College Salutes the Class of 2017
College of Science 2017 University Medalists.Photo by the LSU College of Science
LSU Awards Record Number of Degrees
Commencement 2017 marked a record-breaking year for the university as LSU graduated its largest and most diverse class. The celebration began with the university's main ceremony at 8 a.m. followed by 11 diploma ceremonies including the College of Science ceremony at 5 p.m. in Maddox Fieldhouse. More than 350 undergraduate and graduate students received degrees from the College of Science contributing to 4,163 degrees awarded, which set a record of 6,562 degrees awarded during an academic year.
LSU alumnus and U.S. Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy served as the keynote speaker for the ceremony. Click here to listen to Senator Cassidy’s advice to our newest graduates.
The Class of 2017 included 24 university medalists, students graduating with the high grade point averages, and 117 graduating with Latin honors. The class also included a graduate commissioned as an Ensign in the United States Navy and three recognized in the 2017 Class of the Tiger Twelve, which acknowledges students who hold themselves to the highest standards of academic, personal and social integrity.
Our graduates come from seven countries, 21 states and 34 parishes within Louisiana and are equally divided as far as gender with 50 percent of the graduates men and 50 percent women. A list of the May 2017 graduates is below.
LSU College of Science | May 2017 Graduates
MASTER OF SCIENCE CANDIDATES
The graduates listed below are receiving the Master of Science degree in their respective disciplines. Students who completed a thesis option are listed with their departmental advisor.
Charlotte Dibrell Bauer, Natural Sciences
Seth Jacob Camp, Physics
Advisor: Professor Mette B. Gaarde
Resonant Interactions in Strong Field Laser Physics
Christopher Phillip Cericola, Mathematics
Jeffrey Covington, Biological Sciences
Advisors: Professors Jacqueline Stephens and Eric Ravussin
The Effects of Aerobic Exercise and Lipolytic Stimulation on Skeletal Muscle and Adipose Expression of Perilipin 3 (PLIN3) in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes and Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Lauren Emily Cowie, Mathematics
Matthew DeCesare, Geology
Advisor: Professor Philip Bart
How, why and when did the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Retreat in the Ross Sea Since the Last Glacial Maximum Using Foraminiferal and Porewater Geochemistry
Steve Matthew Deese, Chemistry
Advisor: Professor Jayne Garno
Studies of the Properties of Designed Nanoparticles Using Atomic Force Microscopy
Siddieg Omer Elsiddieg, Chemistry
Advisor: Professor Andrew W. Maverick
Preparation and Properties of Pyridazine-aldoxime and beta-Retoenamine Metal Complexes
Richard Alexander Frnka, Mathematics
Advisor: Professor Karl Mahlburg
Asymptotic Formulae for Restricted Unimodal Sequences
James Frye, Mathematics
Shana Ballard Garrett, Biological Sciences
Advisor: Professor Gregg Pettis
A Molecular Investigation of Biofilm and Polysaccharide Phase Variation in Marine Vibrio spp.
Mitchell Clifford Gregory, Geology
Kevin Gryger, Geology
Zachary Lane Highland, Chemistry
Advisor: Professor Jayne C. Garno
Atomic Force Microscopy Studies of Protein Nanopatterns and Gold Thin Films
Andrew Robert Holmes, Mathematics
Advisor: Professor Patrick Gilmer
On the Skein Theory of 0-framed Surgery Along the Trefoil Knot
Kyle Devin Istvan, Mathematics
Advisor: Professor Oliver Dasbach
Manifestations of Symmetry in Polynomial Knot and Link Invariants
Kyle Christopher Joerres, Physics
Tara N. Jonell, Geology
Advisor: Professor Peter D. Clift
Quaternary River Erosion Provenance and Climate Variability in NW Himalaya and Vietnam
Claire Rochelle Jones, Geology
Kundan Vaman Kadam, Physics
Advisor: Professor Geoffrey C. Clayton
Numerical Simulations of Mass Transfer in Close and Contact Binaries Using Bipolytropes
Spencer Ellis Kennon, Mathematics
Alaina Kneiling, Natural Sciences
Nerissa Abigail Lewis, Chemistry
Advisor: Professor Luigi Marzilli
N-Donor Ligands as Potential Linkers for Bioconjugation
