“His contribution to my growth as a scientist, and as a person, is invaluable.”
“Rodrigo can explain all that is essential to a problem with clarity and patience. His guidance helped shape projects in directions that led to well-cited publications. Of all the mentors I’ve had, he demonstrated the broadest wisdom and foresight in terms of project planning, defining goals, streamlining, and staying on the most reasonable course. His contribution to my growth as a scientist, and as a person, is invaluable.”
Ulrich Herget, PhD, Caltech
“His teachings and guidance paved the way for my research path that otherwise I would not have had and may not have taken.”
“I first met Rodrigo as the supervisor of a six-week research internship as part of my Master’s program, but I ended up working with him for almost three years. The internship led to a student assistant position, a master thesis and eventually a research assistant position, while I was deciding whether or not to pursue a PhD. Rodrigo played a pivotal role in this process for several reasons. First, he taught me to design and analyse experiments, having a clearly defined question while remaining open to exploration. Equipped with pen and paper we drew out the potential outcomes of an experiment and discussed their interpretation and follow-up experiments. This is a skill I still use today, which has helped me tremendously in planning and performing my PhD research. Second, Rodrigo made it possible for me to present our research at a conference and engaged me in the process of preparing publications, thereby teaching me how to effectively communicate scientific results. Third, when the time for my PhD applications came, he helped me identify where to apply to and taught me what was important to write in my letters. Lastly and probably most importantly for my ensuing life as a researcher, Rodrigo believed in my abilities. Part of not knowing whether or not to follow a career in science was that I simply did not know if I was good enough. Rodrigo helped me see that maybe I was. His teachings and guidance paved the way for my research path that otherwise I would not have had and may not have taken.”
Antonia Groneberg, PhD, Charité University Medicine Berlin
“His dedication to biology has inspired me as a young biologist to pursue a career in science.”
“Rodrigo has supervised me during my Diploma thesis at the Freie Universität of Berlin. To summarize the impact of his supervision and guidance in a few words: these months have genuinely formed my scientific interests, and, with it, my entire future as a scientist. Based on the experiences collected within this period, I decided to become a researcher of animal behaviour. By guiding me through the development of my thesis, Rodrigo has taught me with patience and compassion how to approach questions objectively, how to analyse behavioural data, and how to communicate the findings in the form of scientific articles. His dedication to biology has inspired me as a young biologist to pursue a career in science.”
Andrea Flack, PhD, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior
“He has all the qualities of an exceptional mentor.”
“Rodrigo guided my journey during my postgraduate preparation and his academic and scientific advice was essential for the success of my project. He always showed an extremely deep understanding of the topics we discussed and his skills to communicate his ideas in a clear, systematic, and accessible way are exceptional. Our interactions and collaborations were always fruitful resulting in several scientific publications; but more importantly, he is a kind and respectful person who has vision, is committed, and is always willing to help. After I completed my PhD, we continued to collaborate, and it has always been a pleasure to interact with him. Rodrigo has had a great impact on my personal and academic development; he has all the qualities of an exceptional mentor.”
Luis Castillo, PhD, Institute of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University Hospital
“His patience, dedication and commitment for teaching make him an incomparable supervisor.”
“Rodrigo supervised my research in a project funded by the DAAD (Deutsche Akademischer Austausch Dienst). Thanks to his exceptional guidance, this turned a fruitful and formative experience. His knowledge and understanding of biology, his clarity of thought and rigorous analysis – all guided by his passion for ideas – have been for me long lasting examples of how to do science. After over a decade, I still recall the time I spent working with him. His patience, dedication and commitment for teaching make him an incomparable supervisor.”
Juan M. Gurevitz, PhD, University of Buenos Aires
