrell Hall, Room 006

Advisors: Dr. Trisha Shrum & Dr. Joshua Farley

Degree: Master of Science

Department: Community Development and Applied Economics

Ecological Pan-Genomics Reveals the Molecular Basis of Adaptive Introgression, Spring Phenology, and Cold Tolerance in Hybrid Poplar Trees

Defense: July 16, 2026, 11:00 a.m., Jeffords 326 and Teams

Advisor: Dr. Stephen Keller

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

Department: Plant Biology

Impacts of Input Cost Inflation on Farm Viability, Livelihoods and Food Security:  Evidence from Nigeria and Vermont

Defense: July 15, 2026, 10:00 a.m., Dean’s Conference Room 104, Morill Hall

Advisor: Dr. Travis Reynolds

Degree: Master of Science

Department: Community Development and Applied Economics