On Wednesday, April 17th, Beatriz Susana Uitts and Vanessa Karen Kirch, doctoral candidates of St. Thomas Law’s J.S.D. in Intercultural Human Rights program, delivered their dissertation oral defense, the rigorosum. The rigorosum is the high point of an academic career in the global university tradition and an exhilarating educational experience for candidates. Beatriz Susana and Vanessa defended their work before a three-professor faculty committee, respectively. The committee included Professor Siegfried Wiessner, Director of the LL.M./J.S.D. in Intercultural Human Rights program, Professor Roza Pati, Executive Director of the LL.M./J.S.D. in Intercultural Human Rights program, and Professor Roy Balleste, Director of the LL.M. in Cybersecurity Law & Policy Program.
Both candidates presented a summary of their proposed work and responded to questions raised by members of the committee. Beatriz Susana presented her work titled, “Cyber Trafficking of Children: An International Legal Response to Online Child Sexual Exploitation,” and Vanessa discussed her work titled, “Social Networks -The Modern-Day Family: Law and Policy of Regulation.” The rigorosum was attended by other student members of the LL.M./J.S.D. in Intercultural Human Rights program.
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The J.S.D. Program in Intercultural Human Rights aims at providing a premier opportunity for promising human rights scholars to make a lasting contribution to the dynamic and action-oriented field of human rights through researching, analyzing and offering solutions to pertinent cutting-edge issues both globally and domestically.
