Graduate School Class of 2023 celebrates commencement
![Group of graduates wearing black robes and blue sashes, holding their diplomas or programs.](/ctplus/asset/045ee898-cb00-4774-8b53-7c1e078d1bbc/grad-school-comm-1200x675-banner.jpg)
The evening of May 18, friends, family, and faculty celebrated the graduation of 111 accomplished students from the UT Southwestern Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. This esteemed ceremony in the Tom and Lula Gooch Auditorium on South Campus recognized the achievements of those who earned their doctoral or master’s degrees in various biomedical disciplines. This year, Joan Conaway, Ph.D., UTSW Vice Provost and Dean of Basic Research, delivered an inspiring commencement address, imparting words of wisdom to guide graduates on their career paths. These exceptional graduates are poised to become scientists, health informaticians, clinical psychologists, or other biomedical professionals, making their mark in their respective fields.
The Graduate School candidates for degrees include an Albert Schweitzer Fellow, two winners of the UT Southwestern Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship for Community Service, a co-founder of the Fulbright Association Dallas Chapter who also established an online international exchange program between high schools in Dallas and Poland, an active Medical Service Corps Officer with the U.S. Army Reserve, 12 students who completed their Ph.D. degrees as members of UT Southwestern’s M.D./Ph.D. dual-degree Perot Family Scholars Medical Scientist Training Program, and the first six to earn degrees from the Master of Science in Health Informatics program.
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![Hoods are laid out and ready for graduates of the UT Southwestern Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.](/ctplus/asset/0daf05b1-1731-4710-ac3e-9e85be4cf59d/grad-school-comm-900x500-3352.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Programs await guests of the 2023 Graduate School commencement exercises in the Tom and Lula Gooch Auditorium.](/ctplus/asset/ba6e2b3e-8cef-4015-9eb0-9fde7cbb07ff/grad-school-comm-900x500-3356.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Diplomas for graduates in a dozen programs ranging from Biomedical Engineering to Health Informatics await the graduates.](/ctplus/asset/f3f36a79-ba8b-4126-90e9-b976029969ff/grad-school-comm-900x500-3383.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![The Platform Party includes (from left) Andrew Zinn, M.D., Ph.D., Dean of the Graduate School; Joan Conway, Ph.D., Vice Provost and Dean of Basic Research; Daniel K. Podolsky, M.D., President of UT Southwestern; and W. P. Andrew Lee, M.D., Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, Provost, and Dean of UT Southwestern Medical School.](/ctplus/asset/be035b0b-24ea-456a-88d8-39e4978c828b/grad-school-comm-900x500-3467.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Faculty members (from left) Anne Satterthwaite, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Immunology; Christoph Lehmann, M.D., Professor of Pediatrics and in the Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, Medical School Dean’s Office, and the Peter O’Donnell Jr. School of Public Health; Ondine Cleaver, Ph.D., Professor of Molecular Biology; and Richard Robinson, Ph.D., Professor of Psychiatry; prepare to support the graduates as they walk across the stage.](/ctplus/asset/6c7d991b-3975-4780-9501-ac9b1300b067/grad-school-comm-900x500-3471.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![From left, Jacques Lux, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Radiology, Sina Khorsandi, Ph.D., Xiao Liang, M.S., Ph.D., and Jace Grandinetti, M.S., Ph.D., wait for the ceremony to begin.](/ctplus/asset/5352d7f0-7e4e-4c5d-944e-e31e996a2801/grad-school-comm-900x500-3485.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Graduate School program directors stand as the graduates walk into the Gooch Auditorium for the ceremony.](/ctplus/asset/bb38770d-808b-45e3-87cf-067a9d861bbb/grad-school-comm-900x500-3520.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Families of graduates ensure they capture the momentous occasion.](/ctplus/asset/508f2bf5-961e-47e0-bf2c-ddd091f9788f/grad-school-comm-900x500-3521.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Keynote speaker Dr. Conaway offers words of wisdom to the new graduates.](/ctplus/asset/d2ace6cd-b87b-4350-862e-0cf4692929e6/grad-school-comm-900x500-3576.