> Going from having my supervisor coaching me in my PhD to being basically totally unsupervised and free to work on what I want This was my case during my PhD

> Going from having my supervisor coaching me in my PhD to being basically totally unsupervised and free to work on what I want This was my case during my PhD (physics). My supervisor was not competent enough in my field of studies to help me from a science perspective (I had a co-supervisor who had more information, but not too much - it was a really unique area at that time). BUT - he was a wonderful, extraordinary person when helping me travel the muddy waters of academia. He was always there to arrange after some, let's say, more "heavy" discussions. I was really delighted to have him as a supervisor. He also let me roam free in innovative areas, he supported me when I wanted to publish 45 pages of thesis, when the norm was more 200+. He was really, really great. I started to work in academia during my PhD and he was concerned I would not finish it. I sworn him that I would, before the end of the millenium. I had my defense mid December of the last year :) I kept on visiting him over the years, presented him my children but he unfortunately died last year. RIP Prof. J.