The Center for Social Science Innovation (CSSI) at the University of Iowa has selected three doctoral candidates for its 2026-2027 Dissertation Completion Program (DCP). DCP provides participants with dedicated office space, structured accountability, and a community of fellow doctoral students as they work toward completing their dissertations.

The 2026-2027 DCP participants are:

Jinyi Cai, School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability

"Supporting Public Understanding of Small-Area Cancer Maps through Context-Driven Design and Narrative Explanation"

David Lomoywara, School of Journalism and Mass Communication

"The Power of Local Radio in Promoting Women’s Health: A Qualitative Study of Stakeholder and Community Perceptions of FGM in West Pokot, Kenya"

Taylor Tokos, Department of Political Science

"Strategic Representation Through Bill Complexity: How Legislators Use Linguistic and Compositional Complexity in Policymaking"

“These projects demonstrate the range of questions and methods represented in social science research across the University of Iowa,” said Ethan Rogers, associate director at CSSI. "We look forward to getting to know this year's participants and supporting them as they complete their dissertations.

Learn more about CSSI’s Dissertation Completion Program. Applications for the next DCP cohort will open in fall 2027. 

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