My Advisor
After a few failed auditions and awkward attempts to secure an advisor for my graduate studies, the program director from my department finally stepped in and made a recommendation. Roger Miller, she told me, was a great match. He had a background in Swedish studies and a love of food.
A week later I met Roger at his office. He sported (what I later understood was his wardrobe mainstay) a bright Hawaiian shirt, close cut graying beard, and round glasses. It didn’t surprise me that he came from Berkeley (I could easily imagine him at a Viet Nam protest) or that his office was lined floor to ceiling with books and films and treasures from his travels. He was unabashedly authentic, brilliant, and liberal.
I didn’t know him well, never took one of his classes (his teacher ratings in ratemyprofessors.com are off the charts), never shared intimate details of our lives outside of academics. But it isn’t too dramatic to say that he changed the direction of my studies, and my life. It was Roger who recommended I take Swedish language class. Roger suggested I get out into the Swedish American community and meet new people. Roger told me to put my personal experiences and voice into my final thesis.
Roger didn’t offer me a lot of applause. In fact, once he told me that my writing was acceptable but that my spelling and grammatical errors were horrendous. Last month we worked together to get my thesis ready for taking the final writing seminar this summer, and I was thrilled to finally receive several notes of praise. He wrote “I enjoyed reading this,” and “Your writing plan is more than acceptable -- it's a model for what I wish other students would do! You're good to go.” There was even a note about how nice it was to read a chapter that needed very few edits, and a brief discussion about publication.
I saw him last at our departmental spring celebration, and he was excited about his annual summer motorcycle trek. He was to begin the journey by heading to his son’s graduation from Harvard.
Last week I got a call telling me about Roger’s motorcycle accident. This week, I received another call with news that Roger passed away on Sunday.
I have not yet opened his notes from the last chapter of my thesis. I don’t know when I will be able to. His final bit of advice to me might contain more praise. Likely there will be embarrassing edits (“You don’t seem to understand the difference between affect and effect”). These comments will shape my thesis, and I will work myself into the ground this summer in his honor.
There is a short tribute to Roger on the Department of Geography website. The picture makes Roger look a little too much like Anton Levy (google him if you don't know that name), an observation that would probably, hopefully, make Roger laugh.
A week later I met Roger at his office. He sported (what I later understood was his wardrobe mainstay) a bright Hawaiian shirt, close cut graying beard, and round glasses. It didn’t surprise me that he came from Berkeley (I could easily imagine him at a Viet Nam protest) or that his office was lined floor to ceiling with books and films and treasures from his travels. He was unabashedly authentic, brilliant, and liberal.
I didn’t know him well, never took one of his classes (his teacher ratings in ratemyprofessors.com are off the charts), never shared intimate details of our lives outside of academics. But it isn’t too dramatic to say that he changed the direction of my studies, and my life. It was Roger who recommended I take Swedish language class. Roger suggested I get out into the Swedish American community and meet new people. Roger told me to put my personal experiences and voice into my final thesis.
Roger didn’t offer me a lot of applause. In fact, once he told me that my writing was acceptable but that my spelling and grammatical errors were horrendous. Last month we worked together to get my thesis ready for taking the final writing seminar this summer, and I was thrilled to finally receive several notes of praise. He wrote “I enjoyed reading this,” and “Your writing plan is more than acceptable -- it's a model for what I wish other students would do! You're good to go.” There was even a note about how nice it was to read a chapter that needed very few edits, and a brief discussion about publication.
I saw him last at our departmental spring celebration, and he was excited about his annual summer motorcycle trek. He was to begin the journey by heading to his son’s graduation from Harvard.
Last week I got a call telling me about Roger’s motorcycle accident. This week, I received another call with news that Roger passed away on Sunday.
I have not yet opened his notes from the last chapter of my thesis. I don’t know when I will be able to. His final bit of advice to me might contain more praise. Likely there will be embarrassing edits (“You don’t seem to understand the difference between affect and effect”). These comments will shape my thesis, and I will work myself into the ground this summer in his honor.
There is a short tribute to Roger on the Department of Geography website. The picture makes Roger look a little too much like Anton Levy (google him if you don't know that name), an observation that would probably, hopefully, make Roger laugh.
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