Thoughts on Theses: Rachel Cohen

Rachel Cohen is a biology major. Her thesis focuses on the impact of coevolution between plants and fungal pathogens on susceptibility to certain diseases. Her thesis advisor is Professor of Biology Michael Hood. Q: What is your thesis about?A: My thesis examines the way pathogens and hosts have coevolved over time and how these symbiotic relationships affect ecological diseases. My thesis specifically looks at Microbotryum, a fungal pathogen that infects plants in the carnations family. I am u

Fresh Faculty: Matteo Riondato

Matteo Riondato is an assistant professor of computer science. He received a master’s degree in engineering at the University of Padua in Italy. Later, he received his master’s degree and Ph.D. in computer science at Brown University. Q: When did you begin studying computer science and why did you want to pursue it?A: I had been playing around with the computer since I was a teenager, but I really started with computer science when I was 16. At an early age, I was attracted by the uniqueness of

Fresh Faculty: George Qiao

George Qiao is an assistant professor of history and Asian languages and civilizations. He attended the Fudan University in China and received both his M.A. and Ph.D. at Stanford University. Q: When did you begin studying the history of China and why did you want to pursue it?A: I was interested in the subject ever since I was a child, and I’ve always wanted to become a scholar. I was in a special humanities program at the Fudan University in China of humanities that combined literature, histor