Graduate students leverage travel funding to enhance research, build professional networks

Three Texas State University graduate students — Ayşe Melodi Edizer, Greyson Fruge, and Isabella Changsut — share their experiences traveling to conferences with support from The Graduate College’s Graduate Student Travel Fund.

Edizer is a fourth-year doctoral student in the Postsecondary Student Success in Learning, Literacy, and Mathematics program at TXST. Edizer is also a doctoral teaching assistant for the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Her research focuses on teachers’ practices and perceptions of artificial intelligence in postsecondary literacy classrooms.

“The findings from this research could inform future studies on AI in developmental education and provide valuable insights for literacy instructors looking to enhance their support for students’ literacy growth,” Edizer said.

She has attended three conferences through the Graduate Student Travel Fund, including her first-ever conference at the Association for the Study of Higher Education. She also presented at the 2024 American Educational Research Association alongside her professor, Emily Suh, Ph.D., and colleague, Candice Oelschlägel. This collaboration led to a publication in the Journal of College Literacy and Learning. Additionally, Edizer attended the rd European Conference on Literacy in Chania, Greece, marking a significant milestone as her first independent presentation at an international conference.

“Each conference experience gives me the chance to present my research, connect with fellow educators, and stay updated on the latest research in the field,” she said. “Funding to travel and present my research at conferences not only validates my work, but it also fosters my academic and professional growth.”

Emily J. Summers, Ph.D., Edizer’s dissertation chair, emphasized Edizer’s dedication to her research, stating, “She has been working to provide virtual AI literacy support to students in Ukraine, helping them maintain access to education during the war. The Graduate College’s support of her has been invaluable in her development as a researcher.”

Edizer began teaching in Istanbul during her master’s program, where she counseled students from diverse backgrounds. “It made me realize I wanted my life’s work to focus on supporting students academically, socially, and emotionally,” she said.

Growing up in a bilingual and bicultural home, she learned the importance of integrating culture into the classroom. “My career goals focus on advancing postsecondary developmental literacy, particularly through culturally sustaining teaching practices and artificial intelligence.”

Fruge is pursuing her master of science in Integrated Agricultural Science at TXST. She has received numerous accolades, including the Outstanding Senior award for the Department of Agricultural Sciences in 2022, a HEB scholarship, and third place in the MS II poster competition at the national meeting of the American Society of Animal Science in Alberta, Canada.

The Graduate College funded Fruge to attend the 2024 ASAS-CSAS-WSASAS Annual Meeting as a graduate student presenter in Calgary, Alberta.

“This conference allowed me to engage with professionals in animal science from both the industry and academia,” Fruge said. “Overall, this experience pushed me out of my comfort zone and allowed me to practice communicating high-level research to professionals in the agriculture industry.”

Fruge’s research focuses on beef cattle nutrition, with her graduate research assistantship under Merritt Drewery, Ph.D., centering on the utilization of alternative feedstuffs for a more sustainable industry.

“Dr. Drewery has created an environment in her lab that emphasizes success, and everyone is willing to support each other in achieving our goals,” she said.

Drewery commended Fruge’s dedication, saying, “Greyson put a significant amount of work into her research, and it was wonderful to see those efforts come to fruition. The Graduate College travel funds enabled her to present her work at an international meeting, where she made valuable connections that will help her navigate her career or Ph.D. options after graduating.”

Fruge aspires to work for the United States Department of Agriculture as a researcher or within the Forest Service. “Ultimately, I want to leave the agricultural industry better than I found it, creating lasting change through improved sustainability practices,” she said.

Changsut is a second-year doctoral student in the Aquatic Resources and Integrative Biology program. She has received numerous scholarships, including the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, the George Meyer Microbiology Scholarship, and the John P. Eben and Dorothy Eben-Elledge Endowed Scholarship.

Changsut’s research focuses on coral immunology, where she investigates coral immunity to apply her findings to real-world conservation and restoration efforts. Through the Graduate Student Travel Fund, she was able to attend the Benthic Ecology Meeting in Charleston, South Carolina, where she presented a talk and networked with other scientists in her field. She also attended the same conference last year.

She credited these conferences for allowing her to strengthen her connections with other scientists who are in various career stages.

“I was able to connect with other scientists, many of whom I had never met in person,” Changsut said. “These events allow me to strengthen my network and learn about career opportunities both within and outside of academia.”

Changsut acknowledged that conferences often inspire her work and fuel her to be innovative.

“Attending conferences and presenting my work also opens me up to new ideas and future directions for my research,” she said. “For example, at a recent conference, a scientist from UNCW offered a new perspective that has allowed me to view my project through a different lens.”

The Graduate College will partially fund one graduate student conference presentation request per year subject to the availability of funding. Visit The Graduate College website for more information on the eligibility and application requirements.