University of North Texas 
2022 COI Great Grads Spring
Julia Penick
B.A. Linguistics
Julia Penick graduates with a B.A. in Linguistics and reflects on what she's learned about the study of language while at COI:
Over the past four years, I've learned so much about language and how it works. COI
linguistics courses inspired me to study as many foreign languages as possible, including
French, Russian, Japanese, and Chinese. The concepts I learned from phonology, morphology,
and syntax helped me understand these languages on a deeper level. This past year,
I was thrilled to work on my capstone project with Professor Katie Crowder. She walked
me through every step of the process, encouraged me to think deeper, and gave crucial
advice whenever I struggled. I want to thank her for her efforts to help me succeed!
Above all, I gained confidence in my academic abilities, which I will take in the
next steps of my career. My advice for current students is to choose electives and
project topics that you love, not those you think are the easiest. If you're excited
about what you're doing, you will learn so much more.
Katie Crowder, Principal Lecturer in the Department of Linguistics, adds, “Julia is an outstanding undergraduate student, maintains a high GPA, and studies multiple languages while keeping up with her course load. Julia readily tackles challenging topics for research, never taking the path of least resistance but always embracing formidable projects because she genuinely wants to explore uncharted territory in linguistics.”
Julia currently seeks a career in publishing while she works towards her dream of becoming a novelist.
Connect with Julia on LinkedIn.
Haihua Chen
Ph.D. Data Science
Throughout his four and half years in the Data Science Doctoral Program, Haihua Chen has co-authored more than 30 peer-reviewed articles, delivered more than 20 academic
presentations, and reviewed more than 100 articles for 20 international journals and
conferences. In return, he received The Dewey E. Carroll Graduate Fellowship Award in 2020 and The Mark E. Rorvig Endowed Graduate Fellowship Award in 2019. Haihua was also nominated as the outstanding reviewer for The Electronic Library in 2019.
"Studying for a doctorate is a long and arduous journey. Everything is more challenging
as an international student. However, the College of Information has been like a home,
which is so supportive and caring. When I look back on this journey, countless memories
come to mind. From Dr. Daniella Smith's weekly conversations with Ph.D. students to feedback and advice from Dr. Kinshuk, Dr. Yunfei Du, Dr. Lingzi Hong, and Dr. Heejun Kim when I was on the job market. I appreciate them very much," Haihua shares.
"My dream is to be a successful professor like Dr. Ana Cleveland, Dr. Jiangping Chen, and Dr. Junhua Ding. They have been so supportive and encouraging to me, no matter the milestones or
difficulties. I learned their rigorous academic attitude, responsibility to students,
and dedication to the department, which has been so inspiring for me," Haihua adds.
Dr. Daniella Smith shares, "Haihua Chen is one of the most impressive students that I have met since serving as the Director of the Information Science Ph.D. program. During his time as a Ph.D. student, he has co-authored more than 20 research publications that intersect the fields of Information Science and Computer Science. Haihua served as the first vice-president of the UNT Data Science Organization and was instrumental in founding the organization.
As a Teaching Fellow, he taught three classes and meticulously developed materials to assist the students with understanding data science concepts. While pursuing his Ph.D., he spent numerous hours working in the Intelligent Information Access Lab in the Department of Information Science.
Haihua is always available to collaborate with faculty members, often serves as a research consultant, and mentors other students. He has served in various capacities on funded research projects for the National Science Foundation, the National Security Agency, the National Institutes of Health, and more. Haihua also has been proactive in receiving funding from Amazon to support his research projects.
He is an all-around success story and a pleasure to be around. I have never seen him without a smile on his face. I am so proud that he is a graduate of our program, and I am confident that he will go on to do even greater things," she says.
Haihua's research interests include Applied Data Science, Data Quality, Information Retrieval, Natural Language Processing, Text Mining, Legal Artificial Intelligence, and Health Informatics, and has accepted a position at COI as a Clinical Assistant Professor in Data Science.
Erik Wright
Ph.D. Learning Technologies
Erik Wright will graduate this month with a Ph.D. in Learning Technologies. Research interests include Organizational Culture, National Culture, Human Resources Development, Leadership, Workforce Engagement, Job Satisfaction, and Employee Training and Development. Recently, Erik shared his thoughts about his COI experience:
During the course of my studies at COI, I have been able to advance my knowledge and
understanding of Human Resource Development practices. I have learned a great deal
about how to create programs that meet the learning and development needs of a diverse
adult workforce. These skills are extremely valuable in my career and set me apart
from other HR professionals.
