How to Write a Eulogy for Your Postdoc Mentor - Eulogy Examples & Tips

Crafting a eulogy for a postdoc mentor can feel like balancing two worlds. You want to honor their scientific achievements and the ways they shaped who you are as a researcher. You also want to tell the human story behind the papers and the grants. This guide walks you through a clear structure, words to use when research jargon is not helpful, and real example speeches you can adapt. We explain common academic terms so the audience can follow along and give you templates to personalize fast.

Who this guide is for

This article is for anyone who has been asked to deliver a eulogy for a postdoc mentor. Maybe you were in their lab, maybe you were a collaborator in another department, or maybe you were a former student who benefited from their guidance. You might be comfortable speaking in front of a crowd or you might barely be able to get through a lab meeting without panicking. There are examples for short remarks, formal departmental memorials, virtual events, and for relationships that were complicated.

What we mean by postdoc mentor

A postdoc is a researcher who has finished a doctoral degree such as a PhD and is doing additional research before moving into a faculty role, industry job, or other path. A postdoc mentor is the person who oversaw or guided that postdoctoral work. That mentor might be a principal investigator often abbreviated as PI. A PI is the faculty member who runs the lab and holds grant funding. We will use plain language for any academic term so your audience understands it too.

Terms you might see

• PI Stands for principal investigator. This is the faculty member who leads a research group and usually holds the research funding.
• Postdoc A researcher with a doctorate who is working on additional research and training after completing the PhD.
• Lab meeting A regular group gathering where experiments, data, and ideas are discussed.
• Grant Funding awarded to support research. Grants enable experiments, travel, and salaries for trainees.
• Collaborator A researcher or group that works with the mentor on shared projects or publications.

How long should your eulogy be

Short and focused is usually more powerful than long and rambling. For a departmental memorial, aim for three to seven minutes. That is roughly 400 to 800 spoken words. If the event is a smaller gathering a two minute tribute can be meaningful. If multiple people are speaking coordinate so the total time stays reasonable.

Before you start writing

Take a few practical steps first. They make the writing process less stressful.

• Ask about logistics Confirm who asked you to speak, where your remarks fit in the order of events, and how long you are expected to talk.
• Check tone Ask the department chair or family whether they prefer a formal tribute, a celebration of life, or a mix of stories and science.
• Gather memories Reach out to current and former lab members for one or two short memories each. Ask collaborators for a line about the mentor s influence on the field.
• Decide the audience Is the room mostly scientists, family, or a mix? Tailor your language so non academics can follow the human story behind the research.
• Choose three focus points Pick three things you want people to remember. That might be mentorship style, a signature research contribution explained simply, and a personal quality like generosity.

Structure that works

Use a simple shape to keep your remarks organized. This helps both you and the listeners.

• Opening Say who you are and your relationship to the mentor. Offer one sentence that sets the tone.
• Brief life sketch Summarize the mentor s career and personal roles using plain language. Avoid long lists of publications without context.
• Anecdotes Tell one or two short stories that reveal mentorship style and character. Concrete scenes beat abstract praise.
• Impact and lessons Explain what the mentor taught you and what their students and colleagues will carry forward.
• Closing Offer a goodbye line, invite a moment of silence, or direct people to a memorial fund or memory book.

How to open your eulogy

Keep the opening simple. It gives you a steady start and sets the audience s expectations.

Opening examples

• Hi. I am Alex and I did my postdoc in Dr Garcia s lab. Today I want to say a few words about how she taught us to find truth in messy data and to be kinder to each other while doing it.
• Good afternoon. I am Priya. I was a collaborator of Professor Kim for seven years. For me she was a brilliant scientist and the person who reminded us that a lab is not a factory but a community.
• Hello everyone. I am Sam, a former student and a friend. I am grateful to share one short story about how Dr Lee turned a failed experiment into our best lesson on resilience.

Writing the life sketch

Keep the career summary short and human. Mention the mentor s field and a simple explanation of their work. Avoid technical jargon unless you immediately explain it.

Life sketch templates

• [Name] was a researcher in [field] whose work focused on [simple plain language description of research]. They trained a generation of scientists and led a lab that felt like home for visiting scholars from around the world.
• [Name] joined [institution] in [year]. They were a teacher, an advisor, and a friend. Outside the lab they loved [hobby], made the best [food], and never missed a campus talk.

Anecdotes that matter

People remember scenes more than lists of papers. Pick stories that reveal character and illustrate mentorship style. Keep them short and sensory.

What makes a good anecdote

• Set the scene briefly, for example a late night in the lab or a small conference dinner.
• Show a single action the mentor took, such as staying late to help write a grant or defending a student in a heated meeting.
• End with why it mattered, for example the student got the fellowship or the lab learned to ask better questions.

