I've been away at....

...a Renaissance Faire?

Well, maybe not exactly.

Truth is, I paraded around Cambridge in this costume for 2 full days.
The purpose could be called a modern-day Renaissance festival, also known as graduation.

The reason for my recent absence from blogging is that I just completed my PhD.

So now, when someone asks "is there a doctor in the house?", I can respond "YES!", to be followed quickly with "not THAT kind of doctor!"


There are few occasions when you get to wear a funny outfit like this, and I wanted to take full advantage.  The grey and red colors on the robe represent the institution (MIT) and the navy blue hood represents the degree (Doctor of Philosophy).  Which is funny because I studied Biological Engineering, but I guess I did so while "philosophically" searching for truth.  The hat is an eight-sided tam, and I have no idea why.


You really can't carry a purse with you when you are wearing a robe this unwieldy.

Luckily, the bottom of the hood in the back forms a pocket, which I used to hold my provisions during all the ceremonies. I had a book of sudoku and kenken puzzles, a pen and a bag of chips in there.
I also wore a dress with pockets underneath to stash my phone and keys.

If you happen to be curious about the history of academic regalia, you will find that it really does stem pretty directly from Renaissance times, when scholars took vows and held religious positions and therefore were required to dress appropriately.

In the meantime, I am in the process of moving, but hope to get back to showing you some of my most recent projects soon.

Anybody want to get a PhD now, just for the cool outfit?