Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

May 16, 2024

Abigail Arnold | Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

On Sunday, May 19, 2024, Brandeis University will hold its 73rd Commencement. The afternoon Graduate Ceremony will honor students who earned a graduate degree in August 2023, February 2024, or May 2024, including 217 Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) students. Distinguished academic administrator Ruth Simmons, who is the former president of Prairie View A&M University, Brown University, and Smith College, will be the keynote speaker for the ceremony. Following graduation, the newly minted GSAS alums will be heading on different paths. Here, some graduates reflect on their experiences at GSAS and their plans for the future.

Peizhao Li earned his PhD in Computer Science in February 2024 and now works as an AI research scientist at GE healthcare, where he works on AI technology and solutions for healthcare applications. He appreciates the “fruitful training” he received during his PhD and says, “I want to send my special thanks to my PhD advisor Professor Hongfu Liu, who not only helped me with academic research, but also put in tremendous effort to reshape my personality.” He also notes Brandeis's useful job search resources, saying, “I found my job on LinkedIn, and possibly Brandeis's network on LinkedIn helped broadcast this job to me through the LinkedIn recommendation mechanism.”

Sophie Griswold will receive her PhD in Neuroscience this Sunday. She also sends thanks to her advisor, saying, “I enjoyed the tight-knit nature of the Brandeis Neuro program - we have a small but collaborative department, and my committee was there for me whenever I needed them. I'd like to give a special shoutout to Stephen Van Hooser (my advisor) for being an excellent mentor and training me on our very tricky in-vivo experimental preparation!” Griswold plans to work in industry following graduation. She worked with Marika McCann of the GSAS Professional Development Team on exploring career options. She says, “In the last few months of my PhD I was appointed as a scientific advisor at an early stage startup called Cacti Therapeutics, and I'm currently helping them navigate grant writing, fund raising, and experimental design. If and when they're funded I'll be joining them as a full time researcher, and in the interim I'm exploring a bunch of different industry options in the medical affairs space.” In the meantime, though, Griswold plans on a summer of travels!

Ray Maresca will receive his PhD in Mathematics this Sunday. In the fall, he will begin a position as a tenure track Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Bowdoin College. Of his experience at GSAS, he says, “From the world class researchers to the tenacious student body and everything/everyone in between, there is nothing more I could have wanted as a graduate student in mathematics. Anytime I needed guidance I knew there was someone to turn to at Brandeis, starting with Catherine Broderick, the administrator in the Mathematics Department!” He is “looking forward to seeing people succeed after facing such a big challenge over the past few years” at Commencement and offers thanks to many at Brandeis for supporting him in his journey. These include, in the Mathematics Department, his advisor Professor Kiyoshi Igusa, who supported him in research, and Professors Rebecca Torrey and Keith Merrill, who supported him with teaching and practice job interviews. Furthermore, he says, “The fact that I was able to be lead instructor of several courses during my time at Brandeis played a huge part in landing the position at Bowdoin. Moreover, the University Prize Instructorship (UPI) offered by Brandeis allowed me to construct my own course in my research area, which no doubt helped my application. Alyssa Canelli fostered many fluid and interesting conversations about pedagogy with the UPI winners, which certainly made me a better teacher.” In addition, Maresca thanks McCann for her support with the job search process and Anahita Zare for connecting the Mathematics Department with a local high school for an upcoming outreach event. “There are so many systems in place to help graduate students succeed at Brandeis,” says Maresca, “and I am happy to have taken part in a small subset of them.”

Jill Mastrocola will receive her PhD in Mathematics this Sunday. In the fall, she will begin a new role as Assistant Professor of the Practice at Messina College, a new two-year residential college program at Boston College that focuses on first-generation and low-income students. Reflecting on her experiences, she says, “My time as a graduate student has been defined by the people I’ve come to know at Brandeis. The Math Department, both faculty and fellow students, has been the most supportive environment for me to grow as a mathematician and an educator. I wouldn’t have made it to graduation if it wasn’t for the other members of my math PhD cohort. Being part of the Posse community as a mentor has been such a privilege and has been one of my favorite parts of being a grad student. I’ve also really appreciated the opportunities to connect with other people in the Brandeis community through programs like the GSAS book club organized by Abigail Arnold and Becky Prigge, the ‘couch to 5k’ program with Kat Page, and the craft markets organized by Ingrid Schorr.” She thanks her advisor, Ruth Charney, and McCann and Jon Anjaria of the Professional Development team for their support in her job search process. At Commencement, Mastrocola is “looking forward to the chance to gather together with fellow graduates and look back on our time at Brandeis together.”

Saffron Mintz Schuffman will receive her master’s in Anthropology this Sunday. Speaking of what comes next, she says, “After graduation, I plan to go into a career in the museum world, working toward ethical care and collections practices for human remains and natural history collections. I've learned that my passions for the studies of anthropology, death and dying, and natural history come together beautifully under the scope of museum practice. I hope to use the knowledge and skills I've learned through my courses at Brandeis, including collections management, contemporary anthropological research, and the duties of respectfully and responsibly stewarding cultural heritage, to aid in my dedication to ethical and progressive museum work. I am very excited to graduate, and thrilled to start my career in a field that I have such a deep love for!”

In addition to reflecting on their own experiences, the graduates also shared advice for their GSAS peers. Here are some of their wisest tips:

“Everyone has their path; it's important to find your happiness along the way. It is perfectly acceptable to persist in tackling the challenges, but it is fine to step away if necessary.”--Peizhao Li

“Remember to care for your external relationships while you work on your degree! Having a supportive network of friends/family/loved ones is instrumental to your wellbeing, and it is all too easy to neglect anything that isn't work related while you're in the thick of your PhD/master’s.”--Sophie Griswold

“Take advantage of as many opportunities offered by Brandeis as possible. Through these opportunities, whether they are research, teaching, or outreach based, one can grow immensely as a researcher, teacher, and person in general. Most importantly, remember that you aren’t alone. Your cohort, along with several different extracurricular groups, are there to support you and vice versa. So don’t be afraid to reach out and talk about something other than research and teaching!”--Ray Maresca

“First and foremost, faculty, staff, and students of Brandeis want you to succeed, and there are so many people ready to help with whatever you need. It’s important to talk to your peers and be a support system for each other. Beyond that, there are many wonderful events and programs going on (read those emails that come in!). Many of my fondest memories of grad school are from events I found out about through emails/newsletters.”--Jill Mastrocola

“Connect with your peers! As a first-gen graduate student, I felt like I had a lot to learn about the academic culture of grad school when I first started. I found that the most helpful thing I did to overcome this was being open with my peers about how I was feeling, and we were able to support and learn from one another (and, at times, commiserate over challenging assignments). While Brandeis is academically rigorous, my cohort (and other fellow Anthropology graduate students in my classes) were always eager to cheer each other on.”--Saffron Mintz Schuffman

GSAS extends our warmest congratulations to all of our graduates! We couldn’t be prouder and are looking forward to supporting you all on May 19.