Jianbo Ma, Chemistry
Surabhi Maheshwari, Biological Sciences
Advisor: Professor Michal Brylinski
Structure-Based Prediction of Protein-Protein Interaction Networks Across Proteomes
Bryce Allen Mathis, Geology
Abigail Arielle Maxwell, Geology
Austin James McGlannan, Geology
Qianli Meng, Chemistry
Advisor: Professor Graca Vicente
Design Synthesis Characterization and Evaluation of Near Infrared BODIPY Dyes for Various Applications
Conrad Wilson Moore, Physics
Advisor: Professor Mark Jarrell
Transfer Matrix Method and Multifractal Study of Disordered Superconducting and Non-Superconducting Systems
Martial James Morrison, Geology
Marshall Douglas Moulis, Chemistry
Advisor: Professor George Stanley
Hydroformylation and Aldehyde-Water Shift Catalysis by Dirhodium Tetraphosphine Complexes
Meg O’Connor, Geology
Elizabeth Akinyi Okoth, Chemistry
Advisor: Professor Graca Vicente
Synthesis Characterization and Biological Evaluation of Monoisomeric Zinc Phthalocyanines for Imaging and Photodynamic Therapy
Elizabeth Dalton Olson, Geology
Shashika Petta Mestrige, Mathematics
Rashanique Deondria Quarels, Chemistry
Advisor: Professor Justin Ragains
Applications of Visible Light Photocataylsis for the Formation of Organic Thin Fims on Au(111) Surfaces and the Development of Bronsted Acid-catalyzed O-glycosylations Using Thioglycosides
David Edward Rau, Geology
Mohammad Saghayezhian, Physics
Advisors: Professors E. W. Plummer and Jiandi Zhang
Manipulating Physical Properties of Complex Materials by Processing
Lucius Traylor Schoenbaum, Mathematics
Advisor: Professor Daniel S. Sage
Towards Theory and Applications of Generalized Categories in Areas of Type Theory and Categorical Logic
Glenn F. Seeholzer, Biological Sciences
Advisor: Professor Robb T. Brumfield
Patterns of Diversification in the Neotropical Bird Radiation Furnuriidae
Elizabeth F. Sutton, Biological Sciences
Advisor: Professor Leanne Redman
Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 is a Novel Protein Sensor in Pregnancy
Lokendra Singh Thakur, Mathematics
Advisor: Professor Robert Lipton
Reduced Order Models for Beam-Wave Interaction in High Power Microwave Sources
Michael Perrin Tullier, Chemistry
Advisor: Professor John A. Pojman
Thiol-Acrylate Polymerization Kinetics and Applications in Microfluidics
Marissa Beth Walker, Physics
Advisor: Professor Gabriela Gonzales
The Effects of Instrumental Noise on Searches for Generic Transient Gravitational Waves in Advanced LIGO
Chen Wang, Biochemistry
Advisor: Professor Bing Hao Luo
The Functional and Structural Studies of a Bacterial Ice Binding Protein
Trudy Lynn Watkins, Geology
Christopher Michael Wray, Geology
Kyle Zulpo, Natural Sciences
UNIVERSITY MEDALISTS
The University Medal for “Highest Academic Achievement” is awarded at each commencement to undergraduate students graduating with the highest grade point average. The students listed below have maintained a 4.0 GPA.
Zachary Aguilar
Biological Sciences
Preston Bivona
Biological Sciences
Sarah Bond
Biological Sciences
Harley Bordelon
Biological Sciences
Morgan Brown
Biological Sciences
Hannah Bunch
Biochemistry
Colleen Cecola
Biological Sciences
Nicole Dominique
Microbiology
Elizabeth Forgey
Biological Sciences
Ryan Guedry
Biological Sciences
Sarah Hahn
Chemistry
Biochemistry
Elizabeth Heinen
Biological Sciences
Lena Kawji
Biochemistry
Simon Lorenzo
Physics
Carver Montgomery
Biological Sciences
Christopher Peck
Biological Sciences
Camille Prejean
Biological Sciences
Ryan Riley
Biological Sciences
Victoria Robert
Biological Sciences
Todd Veale
Microbiology
William Wall
Biological Sciences
Angela Yoon
Biological Sciences
COLLEGE HONORS & UPPER DIVISION HONORS
The students listed below have distinguished themselves by completing either College Honors or Upper Division Honors.
College Honors students earn a minimum of 32 semester hours of honors courses and complete research and a senior thesis under the direction of a faculty advisor. Upper Division Honors students earn a minimum of 12 semester hours of honors courses as upperclassmen and complete research and a senior thesis under the direction of a faculty advisor.
