It's because PhDs are supposed to be creating new knowledge within their field, thus they become in a sense philosophers for their discipline.
Who's doing a PhD?
- Thread starter Ricochet J
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It's because PhDs are supposed to be creating new knowledge within their field, thus they become in a sense philosophers for their discipline.
Ah, that does make sense.
Well, it's one angle. There's also historical precedent to take into consideration.
I'm not doing a PhD at the moment, but like Duff Man I did one in the past, so maybe this will be useful...?
My field was an intersection between mathematics, economics and sociology, specifically looking at biological/social networks and the kinds of dynamics that arise between cells in the network (where 'cell' might literally be a biological cell, but could be a protein, an organism, a stock market trader or something else, depending on the model being considered). My particular interest was in the generation of complex networks from 'realistic' dynamics, and the feedback of the network structure into the dynamics.
I did it because I didn't feel ready to abandon my studies at the end of my degree - I felt like there was a lot more to be explored, and I wanted to push myself to the edges of human knowledge, albeit in one very specialized subfield. I absolutely enjoyed it - graduate school is a fantastic experience (especially if your research has very few time constraints) and I would do it again without hesitation. The best part, for me, was the chance to meet a far wider circle of friends than I'd had up until that point. Graduate school is very international, and I'm now proud to have friends from the US, Canada, South America, India, Pakistan, South Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand and from all over Europe. Great for broadening your mind and your social experience - as well as presenting a lot of travel opportunities.
I now work broadly in finance - professionally I'm a quantitative black box foreign exchange trader, but I also run a quantitative equity long-short book with my own funds (which is slightly less lucrative but a lot more fun!) as well as keeping a toe in research.
Phew, long. Hopefully that helps someone...?
My field was an intersection between mathematics, economics and sociology, specifically looking at biological/social networks and the kinds of dynamics that arise between cells in the network (where 'cell' might literally be a biological cell, but could be a protein, an organism, a stock market trader or something else, depending on the model being considered). My particular interest was in the generation of complex networks from 'realistic' dynamics, and the feedback of the network structure into the dynamics.
I did it because I didn't feel ready to abandon my studies at the end of my degree - I felt like there was a lot more to be explored, and I wanted to push myself to the edges of human knowledge, albeit in one very specialized subfield. I absolutely enjoyed it - graduate school is a fantastic experience (especially if your research has very few time constraints) and I would do it again without hesitation. The best part, for me, was the chance to meet a far wider circle of friends than I'd had up until that point. Graduate school is very international, and I'm now proud to have friends from the US, Canada, South America, India, Pakistan, South Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand and from all over Europe. Great for broadening your mind and your social experience - as well as presenting a lot of travel opportunities.
I now work broadly in finance - professionally I'm a quantitative black box foreign exchange trader, but I also run a quantitative equity long-short book with my own funds (which is slightly less lucrative but a lot more fun!) as well as keeping a toe in research.
Phew, long. Hopefully that helps someone...?
What field are you doing your PhD in?
Distributed Swarm intelligence and decentralised control of self-organising MAV swarms.
A mix of mathematical theory (graph theory, control theory, state estimation etc), aerodynamics simulation, and hardware development/microcontroller programming.
Why did you chose to do it?
As an undergrad I loved research project but hated doing courses. I was fascinated with the science and research, especially in the field of artificial intelligence and cognitive science. I didn't want to do any menial job and wanted to be in control of the work I do, not simply do work for someone else. I did well as an undergrad, getting a double first class honors and coming top in the class, so naively I thought i had what it took. I wanted freedom to work how I wanted in a relaxed environment (how foolish I was back hen).
Do you enjoy it?
Absolutely not. Extremely long hours (I am working over 80 hours a week, month after a month, no vacations allowed, 7 days a week). Underpaid for the work (despite having a pay over twice what I would get in the UK, my friends working in industry here in Switzerland will be getting twice what I get and work half the hours). Massive amounts of stress. No freedom, strict 9-6 lab times but in reality I will be in before 8am and out after 9. The work of PhD students and academics are undervalued in society. Science is really not what it is cracked up to be, you have to have religious beliefs in outdated ideas and defend them to your death because that is how you are paid. Science is just massively under budgeted, which means labs are run like business, maximization of publications for the minimal costs in graduate time. Exception of the impossible without a single ounce of support. The whole process of publication review is completely flawed and biased.
