Five George Washington University Ph.D. students will join a network of preeminent scholars from across the country later this spring when they are inducted into the Edward Alexander Bouchet Graduate Honor Society, which celebrates diversity and excellence in doctoral education.
The students were cited for research that included nutrition interventions for chronic disease prevention, dopamine’s role in coping with stress and evolutionary adaptations spanning salamanders that climb trees and fishes with suction cups. They were also recognized for advocacy efforts like volunteer training for emergency preparedness, supporting middle school debaters and mentoring the next generation of STEM scientists.
“In today’s environment, [the Bouchet Society] recognition is more crucial than ever,” said Paul Wahlbeck, dean of the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences (CCAS), at a March 4 ceremony honoring the nominees. “As an institution of higher learning, we must continue to strive to build bridges and ensure that all who seek new knowledge, who seek excellence, are provided the opportunities to do so. Today’s event serves as a poignant reminder of the imperative to actively cultivate an environment where inclusion thrives at the heart of our educational endeavors.”
Named for the first African American doctoral recipient in the United States and chartered jointly by Yale and Howard universities in 2005, the society now has 19 chapters at universities across the country. Its goals include developing a network of scholars who exemplify academic and personal excellence; fostering environments of support; and serving as examples of scholarship, leadership and advocacy for people who have been traditionally underrepresented in academics.
Since its founding in 2009, 59 doctoral students and alumni have been inducted into the GW chapter of the Bouchet Society, noted CCAS Associate Dean for Graduate Studies Chad Heap. GW’s current and prior inductees include students from CCAS, the Graduate School of Education and Human Development, the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, the Milken Institute School of Public Health and the School of Nursing.
This year, “GW has another outstanding roster of nominees to the Bouchet Graduate Honor Society,” Heap noted.
The five nominees will be formally inducted into the society at the annual Edward A. Bouchet Conference at Yale in April.
Meet the Nominees
Ashley Bastin
A third-year Ph.D. candidate in the CCAS Biological Sciences Department, Ashley Bastin’s research focuses on uncovering the potential causes of HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorder, a spectrum of dementias observed in half of all people living with HIV. She volunteers with the District of Columbia Medical Reserve Corps, providing first aid training and emergency preparedness assistance. She is also the president of the GW Biology Graduate Student Council. “It’s an honor to be a part of [the Bouchet Society] that values tenants such as scholarship, leadership and advocacy which are integral to what I strive to exemplify,” she said, adding that she hopes to engage her fellow nominees in “critical conversations about the importance of diversity and inclusion across our respective disciplines.”
Jasmine Charter-Harris
A third-year Ph.D. candidate in exercise physiology and applied nutrition, Jasmine Charter-Harris researches nutrition interventions for chronic disease prevention, with a particular emphasis on addressing health disparities among underserved populations. Deeply committed to mentorship and advocacy for underrepresented students in academia, she served as the student representative on the Milken Institute of Public Health’s Inclusive Excellence Committee. As a first-generation African American scholar, she said her passion for public health is driven by “a commitment to serving my community through health promotion and advocacy, particularly for historically marginalized and underserved populations.”
Jonathan M. Huie
Jonathan Huie is a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate studying biological sciences—specifically how vertebrate morphology and evolution are influenced by interactions between ecology, behavior and physical constraints of the environment. He focuses on the adaptations salamanders have made for moving through their environment, such as climbing trees. A former president of the Biology Graduate Student Council, he is dedicated to providing training and mentorship to less experienced researchers and fostering domestic and international research collaborations. “I always learn a lot through collaborations with diverse scientists,” he said, including his fellow Bouchet Society nominees, “a cohort of very inspiring and accomplished individuals!”
Kailyn Price
Kailyn Price, a fifth-year neuroscience Ph.D. candidate, studies how dopamine contributes to sex differences in the stress response and behavior after stress—a vital component in understanding stress-related conditions such as anxiety and depression. “I find fulfillment in this field because it allows me to investigate fundamental questions about how neurons and circuits work in hopes that this will help us better understand ourselves and other living beings under normal and nonideal conditions,” she said. Her enthusiasm for advancing STEM, ethics and debate education has inspired her to support student debate teams in middle schools and colleges. “I deeply believe in the responsibility to engage in public dissemination of knowledge through education, advocacy, organizing and science communication.”
Tatiana Ruiz
Tatiana Ruiz is a fourth-year PhD candidate in public policy and public administration, specializing in gender and social policy. Her research explores how the gender and racial/ethnic composition of university administrators—specifically those in Title IX offices, student affairs and campus security—affect the reporting and handling of sexual violence cases on U.S. campuses. She served as the doctoral representative for the CCAS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council; co-chaired the Trachtenberg Women’s Leadership Program; completed a fellowship with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; and interned with the League of Latin American Citizens. As a researcher and mentor, Ruiz said she is “committed to using my experience to inspire, guide and empower those around me.”