Marieke van Egmond
There are a lot of memories that pop-up when I think of my time working with Michele as a postdoc, and nearly all involve a lot of laughter as well as intellectual stimulation.
I met Michele (and Todd, Jeanette and Hannah) when they all came to Germany to accept Michele's Anneliese Maier Award from the Humboldt Foundation at the end of 2011. Little did I know then what was in store for me the following two years and the adventures we would have in testing cultural tightness-looseness, in labs, in surveys and on the street in over 30 countries. Our studies were unconventional to say the least, but always adhered to the highest scientific standards. We for example not only relied on the latest survey software, evolutionary theories of behavior or statistical analyses, but also on the most realistic latex warts, skin tone-independent temporary tattoos, universally rebellious hair extensions and unpleasant mixtures of lemonade and vinegar. I visited Michele at UMD a couple of times and was always welcome at the house to catch up with the rest of the family, which illustrated how much of a part her family is of her work as well as vice versa.I am grateful that we are still in touch and am optimistic that our paths will cross again at some time in the future, ideally over a bottle of German Riesling. For now, I wish you a wonderful start at Stanford and I can't wait to follow your tightness-looseness-related as well as any new intellectual endeavours in the future.