{"id":3679,"date":"2015-05-13T14:18:43","date_gmt":"2015-05-13T18:18:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/physics.cos.ucf.edu\/?page_id=3679"},"modified":"2026-05-21T11:22:42","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T15:22:42","slug":"thesis-dissertation-announcements","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/graduate\/thesis-dissertation-announcements\/","title":{"rendered":"Thesis &amp; Dissertation Announcements"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>AS OF Spring 2026<\/h2>\n<h3>Go to:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/graduate.ucf.edu\/thesis-dissertation-announcements\/\">Thesis &amp; Dissertation Defense Announcement webpage<\/a><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-2\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" class=\"img-fluid alignnone wp-image-14389 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/03\/Knightro-ucf_68998900_Medium-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Knightro No Image Available\" \/><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-10\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<h3>Rumana Zahir<\/h3>\n<h5><a href=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/PhD_Announcement_Rumana_Zahir.pdf\">Bowtie Antenna-Coupled Bi<sub>2<\/sub>Te<sub>3<\/sub>-Sb<sub>2<\/sub>Te<sub>3<\/sub> Thermoelectric Detector \u200bfor THz and mm-wave Radiation<\/a><\/h5>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-2\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" class=\"img-fluid alignnone wp-image-14091 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/10\/John-Janisch3_Sept2021-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"John Janisch\" \/><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-10\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<h3>John Janisch<\/h3>\n<h5><a href=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/John_Janisch_Dissertation_Annoucement_tsr.pdf\">Development and application of robust DFT-based machine learned interatomic potentials for simulating and understanding dynamics on solid surfaces and at liquid-solid interfaces.<\/a><\/h5>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-2\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" class=\"img-fluid alignnone wp-image-14093 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/10\/thumbnail_Iftakhar3_Sept2021-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Iftakhar Bin Elius\" \/><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-10\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<h3>Iftakhar Bin Elius<\/h3>\n<h5><a href=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/BinElius_announcement.pdf\">Investigation of Exotic Phenomena in Topological Quantum Materials<\/a><\/h5>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-2\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" class=\"img-fluid alignnone wp-image-14376 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/03\/Knightro-No-Image-Available-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Knightro\" \/><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-10\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<h3>Jared Long-Fox<\/h3>\n<h5><a href=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Announcement_Jared.pdf\">Computational Regolith Mechanics and Instrumentation Development for Lunar Exploration and Resource Utilization<\/a><\/h5>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-2\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" class=\"img-fluid alignnone wp-image-16143 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/10\/Bushra_pic-scaled-e1769187752423-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"A person with a slight smile, wearing a blue top and a colorful floral scarf, in front of a plain background.\" \/><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-10\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<h3>Bushra Ashraf<\/h3>\n<h5><a href=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/Announcement_Bushra.pdf\">First-Principles Insights into Electronic and Magnetic Structure at Hybrid Interfaces and Low-Dimensional Materials and Reactions on Surfaces<\/a><\/h5>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<h2>Fall 2025<\/h2>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-2\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" class=\"img-fluid alignnone wp-image-7235 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/12\/McIntyre-Kathleen-e1598898086557-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-10\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<h3>Kathleen McIntyre<\/h3>\n<h5><a href=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/10\/McIntyre_Announcement.pdf\">Investigations and Simulations: A Data-Driven Approach to Exoplanet Characterization<\/a><\/h5>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-2\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" class=\"img-fluid alignnone wp-image-10516 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/08\/Theodoros-Panagiotakopoulos_August2019-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Panagiotakopoulos, Theodoros\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/08\/Theodoros-Panagiotakopoulos_August2019-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/08\/Theodoros-Panagiotakopoulos_August2019-575x575.jpg 575w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-10\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<h3>Theodoros Panagiotakopoulos<\/h3>\n<h5><a href=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/10\/Theo_Announcement.pdf\">AB Initio Studies of Electrochemical Processes: Insights into CO<sub>2<\/sub> Reduction and Hydrogen Evolution Reactions<\/a><\/h5>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-2\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" class=\"img-fluid alignnone wp-image-14167 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/Conner-Penson_Sept2021-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Conner Penson\" \/><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-10\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<h3>Conner Penson<\/h3>\n<h5><a href=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/10\/Dissertation-Announcement_Conner-Penson.pdf\">A Theoretical Study Investigation of Molecular Photoionization: Applications to