24 November 2009

PhD Thesis Defended

I've been the (name of employer)-side mentor for a student working on her PhD.  Yesterday, she successfully defended her PhD thesis.  Not sure she wants to be named, so I won't for now.  But it's a lot of work to get to where she is, and I'll congratulate her.  She knows who she is :-)  Good job!

Update:
Jamese Sims successfully defended her thesis at Howard University on Monday.  She'll be writing up something about her experiences for the blog one of these days. 

5 comments:

Jesús R. said...

Congrats! (in case she reads it)

What was it about?

Cheers!

Inferno said...

who was attacking it?

Robert Grumbine said...

She was studying the role of surface heat fluxes in driving hurricane intensity. I was amazed by a couple of the results, but as I learn more it looks to fit in to a pattern that is already developing from others. Yet another part of a story already in progress, which is normal science.

Inferno:
:-)

Or, in case you're serious, it's the examining committee. The end process is that one writes a dissertation, presents it to an audience (in this case, the examining committee plus whoever responded to the public announcement of the defense), and answers questions. Two rounds of questions -- one from all, and then a private session with the examining committee. By the end of it, you certainly feel like you've been playing some serious defense.

Actually, from the name, I always thought the examinee should walk in with a sword or some such. Something more in the vein of the examinations for advancing a belt in martial arts.

EliRabett said...

Cheers!!!

Anonymous said...

About 15 years ago I attended a defense at which the candidate did indeed carry a sword, although she didn't walk in with it - her student colleagues presented her with it after she finished. (It was an imitation katana with no real edge to speak of, but it looked impressive, particularly since she was wearing black jeans and motorcycle boots.)

Robert P.