Saman Amirpour Amraii (right) of Iran earned a PhD in intelligent systems from the new School of Computing and Information, studying big data analytics and visualization. He and his adviser, professor Michael Lewis, joke before the ceremony. “I come from what used to be a library school, so I'm always interested in the schemes people use to order things… Here, it appears to be alphabetical,” said Lewis.

Pu Song, who graduated with a Ph.D. in mathematics from the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, got his hood adjusted by faculty advisor Ivan Yotov. After graduation, Song headed to Mountain View, California, for a position as a senior software engineer with Samsung.

Kathleen Moriarty, who received a Ph.D. in French literature from the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, is hooded by her academic adviser of 10 years, professor of French Todd Reeser. “We've been through thick and thin together,” said Reeser. “It's been a pleasure to witness her develop personally, intellectually and pedagogically.” Moriarty said she followed her course of study for a decade because of a passion for questions surrounding national identity.

Featured speaker, Pitt alumnus and Washington, D.C., attorney David Frederick advises Pitt graduates that they need to be “skeptical not just of others opinions, but of our own. ...Accepting the possibility that you might be wrong yourself allows you to not just seek the right answers, but a deeper truth.”

At the commencement ceremony, David Frederick was presented with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. Above, from left, are: Chancellor Patrick Gallagher; Frederick; Patricia E. Beeson, provost and senior vice chancellor; Eva Tansky Blum, Board of Trustees chairperson; and Arthur Levine, senior vice chancellor for the health sciences and John and Gertrude Petersen Dean of Pitt’s School of Medicine.

Andrea Joseph (left), who received a Ph.D. in social work, walks off the stage with her faculty adviser Sara Goodkind, associate professor in the School of Social Work. After graduation, Joseph will head to the University of Tennessee in Nashville to become an assistant professor of social work.

Hervens Jeannis, who received a Ph.D. in rehabilitation science, shook hands with graduate advisor Rory Cooper, professor of bioengineering, physical medicine and rehabilitation, and orthopedic surgery. Said Jeannis of his selected his field of study: “I was drawn to the idea of being able to interact with people as well as develop technology, the symbiosis between those two things."

Youngamin Park, who received a Ph.D. in mathematical neuroscience from the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Science, gets hooded by faculty advisor, mathematics professor Bard Ermentrout. Park is headed toward a postdoctoral fellowship studying neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania.

Ronald A. Gray, who earned his Ph.D. in administrative and policy studies from the School of Education, stands with faculty advisor Michael Gunzenhauser, associate professor in the department of administrative and policy studies and associate dean for student affairs and certification; 11-year old son Ronald A. Gray Jr., 10-year old daughter Izabella Gray and wife Kathleen Gray. After working with three previous advisors, Gray said he begged Gunzenhauser to become his advisor and help him focus on his dissertation. “Before him, I was scattered,” admitted Gray. After graduation, Gray will continue his position as dean of students at Felician University in New Jersey.