Today is, at long last, Commencement at Union. At around the time this is posted, I'll be parading around in academic robes, or possibly listening to a variety of boring speeches.
Of course, I can't really claim that I don't enjoy this. After all, Kate and I drove back here from Boston last night after a weeding down there, specifically so I could make it to this morning's ceremonies, bad knee and all. Some faculty complain about having to attend commencement, but I get a kick out of it. Not so much the speeches, but seeing the students go through the ceremony-- the dazed look they get when it finally hits them that this is all real is priceless.
I'm also rather fond of this class. It's a really huge group, and while a couple of them have been a little frustrating at times, they're really a terrific bunch. I've had them in class a few times, and they'll do basically everything you ask of them without complaining too much, and they do it well. Outside of class, they're not quite as manic as last year's seniors, but they're still hugely entertaining to have around, and the department will be a much different place once they've moved on.
So, congratulations Jeff, Nate, Sean, Alex, Sam, Bob, Mike, Tom, Charlie, Jay, Matt, Josh, and Luther. It's been great having you here, and I wish you all the best for the future. And if any of you become preposterously wealthy, send money.
Comments
Couldn't help noticing that all the graduating seniors are male...
Posted by: Ponder Stibbons | June 17, 2007 11:57 AM
Welcome to life in the physics department...
Posted by: Colin Smith | June 17, 2007 12:19 PM
Congrats to your students. And, a hearty Kudos to you for your part in it. Best wishes to 'em!
Posted by: MaryKaye | June 17, 2007 12:31 PM
Couldn't help noticing that all the graduating seniors are male...
Yeah.
Last year's class was 50/50-- four of the eight majors were women. This year, thirteen guys.
I wish we knew what we did five years ago to get that one class of women. We had a couple of women that we tried really hard to get to be physics majors who would've been in this class, but none of them did.
Posted by: Chad Orzel | June 17, 2007 2:06 PM
drove back here from Boston last night after a weeding down there
Had no idea you were that much into gardening...
Posted by: Michael I | June 17, 2007 4:35 PM
I play with the university band for every graduation, wearing my robes. I even did it this year, though I wasn't required to as I was on sabbatical. Again, I enjoy seeing the students in my department graduate, plus I have fun performing next to the younger students.
Posted by: Scott Spiegelberg | June 17, 2007 9:07 PM
Chad: "I wish we knew what we did five years ago to get that one class of women."
My crystal ball projection is high school preparation, high school preparation, high school preparation. I'm not sure Union had much to do with it. You could try recruiting out of your math and science classes in the freshman year and then track the progress of those kids closely, but I'm hesitant to see college physics departments try to second guess themselves ... Unless, they get clear feedback from their female grads indicating it was something they did, or didn't do, that made a difference.
Posted by: MaryKaye | June 17, 2007 10:58 PM
Congrats to the graduates!
It feels particularly strange hearing about this considering that this was my graduating class and Chad was my advisor. But think about it this way, at least it was 13 guys and not 14 :)
Posted by: Nick | June 18, 2007 12:48 PM
MaryKaye: My crystal ball projection is high school preparation, high school preparation, high school preparation. I'm not sure Union had much to do with it. You could try recruiting out of your math and science classes in the freshman year and then track the progress of those kids closely, but I'm hesitant to see college physics departments try to second guess themselves ... Unless, they get clear feedback from their female grads indicating it was something they did, or didn't do, that made a difference.
Our guess is that it was largely a group effect. One of the four female majors last year became a physics major in large part because she was the roommate of another of our majors. Three of the four were in the same sorority, and they were all friends.
There's a bosonic stimulation joke to be made here, but I don't have the time to phrase it properly.
Nick: But think about it this way, at least it was 13 guys and not 14 :)
Actually, it would've been 14, were it not for a late failure... It was very nearly 12, too.
Posted by: Chad Orzel | June 18, 2007 2:23 PM