Mentioning Honors (NOT Honorable Mention)

LT defended her thesis today. Her presentation went very well and she handled the questions like a pro. It was an easy call for the department to award her high honors (not all of the defenses went so well). I of course smiled when my colleagues congratulated me on a job well done as I knew it was just luck of the draw. I think I helped her less than any other student I’ve had go through my lab as she didn’t really need “help” as much as occasional guidance. You really can’t know a student will be that good until you have already have them working with you so it isn’t like you did something special. Sometimes you get to have a true collaboration and this was one of those times.

What a pleasure to work with a student who is talented, motivated, kind and grounded. Working with undergraduate students like LT is the reason I wanted to be at a smaller institution. Days like today remind me why I got drawn to science as a student and why I wanted to get into academia to give back to a new generation of students what my professors gave me. LT is one of those kids who will make a fine adult and make society a better place. Today I was feeling honored to have had the chance to work with her.

Next fall will start another cycle (next year I have at least four people working on senior theses in my lab – NOOOOOOOOOOOOO :-) ).


Written final in my EMT class tomorrow night. 200+ questions - yeach. When things are all over I'll have a converstation with the instructor about the idea of random sampling...