Examples of short anecdotes

• Once we presented data that did not fit our hypothesis. Instead of dismissing it, Dr Patel wrote on the whiteboard Why is this happening and then bought us pizza so we could keep thinking. That curiosity led to a new project that changed our field.
• Dr Owens refused to sign off on a manuscript until every coauthor understood one sentence of the introduction. He wanted everyone to own the story. That patience taught us what true collaboration looks like.
• When a postdoc in our group was facing visa uncertainty, Professor Chen spent an afternoon on the phone with immigration offices and later celebrated the good outcome with a tiny cake. It was a quiet act that meant everything.

How to explain research without losing the room

Many listeners will not be specialists. Explain the mentor s contribution in one to two plain sentences. Use an analogy if it helps.

Examples

• Professor Morgan studied how cells talk to each other. Think of their work as listening in on a conversation that had been missed before and then figuring out how to gently change the topic when it got dangerous.
• Dr Rivera built software that helps people analyze messy data. Her tools turned confusing spreadsheets into clear maps we could follow.

Addressing complicated relationships with a mentor

Mentorship is rarely perfect. If your relationship was mixed you can speak honestly without harm. Acknowledge complexity and focus on lessons learned or changes you witnessed.

Examples for complicated relationships

• My relationship with Dr Alvarez was not always easy. He pushed so hard that sometimes we fought. He also pushed us to be better scientists and to own our mistakes. That pressure was hard in the moment and useful later.
• We disagreed about methods and about how to run a lab. Over the last year I saw him slow down and listen more. That change mattered to me and to many others in the group.
• If you need to be brief, say I had a complicated relationship with my mentor. Today I want to highlight one thing I learned from them.

Using humor the right way in an academic memorial

Light humor can make a memorial feel warm. Use small earned jokes related to lab life and avoid anything that might embarrass family or colleagues. Test your line with a trusted colleague first.

Safe humor examples

• He had two lab rules. Rule one was label your samples. Rule two was label your samples again. He was not wrong.
• She loved long data sets and terrible coffee equally. We will miss both.

What to avoid in a eulogy for an academic mentor

• Avoid long lists of publications or grant numbers without a human story to connect them.
• Avoid technical deep dives that will lose non specialist listeners.
• Avoid airing departmental politics or private grievances. If an issue must be acknowledged, keep it measured and focused on learning.
• Avoid academic name dropping that does not illuminate the mentor s influence on people.

Full eulogy examples you can adapt

Below are complete examples to copy and personalize. Replace bracketed text with your details. Each follows the structure above and keeps the language simple so everyone in the room can follow.

Example 1: Short departmental eulogy, three to four minutes

Hello. I am Maya and I was a postdoc in Dr Thompson s lab from 2016 to 2019. Dr Thompson taught me two things that I carry every day. The first is to question assumptions. The second is to make space for people when science gets hard.

Her work was in environmental chemistry. In plain words she studied how tiny particles behave in water and how that affects clean drinking water. Her papers changed how people test water safety and her methods are still used in labs around the world.

One memory that matters to me is a late night when our experiments failed completely. Instead of scolding us she made tea and sat with us while we brainstormed. That night we discovered a mistake in our method but we also learned how to disagree and keep working together. That way of holding people made our lab strong.

She was a relentless advocate for junior scientists. She wrote recommendation letters late at night, she fought for funding for people who needed it, and she never let anyone leave a meeting feeling small. I am better for having worked with her. We will miss her clarity and her warmth. Thank you for being here to remember her.

Example 2: Longer memorial for a large audience, five to seven minutes

Good afternoon. My name is Jordan and I had the honor of being a long term collaborator and friend of Professor Ahmed.

Professor Ahmed s research was in computational neuroscience. In simple language he built models that help us understand how brains make decisions. He combined math with compassion. One of his graduate students said his lab was a place where complexity met kindness and those words are the best description I know.

He was also a mentor who taught by example. I remember presenting a messy set of results at a conference. I was embarrassed. He came up afterwards and said Your data is interesting. Let s try thinking about it this way. That small sentence gave me permission to keep exploring rather than to hide my errors. He taught us that failure is part of discovery.

Outside the lab he loved photography and Sunday markets. He would bring coffee and photos to lab meetings and remind us that curiosity does not end when the experiment stops. His legacy lives in the tools he left to the field, the people he trained, and the way he modeled generosity in science.

If you would like to leave a written memory, the department has set up a memory book and a fund to support visiting students. Information is in the program. Please join me in a moment of silence as we remember him.

Example 3: Honest and direct when the relationship was complicated

Hi. I am Lena. I did my postdoc with Dr Novak. We worked closely for three years and I learned a lot from him. I also had moments where his standards felt impossible to meet.

He was exacting and demanding and sometimes that pressure led to arguments. Over time I saw his softer side. He apologised when he realised he had pushed too hard and he invested in people who needed a second chance. For me one of the clearest lessons was how to keep standards and still be humane. That is not always easy. I am grateful for the parts that helped me grow and I am grateful for the memory of his generosity in moments when it mattered.

