Graduate Office

Graduate Program Directors

Associate Director for Graduate Education

David Puts

Huck Associate Director for Graduate Education; Professor of Anthropology

Dana Coval-Dinant

Graduate Program Office Coordinator and Supervisor

Graduate Program Staff

Tasha Marasco

Academic Program Coordinator: Plant Biology; Integrative and Biomedical Physiology; and Bioinformatics and Genomics

Jean Pierce

Assistant Training Grant Administrator; Academic Program Coordinator: Ecology

Cassie Vomero

Academic Program Coordinator: Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Biosciences; Neuroscience: Biotechnology Masters

Huck Event Planning

Dave Blehi

Events Coordinator

Please complete the request form for assistance coordinating events with your college or department.

Request Event Planning

Huck Event Coordinator – Event Assistance Guidelines

  • Requesting Event Assistance
    • Please complete the event request form to receive assistance coordinating events with your college or department.
    • As events across the Huck Institutes continue to grow, we want to ensure each event receives the appropriate level of support.
    • Due to limited staffing, our Event Coordinator often manages multiple events simultaneously and may require assistance from the hosting department.
  • To best serve everyone, we have outlined:
    • Areas where the Huck Event Coordinator can reasonably provide support.
    • Tasks that may require additional assistance from your college/department.
    • If your department has staff or graduate students who can assist, please include them in planning discussions.

What the Huck Event Coordinator Can Assist With

  • Event logistics guidance
    • Provide timelines, checklists, and general coordination advice.
  • Room reservations and scheduling
    • Secure event spaces and confirm bookings.
  • Vendor coordination
    • Manage catering, A/V, and rental orders (within approved budgets).
  • Basic set-up oversight
    • Ensure materials, signage, and name tags are prepared.
  • On-site point of contact
    • Available during the event to troubleshoot and answer questions.
    • Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
    • After-hours support must be pre-approved (contact: dmc6@psu.edu).
  • Budget tracking
    • Record and monitor approved event expenses.

Tasks That May Require Additional Departmental Support

  • You may need assistance from your staff assistant, other departmental staff, or graduate students for:
    • Drafting and sending invitations, reminders, and confirmations.
    • Physical set-up or tear-down of furniture and equipment.
    • Running an entire event without departmental staff present.
    • Coordinating multiple simultaneous events.
    • Managing extensive travel arrangements for multiple guests.
    • Heavy physical set-up/tear-down (tables, chairs, equipment).
    • Last-minute requests outside the original scope without prior approval.

Additional Requests: Any requests extending beyond the outlined duties must be submitted in advance for approval to: dmc6@psu.edu.

Huck Training Grants

Donna Korzick

Director of Graduate Training Initiatives; Professor of Physiology and Kinesiology

Jean Pierce

Assistant Training Grant Administrator; Academic Program Coordinator: Ecology

Connie Smith

Training Grant Specialist

Intercollege Graduate Degree Program Chairs

Charles Anderson

Chair, Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Plant Biology; Co-Director, Center for Biorenewables; Professor of Biology; Faculty Advocate, Microscopy Core Facility

Sonia Cavigelli

Chair, Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Neuroscience; Associate Professor of Biobehavioral Health

Jason Kaye

Chair, Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology; Professor of Soil Biogeochemistry

David Koslicki

Chair, Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Bioinformatics and Genomics; Associate Professor of Computer Science and Engineering and Biology

Melissa Rolls

Lead Huck Graduate Chair; Chair, Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Biosciences; Director of the Center for Cellular Dynamics; Paul Berg Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Greg Shearer

Chair, Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Integrative and Biomedical Physiology; Professor of Nutrition and Physiology

Professional Master's Program Chairs

Natasha Tirko

Director, Master of Biotechnology Degree Program; Associate Teaching Professor