An Empty Nest

It's quiet here today - a little too quiet. The perky smiling young face that greets me at work in the morning isn't here. Today there are no jokes, no burning questions, not even a form to sign. Though I have a pile of things to attend to, I am finding myself at a loss for what to do. You see, my senior graduate student left over the weekend for the big city of Chicago to make his fame and fortune as a post-doc. Being a thesis advisor can be uncannily similar to being a parent. Or, at least it's as close to being a parent as I've gotten so far. Responsibility is involved as the thesis advisor is in charge of the student's career (well, the student has to hold up their share too), and that can be a large fraction of their future well-being. A parental-like care seems to naturally develop over the course of working closely together for a few years. How bad can it get? I asked my student to email me when he arrived in Chi-town, and I admit to having checked the weather for his driving route. Man, I would have killed my Mother if she had done that to me! Just like kids, each student is different and you to learn to interact with and care for each one in their way. You watch over them and worry about them and sometimes get upset with them and are proud of them when they do well. And this doesn't stop after they leave. My first student graduated two years ago and I've since watched the arXiv for his papers, am happy to see him invited for talks, etc. He starts a tenure-track faculty position at the University of Wisconsin-Madison this Fall and I couldn't be prouder! So, Ben, good luck to you! I will miss you, but I'll be watching from a distance, and will smile from ear to ear when you do well, as I know you will do.