The Acknowledgements section of a PhD thesis
You can understand so much about a person’s character by reading the acknowledgements section of their PhD thesis. In 2023, I wrote my own, revealing a portion of my character. It’s special to me because it’s a love letter to my mentors, fellow scientists, parents, and friends I met along the journey. It’s also the first instance where I conceived the term of a hidden operator that describe the individuals that carry out the invisible kind of work that enables people to flourish.
Most PhD theses never get read. I’m sharing this letter so the acknowledgements, at least, do not remain undiscovered. These are some of the most kind and generous people that exist. If you ever come across these individuals, treat them well because they are sure to do the same for you.
Melbourne, 14 February 2026
What an undertaking! I’ve received tremendous, direct, and indirect (unnoticed/hidden) support to be able to get to this milestone of completing a PhD in Immunology. First, I must thank my principial supervisor - Linda Wakim. Linda, thank you for offering the opportunity to join your lab and taking a bet on me as your 1st PhD student. You have single-handedly guided me through the entire core stack of the research process - from performing experiments (experimental design and protocol efficiency), data interpretation (not all data is bad and to follow the data), reading (seek the crux of the paper), writing (clarity over aesthetics), and presenting (storytelling and providing a value proposition to the audience). All these lessons are ingrained in me, and I’ve abstracted away the core lessons - lessons that are applicable to all the future paths that I seek to embark on. On top of that, I’m in awe (as are many) of your ability to conduct lab experiments on top of your lab head responsibilities, and by having the opportunity to see you perform in the lab, I understand the qualities and attributes that define what it means to work hard and smart, traits that I seek to implement to your level. The (perhaps) unappreciated work that you do for us (your students) and the institute also is not unnoticed - thank you for shielding us from non-science responsibilities/administrative burden so that we can focus entirely on our projects and enjoy science to the fullest, for your contributions to the Department (e.g. ethics, mentoring, so many PhD advisory committees), and for been a point of contact for students that are in a rough patch. It has been an absolute privilege to learn from you, so thank you! To the rest of the Wakim Lab (James, Jessica, Heran, and Ziyang), thanks for making our small but cosy office and lab area that more lively! James, especially, thank you for teaching some of the techniques that I’ve used throughout the PhD and for our entertaining and esoteric conversations.
To Patrick Reading, my co-supervisor, thank you for first-hand showing me perseverance by solving the microneutralisation assay fiasco. And for always keeping your door open, making it easy to approach you and quiz you on your expertise in virology, and letting me waltz in your lab space and take up all the reagents to conduct those virology experiments!
Thank you to the entire Department of Microbiology & Immunology for your support. My advisory committee, Thomas Gebhardt and Katherine Kedzierska, thank you for your insights and feedback and for enabling a smooth progression for the PhD. To the Brooks/Reading/Londrigan group (Fernando Villalon, Svenja Fritzlar, Melkamu Tessema, Lara Schwab, Tina Meischel, Jie Lin), thank you for helping out with experiments and answering all my virology questions. To the WHO CCRI (Yi-Mo Deng and Hilda Lau), thank you for getting on board with the viral sequencing project. To Sophie Valkenburg, thank you for your enthusiasm and feedback in our projects whenever the work was presented, and for your help with the rebuttal experiments. To the Kedzierska lab, thank you for the provision of a key reagent which was pivotal for the prior immunity project. To the rest of the Department (McCluskey, Strugnell, Gebhardt, Bedoui, Heath, Mackay, Mueller, and Godfrey groups), I’m thankful that you have shared protocols/mice/tools, and for letting me casually ‘borrow’ antibodies on multiple, perhaps too many occasions. To all the individuals that do work that generally goes unnoticed, to what I refer as hidden operators (the manner of work that I wish to emulate), thank you for the non-trivial and non-obvious role that you play in enabling PhD students to flourish. I haven’t listed everyone, but thank you Aradhana Deoki for handling the administrative aspects of the PhD program and alerting about new opportunities, and thank you Andrew Howes for organising PhD events and for setting up new grant opportunities.
To my friends at PDI, especially the 2019ish bunch (Calvin, Ariane, Gordon, Isabelle, Jessie, Sven, Meg, So-young, Bec, Ash, Toshi, James, Taka) thank you for all the time spent together. I’ve very much enjoyed our sequential 90 second conversations as we efficiently lament about our failed experiments during our FACS acquisition. (Side note: you have never disappointed me Fortessa 1! <3) My favourite moment with you all is when time feels suspended, and nothing else matters, not the past or future, just the present moment (i.e. Mt. Macedon, L5 post-oration celebration and lunches, and cherry picking). Special mention goes out to Calvin for telling me about grants/conferences, for organising the oration posters and card (I would never ask anyone to do this so it means a lot that you took the initiative to get it done), and for the near daily discussion ruminating about the PhD and life.
For my family, especially my parents, I will prove my gratitude and acknowledgement of your sacrifices and support through my actions. Moving forward, I will build the same set of infallible shoulders so that I too can be in a position where I can support you and others.
To everyone, thank you so much.
