Award-winning week!

This past week has been a pretty exciting week for Ry and I!

Well ... as exciting as an exciting work week gets.

First, Ry took part in a student research symposium during the inauguration of our school's 13th president. This was a very big deal as he was one of about 20 students from the entire university that was invited to show off his work. I am so proud of him (and doesn't he look handsome?!)

Then, we found out that Ry has been awarded the Graduate Student Leader award! This award is a nomination-based thing, and a few weeks back there were some departmental emails suggesting that another graduate student should be nominated by everyone. Ry's advisor (in some odd random act of kindness) replied to everyone that he'd be nominating Ry instead! And Ry won! YAY! This means some cash for him and a fancy dinner for the two of us next week!

Finally, to top off our exciting week, we attended a local all-day evolution and ecology symposium on Saturday where I presented some research that I did with Dancing Fish this past summer (the photo below is hers!). It's not at all the focus of what I study, but it was an interesting story about some little desert fishes.

I enjoyed presenting it, received really good questions afterwards and was awarded best graduate student presentation!! So exciting! My prize consisted of a hand shake and a "the check is in the mail", but that's OK! It was very exciting to be recognized (and a line on the CV!)!

All-in-all, a very good week for us, professionally.