INDIANAPOLIS— The graduating class of 2015 consists of 486 bachelor's degree recipients, 152 master's degree recipients and 26 doctoral degree recipients.
Three School of Science students were chosen to represent their graduating class with a commencement speech. Alicia Quash, a psychology major, gave the speech for the School of Science Class of 2015 Commencement. At the IUPUI Class of 2015 Commencement, Victoria Rose MacLain, a psychology and criminal justice major, presented the speech at the morning ceremony and Brandi Blakley, a psychology major, delivered the afternoon ceremony speech.
Chancellor Charles Bantz and School of Science Dean, Simon Rhodes, also attended the School of Science Commencement, with Bantz receiving the 2015 Medal of Distinction and Rhodes addressing the new graduates:
“At the School of Science, we do not separate research and teaching and outreach – they are all part of the fabric of what we value and how we aim for excellence. You have the tools to understand a changing world.”
The teaching, research and outreach done by students included:
- Exploring moon evolution to find new resources and habitats for human beings in the future
- Helping undergraduates play a part in more affordable drug development and discovery
- Making smartphone use safer and more effective by detecting malware and improving applications
- Developing more effective intervention programs for cancer
- Providing novel treatment options for addiction
- Investigating plant growth as a way to improve methods in agriculture
- Using mathematics to investigate modern society, creating more effective ways to analyze data
Surveys of graduates from May 2014 indicated that nearly half of School of Science bachelor’s degree recipients attained jobs after graduation and a little over 30% attended graduate of professional school. Over three fourths of graduates stayed in the Indiana workforce or education system, helping meet the state’s needs in science, technology, engineering and math fields.
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The School of Science at IUPUI is committed to excellence in teaching, research and service in the biological, physical, behavioral and mathematical sciences. The school is dedicated to being a leading resource for interdisciplinary research and science education in support of Indiana's effort to expand and diversify its economy.