2023 Hooding Ceremony

Doctoral candidates from the Coordinated Doctoral Programs in Biomedical Sciences at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons were honored on May 15th, 2023, for their scholarly achievements. About 70 students received PhD degrees from Columbia's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in 2022-23. The hooding ceremony is part of an academic system of caps, gowns, and hoods adopted in 1865 and offers a special memory for PhD students.

Dean Katrina Armstrong and Dr. Harris Wang, Associate Professor of  Systems Biology and of Pathology and Cell Biology, addressed graduates and the newly minted Dr. Anna Ostropolets (Biomedical Informatics) gave a fantastic student talk. Following the remarks, the graduates were called one by one on stage. They were joined by their thesis advisor, who placed the hoods over their heads in recognition of their astonishing accomplishments with cheers and applause from family and friends.

This year, Sanne Klompe and Jodan Kesner were awarded for Dean's Award for Excellence in Research.  James Priestley and Crystal Colon Ortz were awarded for Titus M Coan Prize for Excellence in Research in basic cell and molecular biology and translational biology, respectively.