HUMA Grad Students

Posts about the students in the PhD HUMA program

  • Congratulations, Dr. Alia Wazzan!

    On March 24, Alia Wazzan successfully defended her thesis, Netflix Feminist Euphoria: Gendered Orientalism and the Age of Platform Imperialism in the Middle East.

    Congratulations to Dr. Wazzan!

    Categories: Defense, HUMA Grad Students, News

  • Congratulations to Dr. Maya Karanouh for a successful defence!

    On December 16, Maya Karanouh successfully defended her thesis, Wicked Problems of Generative AI: Navigating Ethical Concerns and SMEs Early Adoption Challenges.

    Congratulations to Dr. Maya Karanouh! We wish you all the best in your future endeavours!

    Categories: Defense, HUMA Grad Students, News

  • Three HUMA PhD students featured in the HRI Fall Term Symposium

    Congratulations to HUMA PhD students Philip Akoje, Long Vu, and John Heckman, who delivered “Lightning Talks” about their research at the Fall Term Symposium hosted by the Humanities Research Institute. The Symposium was held on Monday, Dec. 8th, and featured Brock graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty members. Each participant was tasked with the challenge of presenting their research project in just 5 minutes!

     

    Philip Akoje delivering his Lightning Talk, “Gendered Frames of Emotion and Affect in Igala Ritual Masks”

     

    Long Vu presenting his research project, “Gifted Subjects: A Political Ontology of the Vietnamese Socialist Citizen”

     

    Long Vu (right) and John Heckman (left); John’s Lightning Talk was on “Constructing Conflict: Creators, Audiences, and Digital War Visuals”

     

    Well done, Philip, Long, and John!

    Categories: Events, HUMA Grad Students, News

  • Alia Wazzan wins 2025-2026 Vice President, Research Award and the 2025-2026 Robert G. Rawle Graduate Bursary

    The HUMA program is proud to announce that PhD student Alia Wazzan has been awarded both the 2025-2026 Vice President of Research Award and the 2025-2026 Robert G. Rawle Graduate Bursary.

    Both awards are given annually to graduate students at Brock University, with the Vice President of Research Award given to a full-time international graduate student at Brock University who demonstrates outstanding academic merit.

    Congratulations, Alia!

    Alia Md. Wazzan

    Categories: HUMA Grad Students, News, Student Funding and Awards

  • Congratulations to Dr. Mugan!

    Dr. Christine Daigle with Dr. Camila Mugan

    Earlier this month, graduate Dr. Camila Mugan crossed the stage to formally accept her doctoral degree. Her supervisor, Dr. Christine Daigle, was there to share in this special moment with Camila and her family.

    Congratulations, Camila!

    Categories: Convocation, HUMA Grad Students, News

  • Artwork by Laur Pilon acquired by McMichael Museum, featured in ELLE Canada

    Mine the catatonic backdrop, 2025, oil on canvas over panel, 91 x 122 cm

     

    We are proud to announce that a painting by PhD student Laur Pilon (titled Mine the catatonic backdrop) has been added to the collection housed by the McMichael Canadian Art Collection.

    Laur is also featured in a new issue of ELLE Canada, which spotlights Canadian artists who are “capturing our imaginations with diverse forms of painting that push the medium toward new conceptual heights.”

    Congratulations, Laur!

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Categories: HUMA Grad Students, News

  • Congratulations to Dr. Miroslav Zovko for a successful defence!

    On September 5, Miroslav Zovko successfully defended his thesis titled The Figures of Crisis: Reflections of the 2008 Financial Crisis as Ideological Discourse of Capitalism.

    Congratulations to Dr. Miroslav Zovko!

    Categories: Defense, HUMA Grad Students, News

  • Congratulations to Camila Mugan for a successful defence!

    On August 26, Camila Mugan successfully defended her thesis titled Silence as Voice: Silence, the Body and the Decoloniality of Quiet in Raduan Nassar and Sara Gallardo’s novels of the country.

    Congratulations to Camila!

    Categories: Defense, HUMA Grad Students, News

  • Congratulations to Laur Pilon for earning national spotlight!

    We are happy to announce that our PhD student Laur Pilon’s painting The figure’s rebirth unfolds in a leaky silence was selected earlier this year by the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa to be part of its collection. Laur is leading the way in research-creation, a practice-based approach to research that combines creative and academic exploration generating new knowledge and innovative ideas.

    For the full story visit: https://brocku.ca/brock-news/2025/03/grad-students-art-earns-national-spotlight/

    Categories: HUMA Grad Students

  • Congratulations to Venus Torabi!

    Venus Torabi successfully defended her dissertation, “The CrISIS of Ludic Terrorism: Videogaming Exploited as a Means of Islamists’ Radicalization, Recruitment and Propaganda,” on Thursday, December 19th. Bravo, Venus!

    We look forward to seeing you cross the stage to accept your degree at Spring Convocation!

    L to R: Dr. Angela Book (Psychology), Venus Torabi, Dr. Lissa Paul (GPD), Dr. Jason Hawreliak (Digital Humanities), Alain Torabi

     

    Categories: Defense, HUMA Grad Students, Student Funding and Awards