Five graduate students will share their work as 2023-24 Diversity Scholars at the Graduate School’s annual Diversity Scholars Showcase on Thursday, March 28, at noon.

The event will take place at the multipurpose room of the Graduate Life Center, 155 Otey St. in Blacksburg. The scholars will present their projects in lightning round format at the showcase. Lunch will be provided. Registration is required.

Diversity Scholars specialize in and advocate for the awareness, knowledge, and skills associated with inclusion and diversity in the Graduate School and the greater community. Past projects have included film festivals, a powwow, developing student support groups, finding ways to make curricula more inclusive, and more. 

If you require accommodations such as assistive devices, services, or other resources to participate in this activity, please contact Catherine Cotrupi at at least 10 business days prior to the event. 

2024 Diversity Scholars

Oziomachukwu Chinaka

Chinaka, a Ph.D. student in translational biology, medicine, and health, is a first-generation doctoral student and earned a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from Virginia Tech. She describes her research interests as evaluating issues related to health disparities and representation.

The proposed project, titled the "Black Women in Research Showcase," strives to connect, inspire, and educate by highlighting the achievements and experiences of Black women Ph.D. students at Virginia Tech, promoting a more inclusive and informed community through a platform for Black women Ph.D. students to exhibit their research, their why, and their journey toward earning a Ph.D. through photography. This initiative intends to foster connections among Black women in their Ph.D. journeys at Virginia Tech while reaching out to those who are not currently engaged in research or are undergraduate students. Moreover, the showcase seeks to bridge the knowledge gap for Black women who may be unfamiliar with graduate school or the pursuit of a doctoral degree. 

Mohammad Hossein Heydari

Heydari, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Environmental Design and Planning in the College of Engineering, focuses research on identifying the barriers to diversity and inclusion and solutions in the construction workforce considering the ongoing shortages in the industry. He earned a master’s degree from the University of Tehran in 2022 and a bachelor’s degree from Amirkabir University of Technology in 2019 in Iran.

Heydari said the aim of his project is to not only to raise awareness and make practical improvements in education, but also to improve the sense of belonging among students and faculty. Initially, he is focusing on creating an introductory newsletter featuring overviews and interviews shedding light on the perspectives of both faculty and students regarding inclusion barriers and areas requiring improvement within construction engineering. The insights shared in the newsletter and the feedback he receives from those who read it can lead to transformational change, Heydari said.

Ainul Huda

Huda, a Ph.D. student in the School of Neuroscience in the College of Science, focuses on understanding thermoreceptor function using fruit flies as a model organism. She earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Washington, Seattle. Before beginning her doctoral degree, Huda worked at Virginia Tech. During this time, she became a mother and started her doctoral program when her daughter was 1 year old. Utilizing lactation rooms on campus enabled her to balance work and motherhood. However, she noticed a lack of accessible information about these facilities on campus.

Motivated by her own experiences, Huda is undertaking a project to create a comprehensive database of resources available in lactation rooms across campus. Her goal is to update campus maps with this information, ensuring easy access for anyone who needs to use these facilities. Through this initiative, Huda aims to improve support for parents and caregivers on campus.

Chrishma Perera

Perera, master’s degree student in the Department of Geography in the College of Natural Resources and Environment, is a student at the Indigenous Resilience and Innovation Lab. Prior to Virginia Tech, she earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Her research focuses on Indigenous people's health under climate change. She uses a systematic review approach and key informant interviews. She is a member of an international research network titled Indigenous Peoples Observatory Network and is the 2023-24 Rachel Carson Council Sustainability Fellow for Virginia Tech.

For her fellowship project, she is developing guidelines on how students can contribute to the Virginia Tech Climate Action Commitment. Perera said connecting with Indigenous communities for her research and engaging with different groups on the campus for the fellowship project highlighted the idea that diversity and inclusion is not only a concept that we should acknowledge and it is something to be inculcated with everyone. 

Charis Tucker

Tucker is a Ph.D. candidate in the Howard Feiertag Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management in the Pamplin College of Business. Her current research investigates the intersections between the historical and contemporary experiences of Black travelers. This exciting research has led to a deeper understanding of how the past impacts present day experiences for Black travelers and offers suggests to ensure inclusion is central to the industry’s product development. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at East Carolina University.

Tucker’s diversity scholar’s project seeks to gain insights, opinions, and feedback from Black consumers regarding their perceptions of racial justice advocacy campaigns. Through qualitative methods, the project seeks to uncover which types of campaigns resonate with Black consumers such that results inform strategic decision-making for organizations engaged in social advocacy.

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