The Center for Social Science Innovation (CSSI) at the University of Iowa has selected four exceptional doctoral candidates for its 2025-2026 Dissertation Completion Program (DCP). This program supports graduate students as they complete their dissertations and prepare for impactful careers in research, policy, and public service.
DCP offers participants quiet, dedicated office spaces and structured accountability to develop and advance their dissertation research. Additionally, students collaborate with CSSI staff and other participants, fostering their research progress and ties to a supportive community.
This year’s cohort represents a wide range of disciplines and research interests, united by a commitment to advancing social science knowledge and addressing urgent societal challenges:
Nicole Breese, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health in the College of Public Health
"Multisystem Effects of Polychlorinated Biphenyls: A Cross-Species Approach to Neurotoxicity and Molecular Disruption"
Chase LaSpisa, Department of Political Science in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
"Maritime Zones of Contention: The Effect of Offshore Fossil-Fuel Resources on Maritime International Conflict"
Abubakar Ibrahim, School of Journalism and Mass Communication the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
"News, Noise and Power: Disinformation, Nairafluencers and Field Boundary Contestation in Nigerian Journalism"
Kendall Riley, Department of Sociology and Criminology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
"Women’s Aging in the Shadow of the Carceral State"
“These scholars exemplify the intellectual rigor and public relevance that CSSI strives to support,” said Ethan Rogers, associate director at CSSI. “Their work addresses some of the most pressing issues facing society today, from environmental health and global conflict to media trust and structural determinants of health.”
Learn more about CSSI’s Dissertation Completion Program. Applications for the next DCP cohort will open in fall 2026.
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