Thursday, November 15, 2007

September 19th Post: Dissertation Defense

I posted this on September 19....

The Dissertation Defense

Well...it has been a rather chaotic road the last several weeks since I posted. We've managed to have some summer fun and also share in some family events. I was able to go out to Minnesota with my wife on September 4th and I successfully defended and passed my dissertation defense (final oral exam) for my Ph.D. on September 5th. We then flew back to Salt Lake on September 6th--talk about a quick trip. I have just a few edits to make but am glad this is behind me now. My presentation was great. I felt very comfortable talking about my research and I had several colleagues and friends there to support me. I am really pleased with the outcome.

However, I was telling some friends at work that the whole defense is rather anti-climatic. I mean you spend years completing coursework, gaining research skills and experience, and then day upon days, hours upon hours collecting data, analyzing data, writing about data, and then writing about the results only to have the whole thing done in a matter of minutes. It just seems like a bell and siren should go off along with balloons, confetti and noise makers. Oh well...I'm still glad it's done. Now...I'm off to the revisions.


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Well, it's now November and I'm finally getting around to the final edits of my dissertation. I'm rather excited actually.


Dr. Jodi Dworkin (my advisor) and I on my defense day in St. Paul.


Dr. Hal Grotevant (my committee chair) and I.

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