Interdisciplinary Doctoral Research Conference and Awards

Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Ph.D.

Conference attendees crowding around a presentation.

Initiated in 2004, WMU's Interdisciplinary Doctoral Research Conference is a biennial event that provides a venue for interdisciplinary health sciences doctoral students in different phases of their programs to orally present their research practicum studies and for current or former doctoral students to make poster presentations in a professional setting.

At the conference, a panel of judges selects two award recipients from among the presentations.

If you would like to contribute to this biennial Doctoral Research Conference, the Janet I. Pisaneschi Prize or the R.C. Wardly Award for the Best Scientific Poster, please .

Janet I. Pisaneschi Prize

The Interdisciplinary Doctoral Research Janet I. Pisaneschi Prize is awarded to the student whose presentation best represents the highest level of research presented in the oral format.

The award is named for Janet I. Pisaneshi, dean of WMU's College of Health and Human Services from 1989 to 2006.

Recipients

Eric Vangsnes, 2006
Barbara Cliff, 2008
Stephanie Combs, 2010
Catherine Kothari, 2012
Joshua Scott, 2014
Duduzile Mashinini, 2016
Sarahelizabeth Baguhn, 2018
Samantha McDaniel, 2020
William Suits, 2022
Susanna Joy, 2024

R.C. Wardley Award

The R.C. Wardley Award for the Best Scientific Poster is awarded to the doctoral candidate or new Ph.D. with the best scientific poster presentation of a dissertation in progress or recently completed.

This award was named in honor of the late Dr. Richard Wardley, the husband of our colleague Sonia Wardley. His scientific spirit is most appropriate to this award for interdisciplinary research, as is indicated in the tribute in the British Veterinary Association Gazette.

Recipients

Barbara Cliff, 2006
Stephanie Combs, 2008
Michelle Suarez, 2010
Amy Yorke, 2012
Jennifer Harrison, 2014
Thomas Sather, 2016
Ashley Lubbers, Cara Masselink, Dana Prince, 2018