Sarah Elizabeth Bond
Biological Sciences
Dr. Grover Waldrop
Sarah Alyssa Brantley
Biological Sciences
Dr. Mark Batzer
Ashley Michelle Curran
Biochemistry
Dr. Grover Waldrop
Joshua David Edwards
Microbiology
Dr. Marcia Newcomber
Katherine Stewart Henry
Biological Sciences
Dr. Gary King
John Christian Johnson
Biochemistry
Dr. Maheshi Dassanayake
Nikka Yu Khorsandi
Biological Sciences
Dr. Evanna Gleason
Blake Peter Kruger
Chemistry
Dr. Louis Haber
Simon Gabriel Lorenzo
Physics
Dr. Jonathan Dowling
Taylor Lynne Millar
Biological Sciences
Dr. Jacqueline Stephens
George Karl Owen
Mathematics
Dr. Susanne Brenner
Camille Inez Prejean
Biological Sciences
Dr. James Moroney
Jordan Skye Renschler
Biological Sciences
Dr. Evanna Gleason
Emily Ann Ribando-Gros
Mathematics
Dr. Peter Wolenski
Joshua Blake Schwartzenburg
Biological Sciences
Dr. James Moroney
Irene Vargas-Salazar
Physics
Dr. Bradley Schaefer
Angela Yoon
Biological Sciences
Dr. Morgan Kelly
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE CANDIDATES
DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Biochemistry
Margaret Grace Agosta SRT
Scott Palmer Beckman
Kaitlyn Marie Bland
Bryce Joseph Bonin
James Robert Briscoe
Hannah Elizabeth Bunch Honors
Bradford Wells Calvit
Taylor Leigh Coomes
Ashley Michelle Curran Honors
Jewel Marie Datri Honors
Anthony Ramon Davila (Physics) (Interdisciplinary Studies)
Anthony James Domma (Microbiology), CxC
Trelane Maurice Dunn
Madelinn Rose Fink Honors
Anna-Claire Fontenot Honors
Tara Katherine Gilliland Honors
Emily Anne Hebert Honors
Sydney Marie Hodgeson Honors
John Christian Johnson Honors
Lena Kawji Honors
Jacob Kenneth Meariman Honors, (Philosophy)
Peyton William Moore
Kara Caitlyn Plasko
Zachary Joseph Richard Honors
Bryce Joseph Rushing Honors
Mary Claire Tanner Honors
Alex Gerard Thibodeaux Honors
Daniel Enrique Vilchez
Jenney Sonehuang Vongprathoum Honors
Alysse Nicole Wiggins
Conner James Willis
Alexandra Louise Wursteisen
Zhongpan Zheng Honors
Biological Sciences
Miranda Marie Aasen
Olivia Muriel Adams
Richard Lewis Adams III
Zachary Reed Aguilar Honors, (General Business)
Emily Ann Alimia
Tarini Alapati (Liberal Arts)
Alexandra Ildiko Anderson
Nicholas Lawrence Anzalone
Jenna Marie Baker
Ashley Angeli Barras Honors
Candice Rae Barwick Foster
Morgan Emily Baudoin Honors
Hunter Lawrence Bergeron
Caroline Marcel Bilbe Honors
Preston Garrett Bivona Honors
Nicholas Joseph Bologna
Sarah Elizabeth Bond Honors
Abigail Nicole Booker
Felix Schumann Bopp
Harley James Bordelon Honors
Sarah Elizabeth Bourgeois Honors
Mata March Boutvonnoan
Casey Joshua Bradshaw
Sarah Alyssa Brantley Honors
John Michael Brown Honors
Morgan Louise Brown Honors
Treasure Ja’Leisha Zhané Brown
Caroline Elizabeth Buckley
Quynh Nhi Pham Cao
Mitchel Joseph Capella Honors
Joseph Ellis Caravella
Jeffrey Clay Carroll Jr.