Molecules of Astrophysical and Atmospheric Interest<\/a><\/h5>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-2\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid alignnone wp-image-10501 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/08\/Dan-Oleynik_August2019-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Oleynik, Daniel\" \/><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-10\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<h3>Daniel Oleynik<\/h3>\n<h5><a href=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/08\/Oleynik_Defense-Announcement.pdf\">Visibility, Viability, and Voice: A Mixed-Methods Study of Disability in Physics Education and Careers<\/a><\/h5>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-2\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" class=\"img-fluid wp-image-14101 size-thumbnail alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/10\/Chris-Lantigua3_Sept2021-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Chris Lantigua\u00a0\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/10\/Chris-Lantigua3_Sept2021-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/10\/Chris-Lantigua3_Sept2021-575x575.jpg 575w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-10\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<h3>Christopher Lantigua<\/h3>\n<h5><a href=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/07\/Lantigua_Announcement.pdf\">Field Resolved Metrology for Attosecond Timing<\/a><\/h5>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<h2>SUMMER 2025<\/h2>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-2\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" class=\"img-fluid alignnone wp-image-14205 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/Peter-Braunschweig_Sept2021-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Peter Braunschweig\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/Peter-Braunschweig_Sept2021-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/12\/Peter-Braunschweig_Sept2021-575x575.jpg 575w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-10\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<h3>Peter Braunschweig<\/h3>\n<h5><a href=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/07\/Thesis-Announcement-Braunschweig.pdf\">Neural Network Accelerated Retrieval of Clear Brown Dwarf Atmospheres<\/a><\/h5>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-2\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" class=\"img-fluid alignnone wp-image-10513 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/08\/Sohila-Abdelhafiz_August2019-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"AbdelHafiz, Sohila\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/08\/Sohila-Abdelhafiz_August2019-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/08\/Sohila-Abdelhafiz_August2019-575x575.jpg 575w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-10\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<h3>Sohila M. AbdelHafiz<\/h3>\n<h5><a href=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Sohila_Defense-Announcement.pdf\">Optomechanical Interactions and Dynamics in Nanoparticle Systems<\/a><\/h5>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-2\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" class=\"img-fluid alignnone wp-image-10509 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/08\/Kenneth-Gordon_August2019-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Gordon, Kenneth\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/08\/Kenneth-Gordon_August2019-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/08\/Kenneth-Gordon_August2019-575x575.jpg 575w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-10\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<h3>Kenneth E. Goodis Gordon<\/h3>\n<h5><a href=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/KEGG_Dissertation_Defense_Annoucement_Summer2025.pdf\">Preparing for the Habitable Worlds Observatory: Spectropolarimetric Radiative Transfer Models of Terrestrial (Exo)planets<\/a><\/h5>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-2\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" class=\"img-fluid alignnone wp-image-14176 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/Autumn-Shackelford3_Sept2021-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Autumn Shackelford\u00a0\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/Autumn-Shackelford3_Sept2021-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/Autumn-Shackelford3_Sept2021-575x575.jpg 575w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-10\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<h3>Autumn N. Shackelford<\/h3>\n<h5><a href=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Shackelford_Defense-Announcement.pdf\">From Microns to Mons: Investigating Airless Body Surface Properties and Processes<\/a><\/h5>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-2\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" class=\"img-fluid alignnone wp-image-14177 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/Dipendra-Khatri2_Sept2021-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Dipendra Khatri\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/Dipendra-Khatri2_Sept2021-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/Dipendra-Khatri2_Sept2021-575x575.jpg 575w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-10\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<h3>Dipendra Khatri<\/h3>\n<h5><a href=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Dipendra-dissertation-announcement.pdf\">Sub-cycle nonlinear optics in solids<\/a><\/h5>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-2\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" class=\"img-fluid alignnone wp-image-16649 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ChristinaM_Aug2021-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"A woman with brown hair pulled back, wearing a light pink collared shirt, smiles at the camera against a plain gray background.