How to Write a Eulogy for Your Thesis Supervisor - Eulogy Examples & Tips

Losing a thesis supervisor can feel like losing a guide to both your research and your professional self. You may be asked to speak at a memorial, a departmental event, or a small gathering with colleagues and students. This guide gives clear steps, real examples, and templates you can adapt so you can speak honestly and with confidence. We explain academic terms and give delivery tips that work even when you are emotional.

Who this guide is for

This article is for anyone who is asked to speak about a thesis supervisor at a funeral, memorial, departmental service, or celebration of life. You might be a current student, a former student, a colleague, a postdoctoral researcher, or a member of the supervisor s research team. Maybe your relationship was formal and professional. Maybe it was mentoring that turned into a friendship. This guide has sample scripts for formal academic settings, informal gatherings, funny reminiscences, and short tributes for busy ceremonies.

What is a eulogy in an academic setting

A eulogy is a personal speech given to honor someone who has died. In academia the tone may vary from formal to conversational. A eulogy for a thesis supervisor usually touches on their scholarship, mentorship, and the personal ways they shaped students careers and lives. It is not the same as an obituary which lists facts like birth date, publications, and service information. A eulogy is a story with a viewpoint. It can be loving, grateful, brief, or reflective.

Terms you might see

• Thesis supervisor The academic who oversees a student s thesis or dissertation work. In some places this person is called a thesis advisor or doctoral advisor.
• Committee The group of faculty who evaluate a thesis or dissertation. They can include internal and external members.
• Dissertation A long research project completed for a doctoral degree. A thesis is usually similar but can refer to masters level work in some countries.
• Viva Short for viva voce which means an oral examination where the candidate defends their thesis aloud. It is common in the UK and some other countries.
• Postdoc Short for postdoctoral researcher. This is a researcher who has completed a doctoral degree and works on research projects, often under a principal investigator.
• Principal investigator Often abbreviated PI. This is the lead researcher on a grant or lab who is responsible for the research group.

How long should a eulogy be

In an academic setting aim for three to five minutes for an individual tribute unless you were told otherwise. That is roughly four hundred to six hundred spoken words. Departments sometimes schedule a speaker for two minutes at the start of a memorial. If the event is small you can stretch to seven minutes. Short, specific, and sincere will often feel more meaningful than long lists of publications.

Before you start writing

Plan a simple path forward with these steps.

• Check the format Ask the event organizer whether the eulogy will be part of a formal memorial, a departmental meeting, or an informal gathering. Confirm your time limit.
• Decide the tone Do you want a formal academic tone, a warm and conversational tone, or some light humor? Consider the supervisor s personality and the audience makeup.
• Gather stories Ask current and former students for one memory each. Collect short anecdotes about mentorship, office hours, conference travel, or small habits that reveal character.
• Pick two or three themes Choose the main points you want people to remember such as mentorship style, scholarly curiosity, or the way they defended students.
• Get permissions If you plan to quote from unpublished notes or to share diary like material check with family or the department first.

Structure that works

Use a simple structure to keep the tribute focused.

• Opening Say who you are and how you knew the supervisor. Offer one short sentence that sets the tone.
• Academic life sketch Give a brief overview of their role such as professor, researcher, lab leader, or program director. Mention key contributions in plain language.
• Anecdotes Tell one to three concise stories that reveal how they mentored, taught, or led. Keep them specific and human.
• Impact Summarize what they taught students beyond techniques, for example how to argue with integrity, how to fail well, or how to write succinctly.
• Closing Offer a short goodbye line, a favorite quote, or an invitation for others to share memories after the formal remarks.

Writing the opening

Start with your name and your relationship to the supervisor. That orients the audience and gives you a steady opening.

Opening examples

• Hello, my name is Aisha and I was Dr Patel s doctoral student. I am honored to speak about her today.
• Good afternoon. I am Ben, a former postdoc in Professor Morgan s lab. I will say a few words about how he taught us to be curious and brave with data.
• Hi everyone. I am Leah and I coordinated the doctoral program that Professor Chen directed. She had a way of making the impossible look like a chartable problem.

How to write the academic life sketch

The life sketch is not a CV or full biography. Pick the facts that matter to the story you are telling. Use plain language. Avoid reading a list of publications unless you add a story that makes publication choices meaningful.