I guess I should list some plus points:
If I turn up at 10am once in a while I wont get fired (except I will work to 10-11 to catch up on work).
I wear what I want.
Sometimes get to travel, but I have been very unlucky.. While my friends scored a conference in Alaska, if I am lucky I may be able to get to a conference which is held, guess where- on campus!.
I get to play with some state of the art toys.
If I am lucky I can get Dr in front of my name.So when on a plane and and announcement asks for a doctor I can jump up and tell the dieing person various properties on directed acyclic graphs or hidden markov models.
I don't have to live in a cardboard box.
By far the biggest plus point- I work with some great people form around the world, some great minds and some great friends. Working and living among intellectuals is great for interesting discussions.
How long have you got left?
I run out of funding in December. I might be finished in June. Yay working 80 hour weeks for free.
What do you plan to do after you complete your PhD?
Sit on my arse and doing nothing for about 4 years,. this way I can even out my working hours and achieve balance. Unfortunately reality will mean I will need a job. I'm thinking shelf-stacker in Tescos. Seriously, anything with a 40 hour week, holidays and weekends to enjoy, evenings that begin at 6-7 rather than 10-11.
Distributed Swarm intelligence and decentralised control of self-organising MAV swarms.
A mix of mathematical theory (graph theory, control theory, state estimation etc), aerodynamics simulation, and hardware development/microcontroller programming.
Why did you chose to do it?
As an undergrad I loved research project but hated doing courses. I was fascinated with the science and research, especially in the field of artificial intelligence and cognitive science. I didn't want to do any menial job and wanted to be in control of the work I do, not simply do work for someone else. I did well as an undergrad, getting a double first class honors and coming top in the class, so naively I thought i had what it took. I wanted freedom to work how I wanted in a relaxed environment (how foolish I was back hen).
Do you enjoy it?
Absolutely not. Extremely long hours (I am working over 80 hours a week, month after a month, no vacations allowed, 7 days a week). Underpaid for the work (despite having a pay over twice what I would get in the UK, my friends working in industry here in Switzerland will be getting twice what I get and work half the hours). Massive amounts of stress. No freedom, strict 9-6 lab times but in reality I will be in before 8am and out after 9. The work of PhD students and academics are undervalued in society. Science is really not what it is cracked up to be, you have to have religious beliefs in outdated ideas and defend them to your death because that is how you are paid. Science is just massively under budgeted, which means labs are run like business, maximization of publications for the minimal costs in graduate time. Exception of the impossible without a single ounce of support. The whole process of publication review is completely flawed and biased.
I guess I should list some plus points:
If I turn up at 10am once in a while I wont get fired (except I will work to 10-11 to catch up on work).
I wear what I want.
Sometimes get to travel, but I have been very unlucky.. While my friends scored a conference in Alaska, if I am lucky I may be able to get to a conference which is held, guess where- on campus!.
I get to play with some state of the art toys.
If I am lucky I can get Dr in front of my name.So when on a plane and and announcement asks for a doctor I can jump up and tell the dieing person various properties on directed acyclic graphs or hidden markov models.
I don't have to live in a cardboard box.
By far the biggest plus point- I work with some great people form around the world, some great minds and some great friends. Working and living among intellectuals is great for interesting discussions.
How long have you got left?
I run out of funding in December. I might be finished in June. Yay working 80 hour weeks for free.
What do you plan to do after you complete your PhD?
Sit on my arse and doing nothing for about 4 years,. this way I can even out my working hours and achieve balance. Unfortunately reality will mean I will need a job. I'm thinking shelf-stacker in Tescos. Seriously, anything with a 40 hour week, holidays and weekends to enjoy, evenings that begin at 6-7 rather than 10-11.
