06/20/2026
Meet our 2026 Ph.D. graduates!
At our commencement hooding, faculty advisers shared a few words about each new doctor before placing the hood. What an extraordinary cohort of excellence!
Nicholas Andrews
"He immediately dived into anything that was an adventure. That's the defining feature of Nick." (Professor Kristi Morgansen)
Ari Athair
"Ari is one of those rare people who can spend hours exploring a difficult question, not simply looking for an answer, but seeking to understand the deeper implications." (Professor Owen Williams, delivered by Professor Justin Little)
Govind Chari
"His ability to take complex ideas, turn them into workable projects, and execute them is amazing. . . Slow down. You are making us all look really bad!" (Professor Behçet Açıkmeşe)
Abhinav Kamat
"What he contributed enabled a new technology NASA is testing as we speak." (Professor Behçet Açıkmeşe)
Taewan Kim
"When he comes to a meeting, he's so clear-minded, he knows what he's talking about, and he's extremely rigorous."" (Professor Behçet Açıkmeşe)
Spencer Kraisler
"Your enthusiasm for research and your sharp mathematical mind were impressive to me from the get-go." (Professor Mehran Mesbahi)
Skye Mceowen
"What distinguishes Skye is her courage, her grit, and her collaborativeness." (Professor Behçet Açıkmeşe)
Eddie Ting
"Any designer of a supersonic airplane in the future will use the data that he helped create." (Professor Eli Livne)
Peter Thoreau
"Peter is a once-in-a-generation talent. . . He also won two best papers in a row at the International Electric Propulsion Conference. and skied down Rainier, Baker, Adams, and St. Helens, and an Alaskan peak he reached by helicopter." (Professor Justin Little)
Samet Uzun
"Samet is highly nonlinear, almost like an artist. You have to give him room." (Professor Behçet Açıkmeşe)
