Well, that's the early summer celebrations done, I'm back in Helsinki. My mother's PhD defence was on wednesday. She got through it really well, though she said she was really nervous (that's not a surprise). Lots of audience too: about 60. In the evening a small-scale dinner in honour of the opponent; just the official personnel connected to the defence plus immediare family. On saturday, a bigger family and friends celebration, with c. 30 people, at my parents' home. Looks like the faculty council will decide about the grade later this week, so it won't take long for her to receive the doctorate (the reason they are in such a hurry is that it's results and productivity that count in the university world today: so and so many doctorates aimed at per year etc). I jumped in the night train on saturday evening. Sunday had the metric party of my younger nephew. He has reached the impressive height of one meter. I got him a Spiderman costume, which actually looks authentic.
Now it feels quite nice to get back to research work and enjoy the summer in the city.
Now it feels quite nice to get back to research work and enjoy the summer in the city.
4 comments:
What a family! Well done to your mother and congratulations on her Phd, plus a metric nephew...wow ;-)
I expect you are glad to be home again Maria. Looking forward to more of your thoughts and images.xx
How exciting for your mother. I remember the opponent dinner from your own thesis defense. What was the topic of your mother's thesis?
Hi Vally,
Yep, 3 out of 5 doctors is a fairly big ratio :-)
Hi Anne-Marie,
Her PhD thesis is about poetry in the philosophy of the German philosopher Martin Heidegger. I don't know much about Heidegger, but I understand his philosophy is notoriously difficult.
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