Graduation

Today I got up late and had to give Django a short walk before having a quick shower and getting a bus into Edinburgh. I arrived just in time to collect the Dundee PhD gown that I would wear in the academic procession. After passing through the picket line, I joined the pre-ceremony gathering where, to my delight, I discovered that our former Head of School - who is now Head of Science and Engineering - would be acting for the University Principal. I assume that it wasn't because the Principal was on strike!

The ceremony was all the better for Iain's charismatic presence as "MC", and I managed to have a good chat with him afterwards - and took a great selfie of the two of us! Then, still in gowns, we all moved over to the Playfair Library for a reception, pausing in Bristo Square to pose for photos with some of new graduates. Three of our group's PhD students were graduating, two of whom I really like, so more selfies were taken. I also met a few of last year's MSc students for the first time, and a few I'd got to know or supervised I saw for probably the last time. With many, I also met grateful family members.

After all that, I was shattered, so I went to my office at KB, where our asylum-seeking student turned up to see me, and we had a long chat. It's so heartwarming to see that he's now secure and studying happily.

The bus journey home was horrendous!