Example 4: Short, light, and personal for a small gathering

Hello. I am Ben and I was a visiting researcher in Dr Lopez s group. If you ever met her you know she had a laugh that filled the lab and a stubborn love for tiny plants. She kept succulents by the incubators and named them after famous scientists. Today we are remembering a mentor who cared deeply about people and experiments in equal measure. Thank you for being here to celebrate her.

Fill in the blank templates

Use these templates to get started. Fill in the brackets and then edit so it sounds like you.

Template A Basic short tribute

My name is [Your Name]. I was a postdoc or collaborator of [Mentor s Name]. [Mentor s Name] worked in [field] and was known for [simple description of research or character]. One story that shows who they were is [brief anecdote]. They taught me [lesson or value]. We will miss [what people will miss]. Thank you for being here.

Template B For complicated relationships

My name is [Your Name]. My relationship with [Mentor s Name] was complex. We had high expectations and sometimes those led to conflict. Over time I learned [positive lesson]. If I could say one thing now it would be [short line you want to say].

Template C Longer departmental memorial

Hello. I am [Your Name], and I worked with [Mentor s Name] at [Institution]. [Mentor s Name] studied [plain language research description]. They trained students from all over the world and were generous with time and advice. One memory I treasure is [story]. Their work mattered because [impact on field or people]. If you would like to share a memory the department has a [memory book fund page details]. Thank you.

Practical tips for delivery

• Print your speech Use large font. Paper is easier to handle when emotions run high.
• Use cue cards Small cards with one or two lines each help you maintain eye contact and avoid losing your place.
• Practice out loud Read the remarks to a teammate or alone three times so the words feel familiar.
• Mark pauses Insert a small mark where you want to breathe or where the room will laugh. Pauses give you time to steady your voice.
• Coordinate with organizers Let the department admin or family know if you plan to show a photo slide or play a short clip. They will handle technical checks.
• Bring a backup Email a copy of your remarks to the person running the program in case you lose your notes or the event is recorded.
• If you think you will not get through it Arrange for a colleague or friend to introduce you and to step in if you need a moment. It is okay to have support.
• For virtual events Test your microphone and camera before the event. Keep a printed copy nearby in case screen sharing fails.

What to include in the program or email follow up

• One paragraph biography in plain language and a photo.
• Information about memorial donations or a fund for trainees.
• Links to a memory book or contact details for the family or department representative.
• Optional short bibliography for people who want to read more about the mentor s work. Keep it to two or three accessible items.

After the eulogy

People will often ask for a copy. Offer to email it to family and to the department. Some labs collect memories into a digital book or a memorial webpage. If a fund or scholarship is being established, include clear instructions in your follow up so people can contribute.

Glossary of useful terms and acronyms

• Postdoc A researcher with a doctoral degree who is doing additional training and research.
• PI Principal investigator. The faculty member who leads a research group and manages grant funding.
• Grant Funding awarded by agencies to support research. Grants pay for experiments, equipment, travel, and sometimes salaries.
• Lab meeting Regular group meeting where data, ideas, and troubleshooting are discussed.
• Fellowship A type of funding or award given to support a researcher s work or training.
• Department The academic unit within a university that houses related research and teaching.

Frequently asked questions

How do I begin if I am nervous about speaking

Start with your name and your relationship to the mentor. A calm opening like Hello I am [Name] and I was a postdoc in [Mentor s] lab gives you a steady first sentence. Practice that line until it feels familiar. It will help you settle into the rest of the remarks.

Should I talk about the mentor s research in detail

Only as much as the audience will understand. Use one or two plain sentences to explain why the work mattered. Avoid technical detail that will lose non specialist listeners. Focus on the human impact of the research and the mentor s approach to science.

What if the relationship was difficult or there were controversies

You can acknowledge complexity in a measured way. Focus on lessons learned or on changes you witnessed. Avoid airing office politics or private disputes. If the situation is public and important, check with close colleagues or family about what is appropriate to say.

Can I include jokes about lab life

Yes, small earned jokes about common lab experiences can bring warmth. Avoid jokes that single out family or that might embarrass colleagues. Test the humor with a trusted person beforehand.

How do I mention students and coauthors

Point out the mentor s influence on trainees and collaborators with concrete examples. If possible mention a few names of students who went on to meaningful careers or a project that changed how others work. Keep the focus on people not citations.

What logistics should I check before I go on stage or online

Confirm your allotted time, ask about microphones or slide support, and give a copy of your remarks to the event organizer. For virtual events test audio and video and have a backup plan in case the connection fails.

Is it appropriate to mention memorial funds or scholarships

Yes. If a memorial fund or scholarship is being established, mention it briefly at the end of your remarks and direct people to where they can find details in the program or online. Keep the ask short and factual.