Meet Daziyah Sullivan. Sullivan is a third year Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Rice University. Sullivan is from Florida and is a Rice Graduate Ambassador. Ambassadors are students who represent the university and help prospective students gain knowledge of student life as a graduate student at Rice.
Sullivan chose Rice as a graduate school because of her career goal of being a professor. Her research focuses on using haptic systems to assist with mental health treatments. Particularly, she is trying to find vibrations that can serve as a type of emotional notification that can remind people of the steps to calm themselves down if they are sad or anxious.
When she is not conducting research, she is serving in various leadership roles within the Rice community. She is a part of the Black Graduate Student Association (BGSA), the Mechanical Engineering Graduate Student Association (MechGSA), the Mechanical Engineering DEI Committee, the Graduate Student Association (GSA), and a GPS Pathways Mentor on campus. Sullivan is also a National GEM Consortium and National Science Foundation (NSF) fellow.
Sullivan advises prospective students to ask questions that will help them fully commit to a school and program.
“You can negotiate your stipend and additional graduate benefits,” said Sullivan. “You can ask for it.”
Sullivan advises current students to prioritize their well-being during their graduate studies.
“You are more than your research,” said Sullivan. “You don't need to earn a break; you automatically deserve a break.”
Sullivan also advises both prospective and current students to take advantage of the opportunities available to them in Houston and on Rice’s campus.
“Get involved, exercise, tour the city and eat all the foods,” said Sullivan.
Outside of academics, Sullivan likes to complete marathons and enjoys going to Cidercade and House of Pies.
Graduate ambassadors can be contacted via email at gradambassadors@rice.edu. Daziyah Sullivan can be contacted directly by email at dhs4@rice.edu