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Denise Marciano, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Internal Medicine, watches the ceremony intently as commencement remarks are being made.](/ctplus/asset/62cb649b-ac39-4c13-bded-06cf88a68512/grad-school-comm-900x500-3585.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![President Podolsky confers the degrees.](/ctplus/asset/935e58e3-8ba4-46b8-bcb7-3e7b8d0d6715/grad-school-comm-900x500-3625.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Han Wu, Ph.D., receives her degree from Dr. Podolsky.](/ctplus/asset/7acd46c7-3071-42f1-be7d-1ec5e19c38cf/grad-school-comm-900x500-3644.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Zi Yang, M.S., Ph.D., poses for a photo after she is hooded by her mentor, Xuejun Gu, Ph.D., Adjunct Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology.](/ctplus/asset/b6d26cda-d4e8-4963-bb2a-cdbacdeb5a68/grad-school-comm-900x500-3656.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Rui Chen, Ph.D., is hooded by her mentor, James Collins, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Pharmacology.](/ctplus/asset/ce0034c2-c7df-40b2-8169-5a50c2b53b41/grad-school-comm-900x500-3663.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Marcus Anthony Hurt, M.S., receives his hood.](/ctplus/asset/54fbc3af-dc36-42f0-9646-8d7159a04a03/grad-school-comm-900x500-3690.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![An audience member snaps a pic of graduates crossing the stage.](/ctplus/asset/3e38dc7e-7d5a-4249-b253-51a154d3f4be/grad-school-comm-900x500-3708.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Umaru Barrie, M.D., Ph.D., is hooded by his mentor, Dawn Wetzel, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Biochemistry.](/ctplus/asset/fc8a6900-277c-4213-a9af-806d2af9387f/grad-school-comm-900x500-3711.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Abner Josue Gonzalez Castro, Ph.D., is all smiles after receiving his diploma.](/ctplus/asset/2e885f4f-2e5d-4687-8457-b2648f3270b6/grad-school-comm-900x500-3717.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Dr. Zinn welcomes the audience and provides opening remarks.](/ctplus/asset/a3a8f0ef-64dd-4725-8ddb-2ce004d139a4/grad-school-comm-900x500-3725.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Edem Tchegnon, Ph.D., walks out of the ceremony gleaming with joy.](/ctplus/asset/5f7332e2-9c56-4006-9ad2-890c7b52dcd6/grad-school-comm-900x500-3747.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Amy Zwierzchowski-Zarate, M.S., Ph.D., leaves the ceremony with pride after earning her degree in neuroscience.](/ctplus/asset/750cdb4a-2d24-49ed-b45e-5a46e628a744/grad-school-comm-900x500-3752.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Alexandra Paige Moorehead, Ph.D., and her family celebrate her graduation.](/ctplus/asset/b392f6bc-f36d-4512-b2f3-6340da1a0cf0/grad-school-comm-900x500-3767.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Jeethu Joseph, Ph.D., celebrates the occasion with her family and mentor Tracy Greer, Ph.D., Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychiatry.](/ctplus/asset/a3235d0c-93da-4aff-a964-fdaab81c33bc/grad-school-comm-900x500-3771.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Jiwon Song, Ph.D., is supported by her family post-commencement.](/ctplus/asset/b30e8b03-5346-411d-84f3-75cd68cce636/grad-school-comm-900x500-3783.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Martyna Kosno-Vega , Ph.D., and family pose for a photo at the reception following commencement.](/ctplus/asset/fb947758-7463-47b8-9c12-2e8f918ad4e0/grad-school-comm-900x500-3786.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Madeline Milligan McGinnis, Ph.D., (left) and Bethany Smith, Ph.D., pose for a photo with their diplomas.](/ctplus/asset/6a301604-c6cd-458b-9efc-3cc3713a5604/grad-school-comm-900x500-3847.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![James McGinnis, Ph.D., and his family are excited for his future.](/ctplus/asset/38004253-5879-4519-9878-2267107ff3b0/grad-school-comm-900x500-3851.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)
![Graduate school is nothing without your friends. Akansha Shah, M.S., Ph.D., (left) and Xinyi Zhang, Ph.D., are a testament to that.](/ctplus/asset/8a6f7798-07d0-4913-98d7-d4c97a7503d1/grad-school-comm-900x500-3862.jpg?rendition=rendition-x180)