2025 News
Raevonne Cox
Raevonne Cox is a master's student in the Idaho State University Counseling program, with an expected graduation date of May 2026. Raevonne chose ISU because she said it offered the ideal combination of a strong counseling program, supportive faculty, and a location close to home.
"The faculty’s reputation and their commitment to student success really stood out to me during the application process," she said. "Being near my family was also an important factor; having that support system makes a big difference while pursuing a graduate degree. Ultimately, ISU felt like the right place to grow both professionally and personally as I work toward earning my Master of Counseling degree."
Recently, Raevonne and her research team presented a research poster, "Exploring Cognitive Dissonance of Meat Eaters Who Believe in Animal Sentience: A Phenomenology." The study explored how meat-eaters reconcile ethical concerns about animal sentience with their dietary choices, using a phenomenological lens.
One of the accomplishments Raevonne is most proud of as a Grad Bengal has been traveling to Saskatoon, Canada as part of ROAR Lab (Research on Anthrozoological Relationships) to present her research at the International Society for Anthrozoology (ISAZ) conference.
"It was an incredible experience to share my work with an international audience, connect with scholars in the field of human-animal studies, and represent ISU on a global platform," she said. "The experience deepened my interest in research and affirmed my commitment to integrating advocacy and ethics into my future counseling practice."
Raevonne's favorite graduate school experience has been stepping outside of her comfort zone and doing things that once felt intimidating. She noted being elected treasurer for the 2025-2026 Phi Omicron Chi leadership team as an example.
"Taking on a leadership role was something I never imagined myself doing, but it’s helped me grow both personally and professionally," she said. "It’s been empowering to challenge myself, build confidence, and contribute to our program in a meaningful way."
Post graduation, Raevonne would like to open a private practice that provides inclusive, affirming care, especially for LGBTQIA2S+ individuals, and also incorporate mindful self-compassion into her work to help clients build resilience and deepen their sense of self-worth.
"I’m passionate about creating a safe space for people to explore their identities, heal, and grow," she said. "Long term, I want to be part of the movement to make mental health care more accessible, compassionate, and affirming for all."
Raevonne is originally from Elko, Nevada. In her free time, she loves spending quality time with her partner and their 10-year-old daughter, three energetic Bengal cats, and one miniature Italian Greyhound. She says that creativity is an imporatn part of her lifestyle, and enjoys working with stained glass, macramé, and other forms of art as a way to unwind and express herself.
"I think what makes me me is a deep sense of curiosity, a drive to grow, and a love for finding beauty in both people and the world." around me."
Alam Alvarado
Congratulations to Alam Alvarado, a Ph.D. candidate in Experimental Psychology, who recently presented at the Society for the Quantitative Analyses of Behavior (SQAB) 2025 Conference in Washington, D.C. He presented his research, "The Relations Between Chronotype and Time of Day on Food Discounting." Alam has been in the Experimental Psychology program for 5 years, and is planning to defend his dissertation in Spring 2026. Alam's conference attendance was funded by the ISU Graduate School's Conference and Research Travel Support Fund, which is awarded every month.
Holger Nickel
Holger Nickel is a recent Idaho State University graduate with an M.A. in History, of which he is very passionate. His work focused on comparative analysis of the legacies of the student movement of the 1960s in the United States and Germany.
Holger said he decided to pursue graduate school at ISU because of the faculty in the history department. His favorite part of the graduate school experience has been meeting new challenges head-on.
He has considered the idea of continuing his education to pursue a Ph.D., but is unsure of his future endeavors.
Holger is a retired tennis director and still plays tennis often. He enjoys traveling and spending time with his family, including his eight great-grandchildren.
Tali Rotman
Dr. Tali Rotman is a recent and first graduate of the Rehabilitation and Communication Sciences program. Tali graduated in May 2025 and will begin her position as an assistant professor for Idaho State University in June, where she will be teaching, conducting research, and working in the audiology clinic on the Meridian campus.
"This position brings together everything I love about the field of audiology, and I’m truly excited to return to ISU—this time as a faculty member," she said. "I believe my experience as a former student will provide valuable insight and perspective in my work as a professor and researcher."
Tali believes her greatest accomplishment throughout her graduate school career, and what she is most proud of, is the recognition and confidence shown by the faculty in inviting her to join their team as both an instructor and a researcher after graduation.
"During our conversation about potential pathways at ISU, Dr. Bergen encouraged me to apply to the Ph.D. program and offered me a position as a graduate teaching assistant," she said. "This role came with a full scholarship, making it an excellent opportunity—one I was excited to accept."
"What defines me is my goal-oriented mindset and persistence in pursuing what I want to achieve," she said. "At the same time, I value living in the moment and always try to see the bright side of every experience."
ISU Computer Science PhD Student and Professor Win Best Paper Award!
Congratulations to Md Fazle Rabbi (PhD student, Computer Science) and Dr. Minhaz Zibran (Associate Professor, Computer Science) for winning the Best Paper Award in the mining challenge track at the 22nd IEEE International Conference on Mining Software Repositories (MSR 2025) held in Ottawa, Canada in April 28-29, 2025.
The award-winning paper entitled "Faster Releases, Fewer Risks: A Study on Maven Artifact Vulnerabilities and Lifecycle Management" analyzes the release histories of 10,000 Maven artifacts, covering over 203,000 releases with 1.7 million dependencies, and uncovers software security vulnerabilities resulting from component dependencies and library reuse.
