SJSU News Archive
Date: 05/11/2009
Outstanding Graduating Seniors, Outstanding Thesis Awards
Contact:
Pat Lopes Harris, SJSU media relations, 408-924-1748
SAN JOSÉ, Calif., -- San José State President Jon Whitmore will recognize four top graduates at commencement, which begins at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, May 23, in Spartan Stadium. Approximately 6,000 candidates who completed their studies in August 2008, December 2008 and May 2009 will be eligible to participate. Around 25,000 graduates, family and friends are expected to attend the ceremony.
Benjamin C. Haller and Erlinda Yanez have been named SJSU's 2009 Outstanding Graduating Seniors in recognition of their scholarship and contributions to the community, and Robin Putney and Jennifer Piper Jorve have received the 2009 Outstanding Thesis Awards in recognition of the exceptional quality of their research.
Haller will graduate with a bachelor's in biology. A senior software engineer at Apple and founder of his own software company, Haller will graduate with a GPA of 3.99. He has conducted research in organic chemistry and microbiology and hopes to bring his cross-disciplinary background and computer-based problem-solving skills to bear in biological research. He has been a chemistry workshop facilitator for the Alliance for Minority Participation and a participant in NASA's Spaceward Bound teacher training program. A Dean's Scholar and President's Scholar, Haller plans to attend Cornell University's program in evolutionary biology in fall 2009.
Yanez will graduate with a bachelor's in behavioral science. A single mother of two, Yanez dropped out of high school, then worked for a decade as an administrative assistant in the SJSU Department of Mexican American Studies before resuming her studies. She has been a Girl Scout troop leader for eight years and teaches English as a second language at the Third Street Community Center. Last spring, she volunteered as group facilitator for the Alternative Spring Break in Tijuana where she led group discussions on the sociological aspects of immigration, globalization and poverty. A President's Scholar for four consecutive years, Yanez will graduate with a GPA of 3.98.
Putney, a former Peace Corps volunteer in Palau, conducted field research in the island nation 500 miles east of the Philippines to write her master's thesis, "Customary Marine Tenure and Traditional Ecological Knowledge in Palau." She will graduate with a master's degree in environmental sciences. Putney's thesis provides detailed descriptions of previously undocumented natural research management techniques practiced by the indigenous people of Palau. Her thesis chair, Katherine Kao Cushing, said that Putney's work makes a significant contribution to the field of environmental studies and anthropology. Putney's research results are already being used by the Palau Conservation Society to educate the youth of Palau on marine resource harvesting and management techniques.
Jorve studied the role of seaweeds in ecosystems for her master's thesis, entitled "Ecological Consequences of Morphological Variability in a Habitat-Forming Alga." Working under the supervision of Michael Graham at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, Jorve broke new ground in marine systems research as all previous research came from terrestrial or estuarine habitats. She focused on examining the impact of climate changes on coastal marine systems. In addition to her path-breaking research, Jorve participated actively in various volunteer teaching and professional activities. She assisted in the development of an international course in marine biology and gave tours of the Moss Landing Marine Labs facility. She will graduate with a master's degree in marine sciences.
San José State -- Silicon Valley's largest institution of higher learning with 32,700 students and 5,000 employees -- is part of the California State University system. SJSU's 154-acre downtown campus anchors the nation's 10th largest city.