University of Groningen
The multi-phase ISM of radio galaxies
Santoro, Francesco
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Publication date: 2018
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Santoro, F. (2018). The multi-phase ISM of radio galaxies: A spectroscopic study of ionized and warm gas. Rijksuniversiteit Groningen.
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“L’abilit`a nel formulare i ringraziamenti caratterizza lo studioso di classe. [...] Una ricerca senza debiti `e sospetta e qualcuno va sempre e in qualche modo ringraziato.” Umberto Eco, Il secondo diario minimo.
252 Acknowledgments
This is the end of an intricate path that allowed me to grow as a person and unavoidably changed the way I see things in life. Many people orbiting around me have been part of this journey and here I’ll try to put on paper my gratitude to them.
First and foremost I’d like to thank you, Raffaella. You’ve constantly been by my side in these four years, monitoring my work but also giving me the freedom to explore. You taught me to ‘look at the bright side of things’ and to never lose sight of ‘the bigger picture’, slowly smoothing the sharp edges of my meticulous attitude. Your touch shaped the scientist that I currently am and will shape the one I’m trying to become. Raymond, I’m immensely grateful to you for guiding me during my starting years. You’ve been a firm reference point for me and have set an admirable example of how research should be done. Tom, your final revisions to my papers always guided my unsteady hand to trace a line between an actual result and its interpretation. It was a precious teaching that I’ll try to keep with me in my future research. Marvin and Clive, it has been extremely stimulating to collaborate with you during my final years. Clive, our long discussions and your critical thinking have been a valuable source of knowledge for me. Isabella, you made me take the first steps into the world of science and it’s also because of you that I’m here today. It has been nice to meet and chat with you over these years during your visits at ASTRON and the various conferences around Europe.
I’d like also to thank all the official and unofficial members of the ‘RadioLife group’ over the past years, Aleksandar, Elizabeth, Brad, Leith, Nicolas, Jeremy, Raymond, Filippo, Katinka, Marisa, Brad, Robert, Bj¨orn, Kristina, Nika and Suma. It has been interesting and stimulating to share our results, interests and perspectives regarding AGN.
A special thank goes to the reading committee, Tahisa, Alessandro and Reynier for assessing my thesis.
My PhD started with spending two surreal weeks in the middle of a foggy and quiet wood. ASTRON has been my second working place and I will always keep nice memories of it. The Kapteyn Institute has been an incredible place were I spent unforgettable years and it goes without saying that the essence of the institute lies in its people. It has been a real pleasure to share lunches, coffees, afternoon breaks and happy hours with many of the Kapteyners. The combination of so many cultures from all around the world allowed me to go out of my mental comfort zone and to understand and explore new points of view. I learned a lot from you guys and a list of
names would simply not do justice to this. A heartfelt thanks goes to the secretaries and the computer group both at ASTRON and at the Kapteyn Institute for setting up a wonderful working environment, and in particular to Leisbeth, Christa and Martine for always being welcoming and smiling. Reynier, thanks for the interest you always showed for my research and my progresses, your frankness and humility are truly inspiring. You gave me the opportunity to observe in La Palma; I’m immensely grateful for that and I’ll always keep with me the memories of those days: the life there, the Nature, the sunsets, the sunrises and the starry sky deeply touched me. Jonas, thanks for taking care of my samenvatting; you’re a truly kind person. I also want to thank all my officemates during the past four years, Aleksandar, Stefano, Saikat, Evandro and Kirill; despite being so different we reached a nice equilibrium and I’ve always enjoyed coming to the office and working there day after day. A special thanks to Aleks for the endless conversations about everything and for the esteem he always showed me, and to Saik, we had so many nice and meaningful conversations (even though it depends on how you define meaningful!). You are a kind-hearted person and it’s admirable how many things you can do.
The Netherlands and Groningen have been unforgettable places for me, also thanks to the people that shared them with me. Yiannis and Alice, the time we spent together, both in Groningen and in Greece, has been authentic and precious for me. I’ve always felt welcomed and at home with you. Georgie, I really regret we didn’t spend more time together. You’re a genuine person with whom I could always express myself freely, without misunderstandings. I hope we will manage to stay in touch in the upcoming years. Manolis, pausetta? It was nice to have you around! Katia and Enrico, during the last four years we chatted about almost everything and, in our own way, we supported each other in the good and in the bad moments. You will never believe it but l think we we had a lot of fun together, at least according to my dusty definition of fun! Having you around made the institute a better place for me and I wish you both the best of luck for the future. Smaran, Nika and Olmo, the new generation, even though you joined the Kapteyn family later on, we managed to know each other pretty well and I had a very nice time hanging out with you. Olmo, with you I could share my passion for cinema and many many thoughts, I enjoyed every moment of the time we spent together. Nika, you’re a truly spontaneous and generous person, it’s always fun spending time and chatting with you.
