I joined Geoff's group as an undergraduate in 2011. I’d like to share a few thoughts and anecdotes with you today about what it was like to train under Geoff.
Geoff is a fantastic advisor. He works hard to remove barriers for his students. If you listen to his talks, you will often walk away remembering his student’s name and specific contribution. That does not happen by accident.
You always know when Geoff has a new idea. He is famous for bursting into a room and pronouncing that he now, finally, after all these years, understands how the brain works. I can vividly remember him at group meetings: how he stood quietly against the wall, how you could see his face light up when he finally understood the key idea that was being presented, how he deftly summarized it for us, and walked out of the room.
I am an odd trainee of his to give these remarks. I was one of his last students, and I was, in many ways, his most ungrateful and obstinate. Like some students, I ignored all of his advice. I worked on my own problems. When he sold his company to Google, I decided to leave the PhD with him. At the time, I asked him whether I should leave UofT to go to Cambridge or Oxford, and he said, “Chris, that’s like asking your girlfriend to pick between two of your affairs.” Nevertheless, he has been a steadfast mentor and supporter, seeing strength in me that I didn’t see, answering crucial emails at a moment’s notice with words of advice or support.
Above all, Geoff understands that research is fundamentally a human endeavour. How it intertwines with personal tragedies and ambitions. I saw him go through some of his own tragedies while I was a student in the group, and when I faced a personal hardship, I remember going to Geoff and saying, “Sometimes it’s hard to go on” to which he replied, “but we won’t let that slow us down, will we?” Throughout life’s ups and downs, Geoff radiated a quiet sense of British resilience. No matter what was going on, you could find him working on Sundays at the lab, at 8PM, playing with his MATLAB scripts like a child playing with Legos. He never lost this sense of child-like wonder that buoyed him and the group.
I want to thank you, Geoff, for everything you’ve given us, despite our obstinance. For the mentorship, and above all, the field of ideas that you’ve given us in which we have the great privilege to play every day.