Graduation

The culmination of each school year is the annual Graduation Ceremony. All graduating students are encouraged to participate in the departmental ceremony, held annually. The ceremony is traditionally held the morning of Commencement.

Available at Thursday, June 6 at 4:30 PM
Graduation Celebration Stream
Please note you may need to refresh the stream page at 4:30 PM.

The uploaded stream can be viewed on our Graduation Channel.

Important Dates

• Graduation Application Due Date: The 3rd Friday of the quarter in which you intend to graduate.^*
• 2023 ESS Graduation Ceremony RSVP Deadline: Monday, May 1 at 5:00 PM
• Regalia Order Form Deadline: See UW Commencement website.
• 2024 ESS Graduation Ceremony: Thursday, June 6 at 4:30 PM

^*Note: Students planning to graduate in Summer quarter should file by the 3rd Friday of Spring quarter if planning to participate in the ESS Graduation Ceremony or UW Commencement Ceremony.

Past Graduation Ceremonies

Use the links below to see photos, videos, and programs from some of our past Graduation Ceremonies.

• Class of 2023 - Distinguished Speaker: Zoe Harrold (Ph.D., UW, 2004) Founder, Clear Horizons Consulting LLC
• Class of 2022 - Distinguished Speaker: Lee Fairchild (Ph.D., UW, 1985) Geological Advisor and Reservoir Connectivity Specialist
• Class of 2021 - Distinguished Speaker: Ginny Catania (Ph.D, UW, 2004) Professor, University of Texas
• Class of 2020 - Distinguished Speaker: Twila Moon (Ph.D, UW, 2014) Research Scientist, National Snow and Ice Data Center
• Class of 2019 - Distinguished Speaker: Katy Atakturk (BSc, UW, 2012; MSc, UT, 2014) Environmental Geologist, GeoEngineers, Seattle.
• Class of 2018 - Distinguished Speaker: Michael McGroder (Ph.D, UW, 1988), Retired Research Geologist with ExxonMobil Corp.
• Class of 2017 - Distinguished Speaker: Alison Till (Ph.D, UW, 1994), Emerita Research Geologist with the USGS in Anchorage
• Class of 2016 - Distinguished Speaker: Michelle Koutnik (Ph.D, UW, 2009), Assistant Professor, University of Washington
• Class of 2015 - Distinguished Speaker: Aaron Wech (Ph.D, UW, 2010), Mendenhall Postdoctoral Fellow, U.S. Geological Survey
• Class of 2014 - Distinguished Speaker: Erik Oswald (B.S., UW, 1985), Vice President of Business Development, ExxonMobil Exploration Company (Ph.D., SUNY at Stony Brook, 1992)
• Class of 2013 - Distinguished Speaker: Nadine A. Nereson (Ph.D., UW, 1998), General Manager, Philips Healthcare Ultrasound Research and Development
• Class of 2012 - Distinguished Speaker: A. Wesley Ward, Jr. (Ph.D., UW, 1978), Former Chief in the USGS Astrogeology Program and Chief Geologist for the Western U.S.
• Class of 2011 - Distinguished Speakers: Josef Dufek (Ph.D., UW, 2006), Assistant Professor, Georgia Institute of Technology and Carol Paty (Ph.D, UW, 2006), Assistant Professor, Georgia Institute of Technology
• Class of 2010 - Distinguished Speaker: Rob Thomas (Ph.D., UW, 1993), Professor, University of Montana Western
• Class of 2009 - Distinguished Speaker: Margaret Rusmore (Ph.D., UW, 1985), Professor, Occidental College
• Class of 2008 - Distinguished Speaker: Peter Lipman, Former Chief of the Branch of Volcanic and Geothermal Processes, U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS), Current Emeritus Scientist at USGS (Ph.D., Stanford, 1962)
• Class of 2007 - Distinguished Speaker: Craig Weaver (Ph.D., UW, 1976), Former National Coordinator for the U.S. Geological Survey’s Earthquake Program, Pacific Northwest Coordinator for the U.S. Geological Survey’s Earthquake Hazards Program
• Class of 2006 - Distinguished Speaker: Lee Fairchild (Ph.D., UW, 1985), Former Petroleum Geologist for Exxon, Geological Consultant and Owner, Gorge Geotechnical, LLC