Josh Ryan
Michele is always such a warm presence – in class, at brown bags, at our program socials, and when our paths cross in hallways. Michele is fantastic at making others feel welcome and appreciated. I remember feeling nervous as I awaited a talk with Michele as the last interview with faculty during my interviews for the university, but ended up greatly enjoying my conversation with her that day. She spoke enthusiastically about the work done in her own lab, and the labs of the other faculty, and it contributed to my feelings that the program would be both intellectually stimulating, but also congenial and exciting. I was lucky that Michele agreed to serve on both my master’s thesis and dissertation committees, and I benefited greatly from her thoughtful comments, brilliant ideas, and support. I felt just as lucky, though, sharing a drink with her and hearing her thoughts about the television show "The Americans" during one of our social gatherings. Michele cares greatly about the program, and fosters a sense of real community within it – and I think the success of those efforts show in the friendships many of us have with our peers. I’m deeply appreciative of my experiences with Michele, and wish her all the best at Stanford!