254 Acknowledgments
Mustafa, there is not much to say, with you I found a unique friend. We shared so many thoughts, laughs and crucial moments: our first conference together in Munich, the birth of my wonderful nephew, your defence, the trip to the airport when you were leaving Groningen. All this showed me the marvellous and giving person that you are. Thanks to you and to Tuba for having made me part of your family.
Anastasia, I think we simply found each other. Our friendship is like a refreshing book full of stories that we keep on writing together and is becoming a classic that we will both keep in our libraries. However, above all, I would like to thank you for sitting next to me on the bench of my life to look at the most controversial version of ourselves with a pleasant serenity. You’re indissolubly part of my variegated family now.
Marisa, words are just not enough to describe our bound which started after one of our first bachelor lectures in Bologna, almost ten years ago. Having conversations with you over the years has been one of my favourite outdoor activities to explore the world and myself! We usually start with an innocuous swim in the sun but somehow we always leave the surface and find each other diving into deep waters. I can tell you without any hesitation that you contributed to create a better version of myself. Among many things, you’ve been my friend, my colleague, my home and I’m looking forward to seeing what else you will be for me in the days to come.
Now I’d like to do some dovuti ringraziamenti in italiano.
Licia, grazie per aver revisionato il sommario di questa tesi col tuo raffinato occhio e per tutto quello che abbiamo condiviso nei giorni passati e che continuiamo a condividere nei giorni presenti. Loredana, le tue mille avventure continuano sempre ad appassionarmi, sei una cara amica ed ogni volta `e meraviglioso ritrovarsi e ripercorrere con nuova consapevolezza le vecchie strade della nostra Bologna.
Grazie alla variegata congrega che ritrovo ogni qual volta ho l’occasione di tornare in terra lucana. Un viaggio pu`o non avere una meta precisa ma ha sempre un punto di partenza. La semplice certezza di ritrovarsi `e uno dei punti di riferimento del mio vagare. Donatella e Rosa, dopo tutti questi anni siamo cos`ı diversi e cos`ı uguali, `e sempre bello e divertente rivedersi e raccontarsi. Paola, la tua gioia quando ci rivediamo e le tue lacrime quando vado via significano molto per me, perdonami ma andremo avanti cos`ı ancora per un po’ ! Essere delle brutte persone assieme, poi, rimane una delle mie attivit`a preferite.
Fabio, io e te condividiamo qualcosa di indescrivibile, a partire dalla consapevolezza che ci saremo sempre l’uno per l’altro. Dagli albori abbiamo condiviso ansie, aspettative, obbiettivi e tante, troppe risate. Siamo preoccupantemente simili e sempre pi´u spesso ci ritroviamo a non dover parlare per dirci qualcosa. Potrei e dovrei ringraziarti per molte cose ma qui mi limito a dirti un grazie per essermi stato accanto anche in quest’ultima impresa.
Un grazie sentito e particolare va alla mia famiglia che da sempre segue con un misto di curiosit`a, preoccupazione e ammirazione le mie peregrinazioni fisiche e mentali facendomi sentire qualcuno di speciale. A mia madre Pina e mio padre Luigi, semplici e profondi, per essere capaci, ciascuno a suo modo, di comprendere le mie scelte e di gioirne, anche quando esse si trasformano negli scogli contro cui si infrangono le onde delle loro speranze. Grazie per rimanere costantemente al mio fianco e per fare dei miei traguardi anche i vostri. Infine un grazie al mio scanzonato fratello Dino, siamo spesso uno l’antitesi dell’altro ma insieme abbiamo costruito un rapporto che `e insostituibile e di vitale importanza per me. Grazie per essere il termometro della mia pedanteria, per avermi insegnato che la vita senza ironia `e semplicemente triste e per mostrarmi tutti i simboli che essa cela davanti ai miei occhi miopi.