I have had tremendous support from the Applied Technology and Performance Improvement (ATPI) and Learning Technologies faculty, including an amazing amount of support from my Doctoral Committee member Dr. Rose Baker. She has been with me through thick and thin, and I owe a great deal of my success to her. Other faculty from the former ATPI program are also instrumental in my success, specifically Dr. Jeff Allen and Dr. John Turner. I cannot thank them enough for their support. And of course, the dedication and support of my Doctoral committee (Dr. Lee, Dr. Spector, Dr. Baker, and Dr. Gavrilova Aguilar) are key to my lifelong dream of completing my doctorate.
My advice to those entering their program: even though roadblocks may appear, don't give up! Rely on your faculty to help you navigate around them. They are there to help and have a wealth of knowledge. Then when you get that degree, make sure to say thank you!
Dr. Rose Baker, Learning Technologies Associate Professor and Director of the BAS Program, shares, "Erik never gave up working to obtain his degree even in the face of adversity. After a year of working with a company, the pandemic caused massive changes to the workforce, and the survey distribution yielded no usable data. Erik was resourceful and proposed a different data source that resulted in a finished dissertation with useful outcomes to inform workforce hiring practices."
Erik's post-graduation plans are to continue in the Human Resources Development field
and pursue consulting opportunities in business and leadership development. Erik also
looks forward to teaching the next generation of HR management professionals and seeks
opportunities to become university faculty.
Iram Fatima
M.S. Information Science with a concentration in Health Informatics
Iram Fatima began graduate school during the pandemic, which provided an unexpected challenge for someone who thrives on in-person classes and activities. She used this opportunity to attend virtual conferences, meet instructors virtually, and join student organizations (Iram currently serves as the President of UNT Library and Information Sciences Student Association- LISSA). As a Teaching Assistant and an international student, she also sought additional research opportunities. "Iram shows diligence in the face of difficulty and rises above others to shine. For four successful semesters, she found and utilized resources offered by UNT to hone her skills and experience grad school to the fullest despite the challenges of the pandemic," adds Lisa Hollinger, COI Assistant Director of Marketing.
Iram reflects upon her graduate school experience and shares, "I am proud to have
secured a TA position at the beginning of my graduate studies and received the prestigious Margaret Irby Nichols Endowed Scholarship. I was also awarded the LIS Fall Development Award from the National Library of Medicine during my first semester.
I want to express my appreciation for Dr. Ana Cleveland and Dr. Jodi Philbrick. As their TA, I value the opportunity to work closely with them and learn from their expertise. They have continuously provided conference and research opportunities, scholarship recommendations, and even an internship. In preparing for a talk at the South Central Chapter of the Medical Library Association Conference, they supported me in every way possible, guiding me to deliver a quality presentation. I am forever grateful to them for their constant support and encouragement.
My advice for other students is to reach out to instructors. COI has amazing staff and professors, and they really care about student success! They are never judgmental and are always ready to help in every way possible. So, reach out when you need any help or have questions. I am very thankful to everyone who has supported me in my journey at UNT!”
Iram graduates with an M.S. in Information Science with a concentration in Health Informatics and will begin a new position as a Junior Health Data Analyst this June.
Caroline Moore
M.S. Library Science
Caroline Moore is a part-time Assistant Archivist at UNT Libraries Special Collections and a full-time student studying Library Science with a concentration in Archival Studies and Imaging Technology. In reflecting upon her graduate school career and upcoming graduation, Caroline shares:
As a College of Information graduate student, I have learned how to make the most
out of my graduate school career, including attending conferences, joining organizations,
and working first-hand in my prospective field. I had the opportunity to gain experience
with unique and fascinating materials as a student Archival Assistant in the UNT Libraries Special Collections department. I have processed and produced finding aids for a variety of collections
such as the Fran Vick Collection, Grant Advertising, Inc. Dr. Pepper Campaign Collection, the second accrual to the Rudolph "Rudi" Fuchs Holiday Card Collection, Steven Fromholz Papers, NaDeane Anderson Walker Papers, UNT Commencement Recordings, James Flowers Collection of Found Ephemera Found in Returned Library Books, and the UNT Department of Dance and Theatre Records, among other university administration records. These collections are available for
anyone to access on the UNT Special Collections Finding Aid and The Portal to Texas History sites. Fully immersing myself in my studies and my prospective field as a full-time
student and honing my technical skills have allowed me to learn so much more than
I could have ever imagined in a short time (and during a pandemic). Overall, I have
learned through this two-year process that I have boundless potential and resilience.
