It was a few minutes to one and I would be lying if I said that the atmosphere in C8:301 was relaxed. The past few weeks had seen a desperate activity when more than four years of pioneering scientific work was to be summarized, put in context and, unfortunately, explained to the less talented. If it had only been a question of unifying the theory of micro and macroscopic interactions of proteins and DNA in a scientifically appealing manner, Anel Mahmutovic would have been home free. However, science, it had lately become painfully clear, was also about fonts, spelling and dinner arrangements…. Who would have guessed?

The opponent, professor ten Woldemort, adjusted his velvet hat and made sure that his notes were in order. Finally, the clock struck one and the battle begun. G In an instance, the PhD student who trebled in the face of the fearsome professor ten Woldemort was gone, and rising from the ashes was a collected and well-spoken young scientist who met the gaze of his opponent and answered his question without the slightest tremor in his voice. A few hours later, his friends, family and colleagues congratulated Dr. Anel Mahmutovic to a job well done and a title well earned.

In the evening, at first hotel Linné, it was a party wanting nothing and Anel was in every sense the perfect host he swore he’d never be.

Figure: (Left) Proud supervisor (Top middle) Is that a question mark, right there? (Top right) That’s some bad hat Harry! (Middle… middle) Is it only me, or does Otto look very pleased with himself? (Bottom right) The thesis committee, Prof. Lennart Nilsson, Prof. Erik Aurell and Dr. Ylva Ivarsson. (Bottom middle) The smile of a brand new doctor (and two slightly used ones). The fearsome opponent Prof. Pieter Rein ten Wolde was not so fearsome after some Champagne.

Take a look at Anel’s thesis here