Meet Puja (Diya) Banerjee, a Ph.D. graduate in Oceanography (Geophysics and Seismology) from Agartala, Tripura in Northeast India, and this year’s student commencement speaker for the Graduate School of Oceanography. Growing up in one of India’s most seismically active regions sparked Diya’s fascination with Earth’s dynamic systems. That curiosity led her to oceanography, where she explored the intersection of physics, chemistry, biology, and math to better understand our planet. At GSO, she combined scientific inquiry with innovation, working on cutting-edge ocean exploration projects that allowed her to lead research, mentor students, and engage the public. One of Diya’s proudest accomplishments at GSO was developing “ROVIA,” an AI tool that creates highlight reels from deep-sea exploration videos, making complex footage more accessible to researchers and the public alike. Her favorite memories include outreach events like Science Saturday, where she connected with children and fam...