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ChristinaM_Aug2021-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/ChristinaM_Aug2021-575x575.jpg 575w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-10\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<h3>Christina D. Moraitis<\/h3>\n<h5><a href=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/06\/Moraitis-Defense-Announcement.pdf\">Advancing Ground-Based Instrumentation with Astrophotonics for Stellar Astrophysics and Time-Domain Spectroscopy<\/a><\/h5>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Spring 2025<\/h2>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-2\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" class=\"img-fluid alignnone wp-image-10505 \" src=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/08\/Greg-Fritjofson_August2019-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Fritjofson, Gregory\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/08\/Greg-Fritjofson_August2019-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/08\/Greg-Fritjofson_August2019-575x575.jpg 575w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-10\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<h3>Gregory Fritjofson<\/h3>\n<h5><a href=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/04\/Thesis-Defense-of-Gregory-Fritjofson-Announcement.docx\">Terahertz Spin-Pumping in Antiferromagnetic Crystals and Film\u00a0<\/a><\/h5>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-2\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" class=\"img-fluid alignnone wp-image-14165 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/Stephanie-Lough2_Sept2021-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Stephanie Lough\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/Stephanie-Lough2_Sept2021-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/11\/Stephanie-Lough2_Sept2021-575x575.jpg 575w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-10\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<h3>Stephanie Lough<\/h3>\n<h5><a href=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/03\/Lough_DissertationAnnouncement.pdf\">Optical and Tunneling Spectroscopy of Single-Layer Van Der Waals Materials on Metals and Probe Tip Engineering of High Resolution STM and AFM for Imaging of Molecules on Silicon Surfaces\u00a0 <\/a><\/h5>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-2\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" class=\"img-fluid alignnone wp-image-9539 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/09\/MaryHinkle_August2018-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Mary Hinkle\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/09\/MaryHinkle_August2018-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2016\/09\/MaryHinkle_August2018-575x575.jpg 575w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-10\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<h3>Mary Hinkle<\/h3>\n<h5><a href=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/03\/Hinkle-Mary-Thesis-Defense-Announcement.pdf\">The Global Thermophysical Properties of (433) Eros<\/a><\/h5>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-2\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" class=\"img-fluid alignnone wp-image-14118 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/10\/Kapila-Kumarasinghe2_Sept2021-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Kapila Kumarasinghe\u00a0\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/10\/Kapila-Kumarasinghe2_Sept2021-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2021\/10\/Kapila-Kumarasinghe2_Sept2021-575x575.jpg 575w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-10\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<h3>Premadasage Kithsiri Kapila Kumarasinghe<\/h3>\n<h5><a href=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/03\/Dissertation-Announcement_Kumarasinghe.pdf\">Study of the Superconducting and normal states properties of topological nodal-line semimetals<\/a><\/h5>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-2\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" class=\"img-fluid alignnone wp-image-14451 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/Citronaut-Not-Pictured-Color-300-v3-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Not Pictured\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/Citronaut-Not-Pictured-Color-300-v3-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/Citronaut-Not-Pictured-Color-300-v3.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-10\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<h3>Brandon Dotson<\/h3>\n<h5><a href=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/03\/Dotson_Defense-announcement.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Influence of Regolith Properties and Environmental Conditions on Plume-Surface Interactions<\/a><\/h5>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<h2 class=\"heading-underline\"><\/h2>\n<h2>Fall 2024<\/h2>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-2\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid alignleft wp-image-14364\" src=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2019\/08\/Kaige-Shi_August2019.jpg\" alt=\"Alphonse Marra\" \/><\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\" col-lg-10\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\n<h3>Kaige Shi<\/h3>\n<h5><a href=\"https:\/\/sciences.ucf.edu\/physics\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/10\/Shi-Kaige-Dissertation-Announcement.docx\">Elucidating the Effects of Cations and Electrode Wettability on Electrocatalysis<\/a><\/h5>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<h2 class=\"heading-underline\"><\/h2>\n<h2 class=\"heading-underline\">Previous Thesis &amp; Dissertation announcements:<\/h2>\n\t\t\t<a class=\"btn btn-primary\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/stars.library.ucf.edu\/physicsthesesdissertations\/\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\tAccess electronic Theses and Dissertations\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\n<h2 class=\"heading-underline\"><\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"AS OF Spring 2026 Go to:\u00a0Thesis &amp; Dissertation Defense Announcement webpage &nbsp; Fall 2025 SUMMER 2025 &nbsp; Spring 2025 Fall 2024 Previous Thesis &amp; Dissertation announcements:","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":0,"parent":5398,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-3679","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Thesis &amp; Dissertation Announcements - Physics<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" 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