Six Texas State University doctoral students—Myriah Allen, Stephanie Baker, Issy Changsut, Theresa De Cree, Kyndal Irwin, and Diane Nuñez—have received 2026–2027 Philanthropic Educational Organization (P.E.O.) Scholar Awards.
This $25,000 merit-based award recognizes and encourages academic excellence and achievement by women in doctoral-level programs and provides partial support for study and research. Scholar Award recipients are chosen not only for their scholarly accomplishments but also for their potential to have a positive impact on society and to make a significant contribution to their field.
For the current cycle, P.E.O. selected 115 recipients out of 893 applicants. TXST’s recipients comprise more than 5% of the awardees nationwide, breaking last year’s record of five students and increasing the total number of all-time recipients to 20.
Myriah Allen is a doctoral student in applied anthropology with a focus in archaeology. She earned a double bachelor of arts in anthropology and in criminology and criminal justice, both magna cum laude, from the University of Texas at Arlington and a master of arts in anthropology with a concentration in forensic anthropology from the University of Montana. Her dissertation, "An Examination of the Presence of Livestock in the Southern Plain: A Tale of Two Communities," examines the introduction of Spanish stock animals into the Indigenous societies of the Southern Plains during the 16th and 17th centuries, as well as the early effects of Spanish colonialism on the Plains. Her dissertation committee is chaired by Britt Bousman, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Anthropology and founding director of the Center for Archaeological Studies. She was nominated by P.E.O. Chapter KA of San Marcos.
Stephanie Baker is a doctoral student in applied anthropology with a focus in biological anthropology. She earned a bachelor of science in biology with minors in forensic anthropology and kinesiology and a master of science in biology, both from Sam Houston State University. Her dissertation, titled "A Deep Learning Approach for Postmortem Interval Estimation," applies machine learning techniques to improve decomposition-based estimations of time since death. Her dissertation committee chair is Daniel J. Wescott, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Anthropology and director of the Forensic Anthropology Center at TXST (FACTS). Baker previously received a Love of Learning Award from Phi Kappa Phi. She was nominated by P.E.O. Chapter IW of Horseshoe Bay.
Issy Changsut is a doctoral student in aquatic resources and integrative biology. She earned a bachelor of science in marine biology cum laude from Roger Williams University and a master of science in biology from TXST. Changsut’s dissertation investigates the interactions between coral holobiont (host + microbes) and host-immunity, using the temperate stony coral, Astrangia poculata or the Northern Star coral, as an emerging model species for symbiosis-immune interplay. Her dissertation committee chair is Lauren Fuess, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Biology. Changsut was previously named a recipient of an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. She was nominated by P.E.O. Chapter IR of Georgetown.
Theresa De Cree is a doctoral student in applied anthropology with a focus in biological anthropology. She earned a bachelor of arts in anthropology magna cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh and a master of science in anthropology with a concentration in forensic and biological anthropology from Mercyhurst University. Her dissertation, "Defining the Properties of Osseointegrated and Ingrowth Bone Around Orthopedic Medical Devices and Their Effect on Fracture Risk in Elderly Populations: A Forensic Anthropological Perspective,” examines how joint replacements alter the human skeleton over time. De Cree manages the long-term unidentified cases at FACTS. Her dissertation committee is chaired by Daniel J. Wescott, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Anthropology and director of FACTS. De Cree is a past recipient of the NIJ Graduate Research Fellowship. She was nominated by P.E.O. Chapter IW of Horseshoe Bay.
Kyndal Irwin is a doctoral student in aquatic resources and integrative biology. She earned a bachelor of science and arts in biology from the University of Texas at Austin and a master of science in population and conservation biology from TXST. Irwin’s dissertation uses behavioral experiments to test how mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) navigate obstacles and solve problems, revealing how environmental conditions, such as habitat complexity, predation pressure, and social interactions, influence cognitive traits like problem-solving and risk-taking. Her dissertation committee chair is Caitlin Gabor, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Biology and associate director of the Institute for Molecular Life Sciences. Irwin was nominated by P.E.O. Chapter HW of Marble Falls.
Diane Nuñez is a doctoral student in geography. She earned a bachelor of science in geosciences with a minor in Spanish and a master of science in geosciences, both from Fort Hays State University. Nuñez’s dissertation examines how U.S. migration policies—especially those focused on deterrence and expulsion—affect migrants' movement, safety, and vulnerability across Latin America and along the U.S.-Mexico border. Her dissertation committee is chaired by Jennifer Devine, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies. She was nominated by P.E.O. Chapter IW of Horseshoe Bay.