ANGELA OLINTO: It is my great pleasure
to welcome the newest graduates of the physical sciences
Division of the University of Chicago, their families
and their friends.
We all join you in celebrating this most remarkable
achievement, the completion of a graduate degree
at the University of Chicago.
Graduates, take pride on your accomplishments.
You have worked vigorously to advance the fields of astronomy
and astrophysics, chemistry, computer science,
geophysical sciences, mathematics, physics,
and statistics.
Your family, the young and the older, friends, professors,
and colleagues are most proud of you.
Congratulations.
Among you, not yet--
among you, astronomers and astrophysicists
research how planets, stars, galaxies in the universe form
and evolve.
Physicists advance the knowledge of the most
fundamental properties of nature.
Chemists learn how to improve the world from the molecular
to the biological scales.
Geophysical scientists study the history and structure
of our dear planet Earth and other planets.
Mathematicians and statisticians develop
new fundamental structures and concepts that form
and inform new areas of science.
Computer and data science developed--
the computer and data scientists develop new ideas and tools
that greatly impact all human activity on a daily basis.
You are now part of a distinguished group
of fellow alumni who have changed the world.
I know that you will build upon what you have learned here
to make a difference in the constantly evolving world
you inherited.
Your lives will reflect honor to your families,
your communities, and to the University of Chicago.
Congratulations.
At the University wide ceremony this morning,
I presented our candidates for the Master of Science
to the president of the university.
In the presence of the faculty of the university, the members
of the Board of Trustees, President Zimmer formally
conferred those degrees in recognition
of the extraordinary academic achievements of our students.
At this time, it is my honor to award individual diplomas
to each of our graduates and also recognize
our students who have received their diplomas
in the previous quarter and those students who will receive
degrees in the summer quarter.
KARIN LECLAIR: As Dino students for the physical sciences
division, I now have the honor to present for their diploma
these students who have successfully completed
a program of study in the physical sciences culminating
in the degree Master of Science.
Students who have received their diplomas in previous quarters,
and those students who will receive
their degrees in the summer quarter are included.
[READING NAMES]
In the Master's Program in the Physical Sciences Division--
[READING NAMES]
In the Master's Program in Computer Science--
[READING NAMES]
In the Department of Physics--
[READING NAMES]
In the Department of Statistics--
[READING NAMES]
Let's congratulate our graduates.
[APPLAUSE]
All right.
Well, thank you for your generosity.
You know you get your diplomas, the real ones, afterwards.
Right?
But the picture is very important.
OK.
So as you know, we're here to celebrate
your great achievements.
Graduates of the Physical Sciences Division,
I'm very proud of you.
We also recognize that personal achievements
are built upon the contributions of others,
your family, friends, teachers, and mentors,
as well as scientists and mathematicians that
came before us.
So these people are supporting you through your school
and through your knowledge.
And they hopefully inspired you all the way to a wonderful life
in the future.
But I would like right now to take a moment
and ask you to stand up and thank those who are here
and those who are not in here, but they're here
in spirit, that helped you through this process.
So please rise, and let's thank the families and friends.
[APPLAUSE]
Now turn back and face forward to those--
you can keep standing for this one--
and also thank the faculty, those
who are here, but all the others that are not present here today
that also helped you through this process.
And let's thank all the faculty and staff that helped you
through this process.
[APPLAUSE]
And you can sit down.
Thank you.
As you leave this 532nd convocation
and embark on the next phase of your life,
I hope the passion for learning stays with you in your journey.
This year we have a remarkable example of a lifelong passion
for learning among you.
One of your fellow graduates is receiving her PhD 48 years
after her graduate studies ended abruptly
at the University of Chicago.
And this is Dr. Cheryl Dembe, who was with you in the earlier
ceremony.
And she'll be coming for the PhD ceremony afterwards.
And she wanted to relate to all of us
some of the lessons she learned through this process.
So what she wants us to remember is
that we should never give up on our own paths and journeys
in life and that the importance of respect for persevering
through seeing those who are dealing
with you in your life as the solution not the problem.
So she has used her challenges to basically take
us, the University of Chicago, as a solution and not
the problem.
And with that attitude, she was able to get
us to pay attention to what was an injustice 48 years ago.
So in thinking the best of them, meaning the best of the people
that you will have to deal with, you also have your own best,
and you call for the best of others.
So to honor Dr. Dembe, I'm going to quote
from one of the chemists that she really got inspired by.
And I hope his words will also inspire all of us.
So this is Nobel Laureate Glenn Seaborg.
And what he said is that, "There is a beauty in discovery.
There is mathematics in music, a kinship of science,
poetry in the description of nature,
and exquisite form in the molecule."
So for those of us in the Physical Sciences Division,
inspiration for learning what nature can provide us
is really just as beautiful as all kinds of inspirations
that humans have.
So we, your teachers and mentors,
trust that you will build upon the beauty of the discoveries
that you experienced here at the University of Chicago
to reach your highest aspirations with creativity,
critical thinking, wisdom, and perseverance.
With all your talents and expertise,
I hope you will feel ready to create your own masterpieces
in life, in the world outside the walls
that you now are going to exit.
I wish you the good fortune of a long and healthy life
full of challenges that drive you further and enrich
your existence and that of those around you.
I'm sure that each one of you has a lot to teach us
and that this university's tradition of the teacher
of teachers will continue on.
Thank you very much and congratulations.
[APPLAUSE]
MICHAEL FOOTE: This now concludes the Physical Sciences
Division Master of Science Diploma
Ceremony at the 532nd convocation
of the University of Chicago.
I thank you all for witnessing today's ceremony
and welcome you to stay for the reception.
Also note that the photographer will
be available in the main foyer if you would like to pose
for additional pictures.
Graduates, I congratulate you.
Please rise for the recession.
[APPLAUSE]
[MUSIC PLAYING]