Congratulations to our Fall 2020 graduates!

The department celebrated fall graduates with a Zoom ceremony Jan. 8. Advisers shared information about each graduate, and family and friends were able to attend.

We asked our graduating students about their plans following graduation and the most important thing they learned at CSU. Here are their responses.

Alex DesRosiers

“I will be continuing on as a Ph.D. student at CSU.”

“Just because you don’t have the slightest idea how to even start something at first does not mean you can’t do it.”

Andrea Jenney

 “I’m a NOAA Climate & Global Change Postdoctoral Fellow at UC Irvine.”

“I particularly value the example that this department sets for being a collaborative, welcoming, and non-competitive work environment; values that I have learned to prioritize in my own career.”

Julieta Juncosa Calahorrano

“I am continuing my Ph.D. program with the Fischer group. I will spend my Ph.D. understanding the emissions, abundances and loss processes of ammonia from animal feeding operations.”

“The most important thing I learned at CSU is to take my space in the room.”

Nicholas Kedzuf

“Staying at CSU to pursue my Ph.D. under the guidance of Christine Chiu.”

“Embrace criticism, always be willing to learn, and don’t compare yourself to others too much.”

Yoonjin Lee

“I’ll be working as a postdoc at CIRA – glad that I’m staying here!​”

“The most important thing I learned at CSU is to cooperate with people, not competing. (I met so many good ‘scientists’)​.”

Jingyuan Li

Jingyuan has moved to San Diego, California.

“How to ask the right questions, and how to deal with uncertainty in research projects.”

Alex Naegele

“I recently started a postdoc in climate risk at Woodwell Climate Research Center.”

“CSU has so much to offer! Don’t be afraid to pursue any and all interesting opportunities, even if they seem non-traditional for someone in our field.”

Marqi Rocque

“Currently a Ph.D. student in Kristen Rasmussen’s group (working on RELAMPAGO analysis).”

“How to efficiently manage my time.”

Ben Toms

“I started a company called Intersphere, focused on seasonal to sub-decadal forecasts (intersphere.earth).”

“One of the most important elements to any research project is the human element. Teams operate best if people know they’re appreciated as part of the team and that their work has a broader purpose.”

Ben Trabing

“I am a research associate at CIRA, but am working at the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida.”

“I learned quite a bit at CSU, but overall the most important thing I learned was how to be a good scientist. I learned the skills required to think critically about difficult problems and potential solutions.”

Photo collage: From left to right, top to bottom row, Alex DesRosiers (left), Andrea Jenney, Julieta Juncosa Calahorrano, Nicholas Kedzuf, Yoonjin Lee, Jingyuan Li, Alex Naegele, Marqi Rocque, Ben Toms and Ben Trabing.