Congratulations to our 2025 PhD graduates!
Congratulations to Indalecio Ruiz-Bolanos, Eduardo Servin Torres, Guanjie Huang and Isaac Echols on the completion of their PhDs from Baylor University in 2025! Their perseverance, dedication, and countless hours of research and learning have led to this outstanding accomplishment. As they turn the page to begin the next chapter of their academic journey, we celebrate this milestone and wish them continued success in all their future endeavors.
Indalecio Ruiz-Bolanos – Advisor: Daniel Herden
“For the last 6 years that I have been at Baylor, I have made some great memories, such as pizza seminars, chatting with friends in the graduate lounge, or having a strong black coffee while discussing research or how to teach more effectively. Central Texas has been a wonderful place to live for the last 6 years: I got to run the Bearathon 3 times and the Austin Marathon once; I also enjoyed the Bear trail, the drives to Buc-ees, and the visit to our bear Indy (almost the same name as me). But what I will miss the most is shouting Sic 'Em Bears when Baylor scores. Thanks be given to y'all for making these six years an incredible experience. Keep making Baylor proud!”
Isaac Echols - Advisor: Jon Harrison
"To say that the math department at Baylor offers a strong sense of community would be an understatement – indeed we are a family. At every point in this journey, I have been welcomed, supported, appreciated, challenged, encouraged, understood, and respected. May all who tread this path feel the same, and may we return these blessings wherever we end up after."
Eduardo Servin Torres - Advisor: Qin Sheng
"The semester’s finally over, and I must say it feels good to take a breath. Spring 2025 was a whirlwind of job applications,
dissertation deadlines, and packing boxes for the big move. Now that the chaos has settled, I’ve been thinking a lot about my time at Baylor.
It’s funny how it all started—just me, hoping Baylor would take a chance on me so I could keep doing my research under Dr. Sheng. That first year? Tough. (Thanks, pandemic.) But by year two, things finally clicked. Working with Sheng all these years changed everything—he didn’t just teach me math, he showed me how to think like a mathematician. And it wasn’t just him—getting to teach my own classes through the department completely changed how I see education.
But Baylor gave me more than skills and theorems. It gave me my people—the kind of friends who study with you endlessly before quals, cheer loudest at your prelims, and somehow make dissertation defense celebrations feel like victory parties. We grew up together in this weird little math department.
I won’t lie—it’s going to be hard walking away. But to everyone staying? Keep making this place awesome. And to anyone thinking about Baylor? Take it from me—you’ll find more here than just a degree."
Guanjie Huang - Advisor: Markus Hunziker