This research was conducted at the Software Engineering and Cybersecurity Research Team (SECReT), advised by Dr. Zibran, and collaborated with their colleagues at the Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology in Bangladesh.
Rebecca Hazard
PhD candidate, Rebecca Hazard, has received an NSF Doctoral Dissertation Research Grant for her dissertation project titled "Examination of Microbial and Botanical Ecological Fingerprints." Congratulations, Rebecca!
Christopher Amrobo Enemuwe
Christopher presented a co-authored paper on research titled "Apply AI technology in the surveillance of intimate partner violence among women in Liberia" at the 2025 American Society for Public Administration Conference in Washington, DC, in March.
The research delves into how AI can be used as a source of good in reducing the prevalence of intimate violence through data analysis and pattern recognition, raising public awareness, and law enforcement application," he said. "The idea is not to build big data centers in rural areas in Liberia, where internet connectivity might be either low or the usage of Androids or iPhones is low."
"Although such a notion may be suggested in urban areas like Monrovia, the functionality of any intricate device/technology may provide difficulties in documenting instances of violence against women, as most women might face the challenge of being technologically savvy."
"Nevertheless, basic automated text messaging linked to telecommunication networks is self-instructive due to its user-friendliness for reporting incidents, akin to texting 911 with an automated response that connects to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, law enforcement, local NGOs, and other key stakeholders who can follow up on a case."
Amanda Stevens
Amanda, a doctoral candidate and teaching assistant in English and the Teaching of English, recently attended the Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States (MELUS) annual conference in Los Angeles, California. She presented "Outside is Transgressive: Western Space as Social Freedom in The Love of Landry" at Cal State LA. Congratulations, Amanda!
Choudhury Amir Hamza
Choudhury, a doctoral student in Political Science, recently presented his research, "Response Paradox in Multi-Emergencies: COVID-19 amidst Floods in Bangladesh," at the American Society for Public Administration Conference in Washington, D.C. This is his first year as a doctoral student, and he plans to graduate in 2028. Congratulations Choudhury!
Najmeh Dehghanitafti
Congratulations to Namjeh Dehghanitafti, who was featured in the English Department Success Story! Namjeh is an international student from Iran and a graduate of the ISU English Department. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and a Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics.
2025 Research and Creative Works Symposium Winners
Undergraduate Poster Presentation 1st Place | Diana Cortez - Biological & Natural Sciences
Undergraduate Poster Presentation 2nd Place | Kyla Johnston - Engineering, Physical & Mathematical Sciences
Undergraduate Oral Presentation 1st Place | Prem Shah - Engineering, Physical & Mathematical Sciences
Undergraduate Oral Presentation 2nd Place | Andrija Sevaljevic - Education, Learning & Training
Graduate Poster Presentation - Biological & Natural Sciences | Anna Sniadach - Geology - MS
Graduate Poster Presentation - Business, Economics & Public Administration | Susana Agudelo - Business Administration - MBA
Graduate Poster Presentation - Education, Learning & Training | Emilee Knapp - Nursing Practice -DNP
Graduate Poster Presentation - Engineering, Physical & Mathematical Sciences | Saugat Dotel - Civil Engineering - MS
Graduate Poster Presentation - Health, Nutrition & Clinical Sciences | Christopher Nicolet - Pharmaceutical Science - PhD
Graduate Poster Presentation - Humanities, Behavior & Social Sciences | Spencer Moore - Anthropology - MS
Graduate Oral Presentation - Biological & Natural Sciences | Pooja Sapkota - Pharmaceutical Science - PhD
Graduate Oral Presentation - Business, Economics & Public Administration | Rehnaz Karanjia - Business Administration - MBA
Graduate Oral Presentation - Education, Learning & Training | Emily Fitterer - Deaf Education - MS
Graduate Oral Presentation - Engineering, Physical & Mathematical Sciences | Md Fazel Rabbi - Engineering & Applied Science - PhD
Graduate Oral Presentation - Health, Nutrition & Clinical Sciences | Dallen Farmer - Homeland Security and Emergency Management - MS
Graduate Oral Presentation - Humanities, Behavior & Social Sciences | Kierra Burns - English - MA
Creative Works Presentation | Riley Ortiz - Undergraduate
Hassan Oyindamola Taiwo
Hassan Oyindamola Taiwo, a passionate linguist from Nigeria, shares his transformative journey as an English master's student at Idaho State University, embracing academic growth, cultural integration, and future aspirations. Read more about Hassan's journey in the International Student Voices feature.
Grad Bengals at a Physical Therapy Conference
Congratulations to Alexandra Amico and Lillian France, who both attended the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Combined Section Meeting (CSM). #APTACSM is the largest physical therapy conference in the country. Learn more about Idaho State University's Physical Therapy degrees.
Congrats to Our State 3MT Competitors!
Congratulations to our 2024 3MT Winners for representing ISU for the state 3MT title! We are so proud of your accomplishments and dedication.
Callan Norby | Chemistry - MS
Arifa Islam Champa | Engineering & Applied Science - PhD
Md Fazle Rabbi | Engineering & Applied Science - PhD
Dallin Stokes | Microbiology - MS
