Phylogenetic and taxonomic studies in Macaranga,
Mallotus and other acalyphoid genera (Euphorbiaceae s.s.)
Kulju, K.K.M.
Citation
Kulju, K. K. M. (2007, October 4). Phylogenetic and taxonomic studies in Macaranga, Mallotus and other acalyphoid genera (Euphorbiaceae s.s.).
Nationaal Herbarium Nederland, Leiden University branch. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/1887/12383
Version: Corrected Publisher’s Version
License: Licence agreement concerning inclusion of doctoral thesis in the Institutional Repository of the University of Leiden
Downloaded from: https://hdl.handle.net/1887/12383
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Doing scientific research can sometimes feel like a rather lonely enterprise. Doing a PhD, the endurance test for research, perhaps even more so. Fortunately, nobody lives and works in isolation, and many thanks need to passed on to all the people whoʼs help made the completion of this thesis possible. To keep this short enough, I canʼt mention everybody involved; also, there are some people Iʼm not allowed to mention.
But thank you anyway!
First, all my fellow PhD students, you were the comrades in the battle against the windmills. Henk, Johan and Pieter, as older students you welcomed me, a newcomer from foreign lands, to the Nationaal Herbarium Nederland, Leiden. Johan, I was es- pecially lucky that you stayed at the herbarium after finishing your thesis and were always ready to answer my questions. Christian, Delia, Kanchana, Kevin and Niels, my ʻyoungerʼ PhD sisters and brothers, thanks for all the help and discussions, scientific and non-scientific. Soraya, it was a special privilege to work in synergistic collabora- tion with you as a fellow PhD student.
Many other NHN-L people deserve to be credited as well. Barbara, you ended up not being my co-promotor, but, nevertheless, kindly made many important collections for me and provided valuable ʻnetworkingʼ services. Ferry, your experience and stud- ies on Macaranga and Mallotus—and not to forget all the silica collections—formed the basis for my project. Thanks for all the help! Jan-Frits, the botanical nomencla- ture grandmaster of Leiden, thank you for your tireless enthusiasm in the jungles of nomenclatural rules and old literature. Paul, your experience and connections were essential for our fieldwork in Thailand. Raymond, thanks for collaborating with me in palynology. Bertie, your help in laboratory and with computers (among other things) is greatly appreciated. Peter H., our discussions on phylogenetics were invaluable.
Joe, Hugh, as temporary supervisors you helped me along the way. Thanks also go to all the people at the molecular lab in Sterrewachtlaan, especially to the always-help- ful technician Marcel. Anita, Hanneke, Jan & Joanna: this thesis would have looked much more boring and less informative without your truly beautiful drawings. Connie, your work with the Blumea articles and advice on layout made it all much easier. My teaching duties in Leiden were made special thanks to David, whom I assisted in the Economical Botany course. Thank you for the good time and memorable lectures. And my PhD experience wouldnʼt have been complete without supervising an ʻownʼ MSc student. Marcela, I appreciate all the hard work you did in the lab.
Iʼd also like to express my gratitude towards all the collaborators outside Leiden.
Special thanks go to Gill, Maria and Petra at Kew and to Rose at Vienna, and of course to all people who helped in acquiring plant material. The discoveries by Frans (WAG) made the Afrotrewia article possible.
I came to Leiden to do science, and little did I realize how great an impact this period would have on me personally. It has been a period of growing and learning, sometimes
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the hard way. And the voyages have not just been to Southeast Asia, but also deep into myself. The company of my friends along the way has been invaluable. Heaps of thanks, hugs and kisses for all the merry moments and for your support, which you gave also in times when I doubted being worth it. Delia honey, thanks for showing the beauty within myself and for still keeping me close to your heart. Sarah, my friend, you taught me many important lessons about enjoying life—merci! Christian, Hana, thanks for wild and funny dances, true gezelligheid, and lifestyle example. Sonja, you were my Finnish connection in the Netherlands, but also much much more. Hirveesti haleja! And Lasse, my old friend, thanks for being there for me, whenever I visited Helsinki. Raoul, Abco, Marcel and Suzanne: I appreciate it that you never let me fall to the ground! Our climbing sessions were essential for my physical and mental well- being. Astrid & Cor, you helped me to learn about myself. Eric, Leila, Lotta, Lynne, Maria, Natasha, Robert, Simon and all the others: so long and thanks for all the fish!
And last, I want to thank my parents for all the support. The road has been long, but you never lost your faith in me. Äiti, isä, lämpimät kiitokset kaikesta huolenpidosta, tuesta, ymmärryksestä ja rakkaudesta.
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