I want to publicly acknowledge the mentorship and support I've received from my supervisor, Dr. Saad Jbabdi. I've been so privileged to work with him throughout my academic journey.
First, he is a supervisor who truly cares about his students and their careers. When I felt uncertain about my career path - whether to pursue academia or industry - he took the time to help me navigate my options with remarkable patience and kindness. His guidance has been incredibly important to me and helped me substantially in finding my future path during my most confusing moments as a young researcher.
Beyond academics, he showed great understanding and support during my personal challenges. When I faced health difficulties, his support and flexibility made a lot difference. He truly cares about his students as whole people, not just their research output.
Academically, I've learned so much from him. He's taught me how to break down complex scientific problems into manageable pieces and how to communicate research clearly and accessibly. His approach to science has fundamentally shaped how I think about my own work.
I feel incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn from someone who combines such strong academic abilities with genuine kindness. Therefore, I'm writing on this thank you board to help the university recognise his contributions from a student's perspective. I think he is a superb professor, and Oxford is so lucky to have him.
From Ying-Qiu Zheng, Postdoctoral Researcher, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences
