Congratulations to all of you for making it through one of the most difficult academic years in the modern era. 

When I was a graduate student, I faced challenges that sometimes felt overwhelming – a member of my committee asked me to write a new section of my dissertation; I declined a TA offer and funded myself for 8 months to complete my degree; I lived alone and grew tired of working alone in my at-home office (little did I know that COVID would come)--but my challenges pale in comparison to those faced by today’s graduate students and postdocs.