Carl Westin

Acknowledgments While my name on the cover of this thesis hints that I am the only author of this work, this is certainly not the case. This thesis would not have been possible without the inspiration, encouragements, and support of supervisors, colleagues, friends, and family. My first roller-coaster ride provides an appropriate metaphor capturing my PhD journey. Standing at a distance the roller-coaster rises above the other entertain- ments as the crown of what the amusements park (i.e., University) has to offer. When embarking the ride, you have all these expectations of excitement and fear, but you really have a poor clue of what the ride entails (i.e., the PhD experience and the thesis). The ride starts with a long and steep dreaded climb (which goes on forever) that eventually brings you to an edge, after which you catapult downhill in a basic free-fall. The built-up momentum is needed to ascertain that you make it through the following loops and spins before the ride ends. You step out of the car, not entirely sure how you are feeling. A part of you would like to continue, while another part swear to never do it again. At times, in facing challenges and setbacks, I have doubted myself and felt that the PhD never will be completed. I realized too late that a “perfect” thesis does not exist, and that a PhD is like a work of art: it is never finished, merely abandoned. In contrast, in light of praise and accolades when work has processed easy, I have been absurdly confident that I will be able to wrap up my PhD and this thesis in no time. Not so surprising, perhaps, that keeping deadlines (thankfully most of them internally) has been one of the most profound challenges of my PhD work, and something that I am still struggling with. To all who have have worked with me, thank you equally for you patience and pressure.