Bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree candidates were honored during the University of Houston College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (NSM) Fall Commencement, held December 19 at the Fertitta Center.
A total of 677 NSM students completed degree requirements for Fall 2025. The graduating class included 64 doctoral candidates earning degrees in biochemistry, biology, chemistry, computer science, geology, geophysics, mathematics, and physics. An additional 79 students earned master’s degrees, and 534 completed requirements for bachelor’s degrees.
Academic achievement was recognized across all levels. Forty-four students graduated summa cum laude, the highest academic honor for bachelor’s degree recipients. Another 71 students earned magna cum laude, and 65 graduated cum laude.
The ceremony also recognized eight graduates of the teachHOUSTON program, a partnership between NSM and the UH College of Education. These students have committed to teaching high school mathematics or science, helping address critical workforce needs in STEM education.
Memorial Hermann Health System Awarded Presidential Medallion
In recognition of exceptional partnership and service, the University of Houston presented the 2025 President’s Medallion to the Memorial Hermann Health System.
One of the largest nonprofit health systems in Southeast Texas, Memorial Hermann delivers value-driven care through 17 hospitals and a wide range of specialty programs across Greater Houston. The award-winning system is home to one of the nation’s busiest Level I trauma centers and TIRR Memorial Hermann, consistently ranked among the top three rehabilitation hospitals in the country.
For nearly three decades, Memorial Hermann has been a steadfast partner of the University of Houston and the official health care provider for UH Athletics. Its philanthropic support and strategic alliance have played a vital role in advancing the University’s mission and expanding educational opportunity. In 1998 and again in 2006, Memorial Hermann’s contributions supported the expansion of UH’s Sugar Land campus, strengthening access to higher education across the region.
That commitment has continued in recent years. In 2019, Memorial Hermann established a scholarship for Human Resource Development majors in the Cullen College of Engineering, helping remove financial barriers for students pursuing their degrees. In 2023, Memorial Hermann and UH Athletics launched a transformative new chapter with a major pledge supporting the University’s state-of-the-art Football Operations Center, including scholarships for student-athletes.
Opened in Fall 2025, the Memorial Hermann Football Operations Center spans 160,000 square feet and features a cutting-edge sports performance center, academic support services, dynamic locker room facilities, and flexible spaces designed to support student-athlete success. The facility stands as a lasting symbol of Memorial Hermann’s investment in student achievement and competitive excellence.
A dedicated community leader, Memorial Hermann’s generosity has elevated Houston Football in the Big 12 Conference and helped make higher education more accessible for countless students.
For its enduring commitment to the University of Houston and the broader community, President Renu Khator proudly awarded the 2025 President’s Medallion to the Memorial Hermann Health System.
Dan E. Wells Outstanding Dissertation Award – Rabimba Karanjai
Each semester, the Dan E. Wells Outstanding Dissertation Award is presented to a doctoral student who has conducted exceptional research and submitted the College’s most outstanding dissertation. The Fall 2025 recipient is Rabimba Karanjai, a Ph.D. graduate in computer science. He received a certificate and a $1,000 award in recognition of his achievement.
Karanjai’s dissertation, “Teaching AIs to Reason and Code, Confidentially,” addresses a major challenge in the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence: ensuring that AI systems can generate reliable, efficient, and secure computer code. His research, conducted under the supervision of Associate Professor Weidong Shi, focuses on reducing the subtle but significant errors, inefficiencies, and security vulnerabilities that frequently arise in AI-generated code.
To meet this challenge, Karanjai developed a multi-agent AI framework in which specialized models work together to create a high-level blueprint, translate it into a specific programming language, and rigorously verify the resulting code. He also designed DeFaaS, a decentralized blockchain-based infrastructure to strengthen privacy and security in AI-assisted coding environments. His work has drawn interest from leading researchers as well as major technology organizations, including Google and the Mozilla Foundation.
Karanjai now serves as a Staff Machine Learning Scientist at PayPal, where he contributes to the development of secure and dependable AI technologies.
NSM’s 4.0 Summa Cum Laude Graduates
During the ceremony, NSM recognized two exceptional students who completed their entire college careers at the University of Houston in six years, each graduating with a perfect 4.0 grade point average:
- Matthew Ho, Biology
- Kelsey Wong, Computer Science
Commencement Banner Bearers – NSM Outstanding Students
The Commencement processional included outstanding students from NSM’s six departments carrying the college and departmental banners.
- College Banner: Matthew Ho
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry: Ruchi Patel
- Department of Chemistry: Kristen Pham
- Department of Computer Science: Kelsey Wong
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Nathaniel Brunello
- Department of Mathematics: Hannah Jensen
- Department of Physics: Maggie Fuller