For my students, the possibility to interact with a teacher who can tell them how science works and how it develops is really stimulating and positively challenging.
I started a process of self-awareness to understand where I could apply my skills and which were my main motivations from a personal and professional point of view.
The PhD is a hidden superpower, not a ball and chain.
I consider myself a permanent student and I am always curious
Every post/job I have completed has been a learning curve. Without the experiences gained from the different positions, I would not be where I am today
‘Academic’ research doesn’t only happen in universities; there might be more overlap than you think between academia and industry.
The breadth of science that goes into drug development is so great that there is even a place for my niche scientific skill set!
Yes, I felt pretty confident overall. I enjoyed my PhD and felt it equipped me well for any intellectual challenges that other roles might throw at me.
If I was going to turn this into my ideal job, what bits of it would I keep, what would I lose, and what would I want to add?
I have no regrets in the decisions I have made relating to my career.
I would encourage people to think deeply about what they really want – if you truly wish to be an academic, that’s wonderful, but there is no shame in deciding on a different career, even if you have been successful in academia so far.
I enjoy interacting with clients and starting new projects, where you have to dive into a space and quickly familiarise yourself with it.