Life sketch templates

• [Name] was a professor of [discipline] at [institution]. They supervised [number] doctoral students and were known for work on [research topic]. They served as program director and loved mentoring new researchers.
• [Name] moved into academia from [background]. They believed in collaborative research and often said that good science starts with a bad question that you are brave enough to answer.

Anecdotes that matter

Stories are the heart of any eulogy. Choose moments that show character. Keep each anecdote short with a clear payoff.

Examples of short anecdotes

• She always left a stack of yellow sticky notes by the coffee maker with short questions like What if we tried this instead. I still keep one on my laptop because it makes me think of her voice when I get stuck.
• At conferences she would sit in the back of talks and take notes like she was learning for the first time. One time she stood up and asked a question that rewrote the conversation for the rest of the session.
• When my chapter hit a dead end she walked through the model with a blank sheet of paper and two colored pens. She told me to draw the problem before trying to write about it. That day I learned to make ideas visible.

Addressing complex or mixed relationships

Academic relationships can be complicated. Power dynamics, funding stress, and conflicting expectations are common. You can speak honestly without harming others. Focus on specific lessons and on how you grew under their supervision.

Examples for complicated relationships

• My relationship with Professor Alvarez was not always easy. He pushed hard and sometimes I felt overwhelmed. Over time I came to understand that his pressure was a form of belief in my potential. I appreciate how his high standards made me a better researcher.
• We had different styles. She preferred long meetings and I preferred emails. Still she taught me to be precise and kind in written feedback. That lesson lives on in my mentoring now.
• There were mistakes and regrets along the way. In recent months we talked and found a quieter mutual respect. I am grateful for that chance to reconcile.

Using humor carefully

Humor works in academic eulogies when it feels earned and kind. Use small, shared jokes about lab life, committee meetings, or conference travel. Avoid anything that might embarrass colleagues or students.

Safe humor examples

• He had a superpower for spotting a missing reference ten pages away. We called him the citation radar and he owned the title proudly.
• Her office was a museum of coffee cups. If you needed a cup with a quote you could find it there. She claimed each cup had a personality and that they helped her think.

What to avoid in a eulogy for a thesis supervisor

• Avoid turning the eulogy into a long list of academic credentials with no personal context.
• Avoid airing confidential disputes or administrative grievances in a public forum.
• Avoid jokes that might single out students or colleagues in an embarrassing way.
• Avoid language that minimizes students feelings such as it was just research. Honor emotional realities alongside professional ones.

Full eulogy examples you can adapt

Below are complete examples that follow the structure above. Replace bracketed text with your details and practice them out loud.

Example 1: Formal departmental tribute, about four minutes

Good afternoon. I am Dr Marco Rivera and I served on Professor Liang s doctoral committee for two students and collaborated with her on grant work. Professor Liang was a scholar of rare curiosity. Her work on urban ecosystems changed how policy makers thought about green space in cities. That is the easy part of her story.

What I remember most is how she made space for early career researchers to fail and to try again. When a pilot study did not show the expected results she would say these are the gifts we get from honest data and then spend the afternoon helping a student reframe the question. She taught method and humility in equal parts.

Outside the lab she loved a bad pun and great bread. She would bring sourdough to group meetings and listen to student drafts like they were the next great novel. Her generosity was patient and practical. Many of us are walking into new roles because she believed in us first.

Please join me in a moment of silence and then in sharing memories with each other. If you have a short story please come forward after the formal remarks. Thank you.

Example 2: Short modern tribute under two minutes

Hello, I am Maya and I was Lyle s doctoral student. Lyle made me love messy data and he taught me to write figures that tell a story. The last thing he emailed me before going into hospital was a link to a playlist and three suggested edits for my paper. That is the kind of mentor he was. Thank you for everything, Lyle.

Example 3: Light and personal for a small gathering

Hi everyone, I am Omar and I worked in Professor Singh s lab for five years. If you ever got into his office you learned two things quickly. One, he had more pens than a stationary shop. Two, he had an uncanny memory for the exact date you first asked a question in a meeting. He celebrated small wins like they were weddings and he cheered us on when conference rejections stung. I will miss his steady cheer and the way he made science feel like a team sport.

Example 4: Honest and respectful about a difficult relationship

My name is Hannah. Dr Cole was a brilliant theorist who could be blunt and exacting. We did not always agree. There were times I left his office in tears. Still he pushed me in ways that taught me resilience and how to argue with precision. In later years we repaired our relationship and he apologized for being harsh. That moment mattered more than any paper. I am grateful for the growth and for his later kindness.

