https://yanxulong.github.io/news/NewsWowchemy (https://wowchemy.com)en-ushttps://yanxulong.github.io/media/icon_hu2b066cf93b0d35d652f65c37f3d3a9a5_50932_512x512_fill_lanczos_center_3.pnghttps://yanxulong.github.io/news/https://yanxulong.github.io/news/2025-graduation/Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://yanxulong.github.io/news/2025-graduation/<p> <figure > <div class="d-flex justify-content-center"> <div class="w-100" ><img alt="Dissertation defense with committee members" srcset=" /news/2025-graduation/dissertation-defense_huf332194ef45d26020e24bd4b57ef31d9_701703_5a7e1507fec110f766c1041dd995300f.webp 400w, /news/2025-graduation/dissertation-defense_huf332194ef45d26020e24bd4b57ef31d9_701703_a3305e20bd61d45285fe5ed76f4c8c4e.webp 760w, /news/2025-graduation/dissertation-defense_huf332194ef45d26020e24bd4b57ef31d9_701703_1200x1200_fit_q75_h2_lanczos.webp 1200w" src="https://yanxulong.github.io/news/2025-graduation/dissertation-defense_huf332194ef45d26020e24bd4b57ef31d9_701703_5a7e1507fec110f766c1041dd995300f.webp" width="760" height="543" loading="lazy" data-zoomable /></div> </div></figure> </p> <p><em>My dissertation defense with my committee. From left to right: Dr. Marc F. Bellemare, Dr. Steve Polasky, me, Dr. Justin A. Johnson, and Dr. Forrest Fleischman (Department of Forest Resources).</em></p> <p> <figure > <div class="d-flex justify-content-center"> <div class="w-100" ><img alt="Crossing the graduation stage with my son" srcset=" /news/2025-graduation/commencement-2025_huf332194ef45d26020e24bd4b57ef31d9_684175_03dc06505b9a64f73a436353dab0cea0.webp 400w, /news/2025-graduation/commencement-2025_huf332194ef45d26020e24bd4b57ef31d9_684175_5450420d6f9916dc7a609c433915ba6b.webp 760w, /news/2025-graduation/commencement-2025_huf332194ef45d26020e24bd4b57ef31d9_684175_1200x1200_fit_q75_h2_lanczos.webp 1200w" src="https://yanxulong.github.io/news/2025-graduation/commencement-2025_huf332194ef45d26020e24bd4b57ef31d9_684175_03dc06505b9a64f73a436353dab0cea0.webp" width="760" height="543" loading="lazy" data-zoomable /></div> </div></figure> </p> <p><em>Crossing the graduation stage while holding my then-two-year-old son. Professor Paul Glewwe hooded me as President Cunningham, Dean Buhr, and other university leaders and faculty members on stage looked on, smiling. One attendee captured the moment perfectly: “You got the degree, but he [my son] is the star.”</em></p>