The sad demise of my PhD supervisor Dr Steve Dempster came as huge shock to me. He was a real gentleman and demonstrated exemplary self dignity by not making his students aware of his difficult personal circumstances. Being a distance student, I never met Steve in person, which will be a source of perpetual regret for me. However, Steve’s demise has given me a renewed resolve to complete my PhD, something he would have been very pleased about. During my academic interaction with Steve, I was immensely impressed by his knowledge, insight and meticulousness. Steve was selflessly devoted to his job and honoured his professional commitments to the very end. He was very prompt in providing feedback on my work. For instance, I received his detailed feedback on my draft thesis chapter comprising 13,000 words within a couple of days. Like many others, I shall miss him hugely. My thoughts go out to his family and friends and I pray for their solace in this hour of grief. Salman A. Usman