During their thesis defense, PhD candidates introduce and motivate the problems they attacked during their course of studies, defend the novelty and significance of their research, and contextualize their contributions within their field. This is the final step in the process of obtaining a PhD, and a successful defense indicates the acknowledgment of the doctoral #committee that the candidate is an expert in their field. The defense talks are open to all members of the RPI community, and we welcome those interested to attend.