All done... and ready to start.

On May 19th, I participated in Columbia University's Graduate School of Arts & Sciences convocation ceremony for Ph.D. recipients alongside department colleagues James Fuller (Marina Cords) and Victor Gutierrez-Velez (Ruth DeFries), and was supported by many members of my family. Kevin battled rain, traffic, and a large cycling race in Nyack to attend the festivities and share some celebratory champagne after the ceremony. 

Next week I will  head to Canberra, Australia to start my post-doc, and Kevin will head to Toolik Lake, Alaska to set up field equipment for the summer (though it is -20 C there currently). I will join Kevin, Angie Patterson and a team of undergraduate researchers at Black Rock Forest in a few weeks to kick off the 2013 field campaign. 

It is difficult to believe my degree is complete and my stay at Columbia has come to a close, though wearing a gigantic velvet-adorned robe and floppy, pillow-hat definitely helped it sink in. 

At the 116th St subway stop after the ceremony.