Haley Victoria Cashio
Sasha Anne Castro
Soray Nicole Castro
Colleen Frances Cecola Honors
Alicia Corine Claros
Katie Elizabeth Clingan
Evan Noel Courville (Mechanical Engineering)
Ashlyn Marie Croy
Emily Elizabeth Crutcher
Peter DeVane Currier
Taylor Elizabeth Curry Honors
Julia Elyse Daigle
Megan Tri Dang
Claire Elizabeth Davis
Riana Leniece Davis
Charles Edward deBoisblanc CxC
Madeleine Victoria Dehner Honors
Kayleigh Marie Denny Honors
Madison Renee DeSalvo Honors
Chase Michael Doiron
Clay Ryan Doremus
Ryan Patrick Downey Honors
Emily Wynn Downs
Erin Tryvell Drye
Rachelle Elizabeth Drygalla
Sarah Ford Dugal
Matthew Joseph Espinosa
Cole Harry Evensky
Michael Lee Falba
Austin Francis Falcon
Austin Obrien Falloon
Sameer Farhud
Michael Emmett Fitzpatrick
Shannon Elaine Fleming
Elizabeth Diehl Forgey Honors
Brittany D’Anna Frazier
Cydney Maret Free
Elise Marie Frost
Stanley Melchor Capulong Fuentes (Philosophy)
Alaina Rae Gauthier
Megan Louise Glennon Honors
Amanda L. Granier Honors
Jaci E. Gravois
Julie Josephine Griffin
Kaylee Lenae Gross
Ryan David Guedry Honors
Alana Elizabeth Guillory
Caroline Frances Harbison
Adam Fredrick Hebert
Aleshia Lexus Hector Honors, CxC, (Chemical Engineering)
Elizabeth Nicole Heinen Honors
Ryan Joseph Helm Honors
Taylor Elise Heltz Honors
Katherine Stewart Henry
Nicholas Wayne Heyse
John Hoang Honors
Krystal Ngoc Hoang
Ryan Tien-Dung Hoang Honors
April Elizabeth Hocke Honors
Stephen Todd Hollingsworth Honors
Alice Huang Military
Patrick James Huettemann
Patrick Ross Ingraffia Honors
Broderick Dean Jameson
Brianna Rae Jasso Honors
Christian Warren Johnson
Kara Kelly Johnson Honors
Jonathan Michael Joseph Jr. Honors
Anthony J. Kain III
Samantha Leigh Keating
Nikka Yu Khorsandi Honors, CxC
Logan Christopher Kinamore Honors, SRT
Anawin Tun Kitpowsong Honors
Raymond Carl Kleefisch III Honors
Alexandre Nicolaas-Ruffin Knijn (Computer Science)
Jacob Zachery Kraft
Austin Michael D’Armond Labbe Honors
Cameron Andre LaFleur Honors
Alexus Nichol Landry
Sydnie Lyn Landry
Jordan Keith Lange
Chelsea Marie Langford Honors
Kylie Mcclellan Latson
Alexa Perri Lawson
Jason Báo Khanh Le
Jennifer Le Honors, (Anthropology)
Trey Michael Leiva
Taylor James Lemoine Honors
Andrew Mark Leto
Jun Jie Li Honors
Patricia Shu Ting Li Honors
Travis John Lindsey Honors
Santierra Imaani Lockhart
Ashley Elizabeth Loga
Najib Mahmud
Thomas Demie Mainieri
Sreettarsha Mandava
Sarah Elizabeth Mazier
Rachel Elisabeth Mccarthy
Ashlyn Eliana-Marie McCullough
Kain Alan McGee
Mandie Marie Melancon Honors
Alexis Nawal Menasco Honors
Brielle Marie Miles
Madeline Valentine Miley
Taylor Lynne Millar Honors
Benjamin Cole Miller
Ami Vijay Modi
Callan Elizabeth Molle
Carver Odom Montgomery Honors
Fernanda Nicole Morales
Errol Joseph Morgan III
Margaret Craft Morrison
Aiswarya Suresh Nair
Adam Thach Nguyen
Tammy Tram Anh Nguyen
Vy-Vien Vivian Nguyen
Emily Marie Noel
Madison Claire North
Chiamaka Christine Okeke Honors
Samantha Claire Olivero
Glynn Auburn O’Neill Honors
Katelyn Danielle Parker
Stephen Joseph Parker
Alisha Pinakin Patel
Bhavin Vinodbhai Patel
Kishan Mukesh Patel
James Grant Pearson Honors
William Christopher Pearson
Christopher Paul Peck Honors
William E. Pemu
Juan Carlos Pena
Thang Hong Phan (Kinesiology)
Camille Inez Prejean Honors
Wybra Joseph Price III
Alvin J. Rattle Honors
Anne Adair Reed
Jordan Skye Renschler Honors
Ryan Patrick Riley Honors
Madison Marguerite Robert Honors, (Kinesiology)
Victoria Hayes Robert Honors
Judston Walker Robinson Honors
Rachel Elizabeth Rovira Honors
Alixandra Victoria Ryan
Gloriana Jenae Sanders
Karmyodh Singh Sandhu
Calia Marie Schexnayder
John Christopher Schmidt Jr.
