News & Updates

Fragments of a Health Crisis: A Global Map of CKDu

Hi everyone! I’m so excited to share my final project idea that I will work on and launch next semester. Tentatively called, Fragments of a Health Crisis: A Global Map of CKDu is a project idea that has been brewing in my mind for quite some time. For those who aren’t familiar, Chronic Kidney Disease of uncertain etiology (CKDu) is a global health epidemic that disproportionately affects rural...

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Introducing 3D Modeling Department Stores

In CHI, we have spent the last few weeks developing our project proposals. It has been great to see everyone's projects and how they connect to different points of research. I'm so excited to see the projects as they progress. My project is 3D Modeling Departments Stores: Sheffield's John Walsh, 1899. In my introductory post, I talked about the early stages of my model of this store and how it...

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Threadscapes: A Digital Tapestry of African Stories

When deciding on my dissertation topic I started exploring fabric design and making in the African Diaspora. I had already completed some work with Adinkra symbols, and I wanted to continue exploring works in the diaspora. One day, I came across a designer near Detroit who created colorful fabrics and turned those designs into clothing. I watched her design process and contacted her to help...

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Jada Gannaway | CHI Graduate Fellow (2024-2025)

Happy Monday everyone! My name is Jada Gannaway. I am a fifth-year doctoral candidate in the department of History at MSU. I was born in Greensboro, North Carolina. I received my bachelor’s degree in History from North Carolina Central University, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in the Fall of 2019. I moved to Michigan three and half years ago to pursue my PhD in Comparative...

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Madiha Ghous|CHI Graduate Fellow (2024-2025)

Alt text: The author of the blog entry sits on a log in a forest filled with golden-brown autumn leaves. She wears a light purple headscarf, a black coat, and holds a brown sweater. The tall trees around her are partially covered in vibrant yellow and orange leaves, and the ground is blanketed with fallen leaves, evoking a peaceful fall setting Hi everyone! My name is Madiha Ghous. I am a...

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Rylee LaLonde | CHI 2024-2025 Graduate Fellow

Aanii niijii/Hello friends! My name is Rylee LaLonde. I am a first-year PhD student in the Anthropology Department at Michigan State University. I received my Bachelor's in Anthropology and English Literature from Northern Michigan University in 2022 and my Master's from Northern Michigan University in Biological Anthropology and Native American Studies in 2024. My thesis research focused on...

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Madison Allen Kuyenga | CHI 2024-2025 Graduate Fellow

Hello!  Madison Allen Kuyenga, PhD Candidate My name is Madison Allen Kuyenga. I am a PhD candidate in the Educational Psychology and Educational Technology Program in the Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Special Education at Michigan State University’s College of Education. I study culturally responsive and sustaining (CRS) computer science (CS) education and build...

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Marissa Knaak | CHI 2024-2025 Graduate Fellow

Hello everyone! My name is Marissa Knaak and I’m a PhD candidate in the history department at MSU. I have two master’s degrees, one in Public History (University of York, 2015) and the other in gender & cultural studies (Simmons College, 2017). My major fields of study are modern Europe and women’s and gender history, with minor fields in colonial & imperial history and social theory...

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Priyanka Jayakodi | CHI Returning Fellow (2024-25)  

Hello everyone! My name is Priyanka Jayakodi. I’m a fourth year PhD student in Cultural Anthropology and a returning CHI fellow. I couldn't be more excited to continue this journey. My dissertation focuses on environmental health in communities affected by Chronic Kidney Disease epidemic in Sri Lanka. Being part of CHI has truly been one of the most rewarding experiences of my graduate...

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Ashley Cerku | CHI 2024-2025 Graduate Fellow

Hi there! My name is Ashley Cerku and I am a doctoral candidate in the department of Anthropology at Michigan State University. I received my Bachelor’s degree in English and Writing/Rhetoric in 2013 and my Master’s degree in Liberal Studies in 2017 from Oakland University, and a Master’s degree in Anthropology from Michigan State University in 2023. My research focuses on historical...

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