The faculty and staff at UNT helped establish my confidence and ensure my growth and
success as a new professional in the library and information science field with their
limitless knowledge and resources. During the Master of Science in Library Science, Archival Studies, and Imaging Technology program, my studies have shaped me as a more informed, experienced, and knowledgeable professional.
I want to thank Austin Hammond for his more than commendable role as my graduate advisor. I met Austin at the Graduate School Preview Day and was sold on the idea of pursuing a Master of Science degree at UNT because of his passion for and knowledge of the program's faculty, staff, coursework, and opportunities. Once I became a student in the program, Austin was my advisor and helped me devise a plan to graduate with my degree and two Graduate Academic Certificates. Austin's expertise with the courses and coursework provided me with the best possible course of action to curate a balanced set of semesters. I would also like to highlight the UNT Library and Information Science Student Association (LISSA). By joining LISSA, I developed meaningful connections with professionals in the field and other graduate students in the program.
My words of advice for prospective or current students are to try to dedicate time beyond your studies to join organizations and attend conferences and webinars. I learned about many opportunities by connecting with student and professional organizations; networking and meeting others in your field of study are incredibly valuable and beneficial. Similarly, reach out to your professors and professionals in your field, ask questions, and schedule informational interviews. You'll learn a lot and demonstrate that you are genuinely interested and passionate about your studies. Lastly, apply, apply, apply to all of the scholarship opportunities at the College of Information and through professional organizations. During my first semester, I was awarded the College of Information Library and Information Science (LISC) Excellence Scholarship and the Margaret Irby Nichols Endowed Scholarship my second semester. I also received two awards from the Society of Southwest Archivists (SSA), which helped offset costs, including tuition, books, organization membership dues, and conference registration fees.
Lisa Hollinger, COI Assistant Director of Marketing, adds, "Caroline is a true academic. She recently collaborated on the UNT Special Collections digital exhibit Every Book(mark) Has a Story: Explorations in the James Flowers Collection of Ephemera Found in Returned Library Books, on view now. Associated with this exhibit, Caroline taught a UNT continuing education course and will present research about this collection at the Society of Southwest Archivist's conference this May. She is a remarkable student with a bright future ahead!"
Caroline looks forward to beginning her next chapter in archival and collections management and is currently searching for a full-time position. She is excited to connect with the College of Information as an alumnus to contribute to and help grow the UNT Library and Information Science network.
Connect with Caroline on LinkedIn.
Jonah Turner
B.S. Data Science
Jonah Turner graduates with a B.S. in Data Science this month and recently shared highlights of his time at COI and advice for current and prospective students:
I have had a great experience at COI and have developed skills in Python, SQL, Tableau,
R, and RapidMiner. I have also developed communication and collaboration skills by
working with other dedicated COI students on group projects.
During the summer of 2019, I was fortunate to work with Dr. Ding and Dr. Chen on a National Science Foundation REU. I am exceptionally grateful for the opportunity to work under and learn from them
so early in my data science studies.
I am also grateful to have had Ms. Blanca Hull as my undergraduate advisor. She helped me realize my dream of studying abroad in
France and helped me get the most out of my degree.
My advice to prospective and current students is to complement the COI curriculum
with your own studies and interests. There are many free resources to enhance your
learning - textbooks on machine learning, data science frameworks, and important languages
like Python and R. Do not stop learning when you leave the classroom.
Blanca Hull, Jonah's advisor, shares, “I have had the privilege to advise Jonah for the past two years at COI. I can honestly say that he is one of the most dedicated students I have ever worked with; Jonah is serious about his academics and has a passion for learning. Jonah is an excellent example of a University of North Texas graduate.”
Jonah seeks full-time employment as a Data Scientist and plans to pursue graduate work in the near future.