Joshua Blake Schwartzenburg Honors
Jessica Elaine Seay Honors
Edward Anthony Senules III
Justin Tyler Serrett
Madeline Christine Shannon Honors
Areen Sittichot
Céline Victoria Snow
Marcus Roy Soileau Honors
Yahor Aleksandrovich Sukharutski Honors
Lauren Elizabeth Sutton
Anna C. Suydam
Kimberly Ann Szuszka
Hunter Leigh Tadlock
Taylor Alaine Tadlock
Alexa Marie Tafaro Honors
Rebecca Phillips Tatum
Taylor Anthony Tebbe
Hayley Marie Theriot
Brook Teresa Thibodeaux Honors
Braden George Thomas Honors
Jonathan Chase Toland
Kassidy Marie Traigle
Tri Tran
Vicki Duyen Tran
Brennan William Treadway
Cody James Trosclair
Diana Ngan Uong
Nathaniel Allen Van Horn Honors
Karl Matthew Vanbergen Honors
Emily Louise Waddick Honors
Reena Divya Wadhwa Honors
Bailey Adams Walker Honors
William Ashton Wall Honors
Terray Renell Warren
Dustin Michael Weidert
Rakeal Lashay Williamson CxC
Angela Yoon Honors
Hannah Melise Zaunbrecher
Ziying Zhao
Microbiology
Kelly Devon Bowers Military
Diana Ali Chehab Honors
Nicole Ann Dominique Honors, (English)
Joshua David Edwards (Chemistry), CxC
Danica Evangelista Garcia
Tyler James Houston Honors
Justin Christopher King
Victoria Lyn Lassiegne Honors
Victoria Marie Lulich Honors, SRT
Morgan Ellise Marino
John Evan Morse Honors
Harel Glen Schwartzberg Honors
Todd Christian Veale Honors
Vidal Adrian Villela Honors
Zachary Thomas Wigger
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY
Mary Catherine Balhoff
Taylor Alexis Bayam (Biology)
Alana Brooke Butterfield
Benjamin Edward Cooper
Katelon Elizabeth Daigle
Elora Catherine Doskey (Biology) (Biochemistry), SRT
Taylor Dunne
Mark James Emerson
Wyatt Mcclintock Ferguson
Austin Thrasher Firesheets
Carrie Estelle Garrison
Sarah Annette Hahn Honors, (Biochemistry)
Blake Peter Kruger CxC
Ross Paul Mayet (Geology)
Rebecca Irene Moore
Sarah Marie Nearing
Adam Adras Prevot Honors
Taylor Alan Varner
Nicholas Anthony Viverito
Tarolyn Jean Williams
Kaylee Theresa Woodard Honors
DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY & GEOPHYSICS
Tristan Sean Collins
Peter Ashton Farmer
Abigayle Cecilia Hodges
Andrew Mark Jacobus SRT
Ryan Matthew Riggs Honors, SRT
Hunter Stephen Songy Honors, SRT
Conner Anthony Spano
Joel Parker Spansel Honors, SRT
Michael Vincent Vetter
Jessica Julia Villers
DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS
Jeremy Cabrido Alcanzare (Chemical Engineering)
Aaron Nolan Angel
Adria Joelle Broussard
Kathryn M. Cahalan
Andrew Douglas Crespo
Jacob Thomas Cruzan Honors
Brandon Louis Dellucky
Edmond Raymond Eberle Honors
Aaron Michael Finley
Trevor Gilmore
Amy Claire Gray
Mei Nan He
John Patrick Hogan
Jay Dee Hunt IV
Diego Bartolomé Kaptain
Jennifer Allison Kennedy
Kimberly Lynne Key Honors
Chase Austin Andrew Livingston
Ryan Christopher Manuel
Macy Christine Mashaw
Chandler Brent McArthur (Liberal Arts)
Courtney Elizabeth Moore
Allyson Maureen Morthland
John Everett Moser Honors, (Computer Science)
Billy Jack Musgraves
George Karl Owen
Joshua Reed Ramirez
Emily Ann Ribando-Gros Honors, (Computer Science)
Ashley Lanier Welborn Honors
Joseph David Wilkerson
Patrick Aaron Woolworth
Kaijun Ye
Haiyu Zheng Honors
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS & ASTRONOMY
Daniel Joseph DiMarco
Tyler Louis Herrmann
William Craig Jones
Sean Michael Laughlin
Lucas Chad Lavoie Honors, SRT
Simón Gabriel Lorenzo Honors, SRT
Brandon Michael Luckett Honors
Dylan Beckley Ottea Honors
Patrick Lee Quebedeaux Honors
Irene Vargas-Salazar
Logan Thomas Woolsey