Fill in the blank templates

Use these templates to get started. Write them, then trim anything that sounds like you are trying too hard.

Template A: Formal academic

My name is [Your Name] and I was [Professor s Name] [doctoral student student postdoc colleague]. [Professor s Name] was a professor of [field] at [institution] and worked on [research area]. They supervised [number] students and believed in mentoring through listening and careful questions. One memory that captures them is [brief story]. Their legacy for me is [impact or lesson]. Thank you.

Template B: Short and personal

Hi. I am [Your Name]. To know [Professor s Name] was to know that they loved [quirky habit]. They taught me [skill or lesson] and they made lab meetings feel like practice for life. My favorite memory is [short story]. I will miss their presence and their fierce curiosity. Thank you.

Template C: For complicated relationships

My name is [Your Name]. My relationship with [Professor s Name] was complicated. We clashed about [example]. Over time I recognized [positive lesson] and we found a better way to work together. If I could say one thing now it would be [short line you want to say].

Practical tips for delivery

Delivering a eulogy while grieving and still doing academic work is hard. These tactics keep you steady.

• Print your speech Use large font. Printed pages are easier to handle when emotions run high.
• Use cue cards Index cards with one or two lines each reduce the chance of losing your place.
• Mark pauses Put a note where you want to breathe or where laughter might land. Pauses are powerful and help you regroup.
• Practice out loud Read to a friend, a group, or to your notes. Practicing helps your voice remember the flow.
• Bring tissues and water A small bottle of water helps if your throat tightens.
• Plan for a backup Ask a colleague to introduce you and to be ready to finish a line if needed.
• Mic technique Keep the microphone a few inches from your mouth and speak slowly. If there is no mic project gently to the back of the room.

When you want to cry while speaking

If you feel emotional pause, breathe, look at your notes, and then continue. It is fine to let tears come. The audience understands. If you need a moment step away and then return. If you are unable to continue have a designated person ready to finish the closing lines.

How to include academic readings, quotes, and music

Short readings work best. You can include a sentence or two from a favourite paper or a brief quote the supervisor used often. Avoid reading long academic passages that may not resonate with a general audience. If including music choose a short track that was meaningful to the person or appropriate to the tone.

Logistics and who to tell

• Tell the event organizer if you need a microphone or a projector for images.
• Confirm where you will stand and how long you may speak.
• Consider providing a copy of your speech to the department for archives or for family members who request it.

After the eulogy

People will likely want to talk. Be ready for private conversations. Offer to email a copy of the tribute to interested students and colleagues. Departments sometimes include tributes in memorial booklets or online memorial pages. Check with family about what they prefer before posting anything public online.

Glossary of useful academic terms and acronyms

• Thesis supervisor The academic who guides a student s thesis or dissertation work.
• Dissertation A long research project typically completed for a doctoral degree.
• Viva Short for viva voce which is an oral defense of a thesis.
• Postdoc Short for postdoctoral researcher who has completed a doctoral degree and continues research.
• PI Stands for principal investigator. This is the lead researcher in a lab or on a grant.
• Committee The group of faculty who evaluate a student s thesis.
• Mentorship The guidance and support a supervisor provides that includes both research advice and career development.

Frequently asked questions

How do I start a eulogy if I am nervous

Start with your name and your relationship to the supervisor. A short opening line like Hello, my name is [Your Name] and I was [Professor s Name] doctoral student gives the audience context and gives you a single steady sentence to begin. Practice that line until it feels familiar.

What if the relationship was complicated

Be honest and measured. You can acknowledge difficulty and highlight what you learned. Focus on specific lessons and avoid private grievances in a public setting. A short, truthful line about complexity can be powerful and respectful.

Can I include academic achievements in a eulogy

Yes, but do not let the tribute become a dry list of publications and awards. Pick one or two achievements and add a small story that shows why they mattered to people or to the field.

Should I use humor

Light, earned humor is often welcome. Use shared experiences from lab life or conferences. Avoid jokes that single out people or that might be seen as disrespectful.

How long should a eulogy for a thesis supervisor be

Three to five minutes is a good target for most events. If the program is tight aim for two minutes. Coordinate with organizers if multiple people will speak.

Is it okay to record and share the eulogy

Ask family and the department before posting a recording online. Some families want privacy. If sharing is approved include a short note about where to send condolences or contributions if applicable.