The Acknowledgements section of a PhD thesis
You can understand so much about a person’s character by reading the acknowledgements section of their PhD thesis. In 2023, I wrote my own, revealing a portion of my character. It’s special to me because it’s a love letter to my mentors, fellow scientists, parents, and friends I met along the journey. It’s also the first instance where I conceived the term of a hidden operator that describe the individuals that carry out the invisible kind of work that enables people to flourish.
Most PhD theses never get read. I’m sharing this letter so the acknowledgements, at least, do not remain undiscovered. These are some of the most kind and generous people that exist. If you ever come across these individuals, treat them well because they are sure to do the same for you.
Melbourne, 14 February 2026
What an undertaking! I’ve received tremendous, direct, and indirect (unnoticed/hidden) support to be able to get to this milestone of completing a PhD in Immunology. First, I must thank my principial supervisor - Linda Wakim. Linda, thank you for offering the opportunity to join your lab and taking a bet on me as your 1st PhD student. You have single-handedly guided me through the entire core stack of the research process - from performing experiments (experimental design and protocol efficiency), data interpretation (not all data is bad and to follow the data), reading (seek the crux of the paper), writing (clarity over aesthetics), and presenting (storytelling and providing a value proposition to the audience). All these lessons are ingrained in me, and I’ve abstracted away the core lessons - lessons that are applicable to all the future paths that I seek to embark on. On top of that, I’m in awe (as are many) of your ability to conduct lab experiments on top of your lab head responsibilities, and by having the opportunity to see you perform in the lab, I understand the qualities and attributes that define what it means to work hard and smart, traits that I seek to implement to your level. The (perhaps) unappreciated work that you do for us (your students) and the institute also is not unnoticed - thank you for shielding us from non-science responsibilities/administrative burden so that we can focus entirely on our projects and enjoy science to the fullest, for your contributions to the Department (e.g. ethics, mentoring, so many PhD advisory committees), and for been a point of contact for students that are in a rough patch. It has been an absolute privilege to learn from you, so thank you! To the rest of the Wakim Lab (James, Jessica, Heran, and Ziyang), thanks for making our small but cosy office and lab area that more lively! James, especially, thank you for teaching some of the techniques that I’ve used throughout the PhD and for our entertaining and esoteric conversations.
To Patrick Reading, my co-supervisor, thank you for first-hand showing me perseverance by solving the microneutralisation assay fiasco. And for always keeping your door open, making it easy to approach you and quiz you on your expertise in virology, and letting me waltz in your lab space and take up all the reagents to conduct those virology experiments!
Thank you to the entire Department of Microbiology & Immunology for your support. My advisory committee, Thomas Gebhardt and Katherine Kedzierska, thank you for your insights and feedback and for enabling a smooth progression for the PhD. To the Brooks/Reading/Londrigan group (Fernando Villalon, Svenja Fritzlar, Melkamu Tessema, Lara Schwab, Tina Meischel, Jie Lin), thank you for helping out with experiments and answering all my virology questions. To the WHO CCRI (Yi-Mo Deng and Hilda Lau), thank you for getting on board with the viral sequencing project. To Sophie Valkenburg, thank you for your enthusiasm and feedback in our projects whenever the work was presented, and for your help with the rebuttal experiments. To the Kedzierska lab, thank you for the provision of a key reagent which was pivotal for the prior immunity project. To the rest of the Department (McCluskey, Strugnell, Gebhardt, Bedoui, Heath, Mackay, Mueller, and Godfrey groups), I’m thankful that you have shared protocols/mice/tools, and for letting me casually ‘borrow’ antibodies on multiple, perhaps too many occasions. To all the individuals that do work that generally goes unnoticed, to what I refer as hidden operators (the manner of work that I wish to emulate), thank you for the non-trivial and non-obvious role that you play in enabling PhD students to flourish. I haven’t listed everyone, but thank you Aradhana Deoki for handling the administrative aspects of the PhD program and alerting about new opportunities, and thank you Andrew Howes for organising PhD events and for setting up new grant opportunities.
To my friends at PDI, especially the 2019ish bunch (Calvin, Ariane, Gordon, Isabelle, Jessie, Sven, Meg, So-young, Bec, Ash, Toshi, James, Taka) thank you for all the time spent together. I’ve very much enjoyed our sequential 90 second conversations as we efficiently lament about our failed experiments during our FACS acquisition. (Side note: you have never disappointed me Fortessa 1! <3) My favourite moment with you all is when time feels suspended, and nothing else matters, not the past or future, just the present moment (i.e. Mt. Macedon, L5 post-oration celebration and lunches, and cherry picking). Special mention goes out to Calvin for telling me about grants/conferences, for organising the oration posters and card (I would never ask anyone to do this so it means a lot that you took the initiative to get it done), and for the near daily discussion ruminating about the PhD and life.
For my family, especially my parents, I will prove my gratitude and acknowledgement of your sacrifices and support through my actions. Moving forward, I will build the same set of infallible shoulders so that I too can be in a position where I can support you and others.
To everyone, thank you so much.