Modelling and analysing moving objects and travelling subjects : bridging theory and practice
Matthias Delafontaine · Ghent University Academic Bibliography (Ghent University) · 2011
Writing a doctoral dissertation has been a long journey, and it is true: you can never finish a PhD, you just quit working on it.Nevertheless, the compilation of four years of intense endeavour and engagement somehow releases me and offers me the opportunity to look back.Rather than as a static collection of scientific achievements, my dissertation appears to me as a chronology reflecting in many respects the evolution that my research and the way I dealt with it have gone through.In that sense, I am elated by the impression of having acquired and developed certain skills that are much more universal than the sheer context of research.Beyond my personal movement, much has happened and changed in my environment over the course of this study.Of these events, probably the most drastic one has been the loss of my dear grandfather Paul Hubert, to whom I owe great respect.To heartily acknowledge him, I have dedicated this work to his fond memory.Pursuing a PhD is often regarded as a lonesome and isolating experience.I do recognize this perception and I must admit that numerous solitary activities may have enabled me to find the necessary reflection.Yet, I could by no means have carried out this research without the support of many others.Whereas it would lead me too far to mention each name exhaustively, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to all the people that have thereby assisted me in any respect.Let me explicitly address some of them.To begin with, I wish to thank my supervisors Nico Van de Weghe and Tijs Neutens for their admirable academic guidance and for their willingness to be always available for me.Nico Van de Weghe was the person who picked me up after graduating in geography and convinced me to apply for a doctoral grant.I have come to know him as a reliable, pure and devoted scientist.I am grateful to him for giving me the opportunity to conduct doctoral research and to offer me the necessary academic freedom.I greatly appreciate his openness to discuss and explore fresh ideas and his courage to face novel research challenges.I also owe much gratitude to my other supervisor, Tijs Neutens.He has been the person with the unparalleled ability to constantly motivate and inspire me, even in the more awkward circumstances.I highly commend his great enthusiasm, solidity and diligence, but also his fine research skills and abundant sense of humour which have made working with him a great pleasure.Furthermore, I am indebted to Anthony Cohn