Sananda Ray Receives Outstanding Scholar Award

Dr. Sananda Ray stands at Volcán de Fuego in Guatemala during summer 2022, participating in fieldwork with a team led by Dr. Greg Waite and Dr. Gustavo Bejar Lopez.
Dr. Sananda Ray is pictured at Volcán de Fuego, Guatemala, in summer 2022, where she participated in fieldwork with a team led by Dr. Greg Waite and Dr. Gustavo Bejar Lopez.

GMES is proud to announce that Dr. Sananda Ray, who recently earned her PhD in Geophysics, Summer ‘25, has received the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Scholarship Award in recognition of her academic excellence, research achievements, and contributions to the Michigan Tech community.

Sananda’s doctoral work, conducted under the guidance of Dr. Radwin Askari, focused on generating and analyzing long-period seismic events to better connect theoretical models with natural volcanic systems.

“When looking for PhD positions, the program and project at Michigan Tech aligned with my research goals.” – Dr. Ray, when asked why she chose MTU.

Her research has been strengthened by international field experience, including work on Volcán de Fuego in Guatemala, where she gained hands-on skills in volcanic seismology. Outside the lab, Sananda enjoys photography, traveling, and building community among her peers.

GMES congratulates Dr. Ray on this well-deserved honor and looks forward to her continued contributions to the geoscience field.