What field are you doing your PhD in?
Pharmacology (hopefully)
Why did you chose to do it?
I have an absolute love for understanding the processes that go on within the human body, the events that control everything about us as organisms and whilst I can not even begin to learn everything, pharmacology is a very good step in the right direction and has the benefit of being wholly relevant these days.
To be able to learn about states of disease, infection and genetic abnormalities is incredibly interesting in itself, but pharmacology goes one step further and allows me to discover the processes behind treatment of ailments from the most common to the downright obscure.
It also allows me to have an insight into the way targets are identified for drug treatment, how drugs are designed and screened, how testing is important (a unfortunately necessary evil) and how research groups and companies have made mistakes in the past and how they can be avoided in the future.
I’m passionately curious and pharmacology is a subject that panders to my curiosity. I like the idea of scientific research and whilst I’ve only had 2 months of experience in a research environment in my final year, I thoroughly enjoyed it and I want to carry on my development as a scientist by doing a PhD, which is what I’m searching for at the moment.
How long have you got left?
Haven't started yet
What do you plan to do after you complete your PhD?
Postdoc somewhere, who knows it's a minimum of 3 years away.
Unfortunately right now the medical science field is massively underfunded as they're some of the more expensive projects to run. I've got 5 applications in to various places at the moment, but I'm hoping on a Ph.D in Bristol as it's where I graduated and I've spent 4 years here and could do it for another 4. Had 2 interviews (Bristol and Nottingham) which were unsuccessful but I'm quite stubborn and won't give up on what I want to do.
Funnily enough I did have a Ph.D secured last year but due to some administrative ****-up the funding wasn't properly secured (although I'd been informed it was), got a phone call 4 weeks before I was due to start telling me that there was no money
Pharmacology (hopefully)
Why did you chose to do it?
I have an absolute love for understanding the processes that go on within the human body, the events that control everything about us as organisms and whilst I can not even begin to learn everything, pharmacology is a very good step in the right direction and has the benefit of being wholly relevant these days.
To be able to learn about states of disease, infection and genetic abnormalities is incredibly interesting in itself, but pharmacology goes one step further and allows me to discover the processes behind treatment of ailments from the most common to the downright obscure.
It also allows me to have an insight into the way targets are identified for drug treatment, how drugs are designed and screened, how testing is important (a unfortunately necessary evil) and how research groups and companies have made mistakes in the past and how they can be avoided in the future.
I’m passionately curious and pharmacology is a subject that panders to my curiosity. I like the idea of scientific research and whilst I’ve only had 2 months of experience in a research environment in my final year, I thoroughly enjoyed it and I want to carry on my development as a scientist by doing a PhD, which is what I’m searching for at the moment.
How long have you got left?
Haven't started yet
What do you plan to do after you complete your PhD?
Postdoc somewhere, who knows it's a minimum of 3 years away.
Unfortunately right now the medical science field is massively underfunded as they're some of the more expensive projects to run. I've got 5 applications in to various places at the moment, but I'm hoping on a Ph.D in Bristol as it's where I graduated and I've spent 4 years here and could do it for another 4. Had 2 interviews (Bristol and Nottingham) which were unsuccessful but I'm quite stubborn and won't give up on what I want to do.
Funnily enough I did have a Ph.D secured last year but due to some administrative ****-up the funding wasn't properly secured (although I'd been informed it was), got a phone call 4 weeks before I was due to start telling me that there was no money
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I'm doing an EngD which is an engineering PhD in a company. I'm doing it in sustainable use of high performance materials, which will probably result in a tool for determining whether sustainable use of a material is occurring in a product.
Someone mentioned that when you're in a company you're tied to them and your research ends up being company tasks. Well I think it's the luck of the draw really, some companies give you a lot to do and others don't. I have no company commitments whatsoever, for instance, despite my agenda being that I want to work for the company afterwards. I have tailored my research to fit with the remit of the company direction in the next few years.
Been on it a year, 3.5 years left approx.
Someone mentioned that when you're in a company you're tied to them and your research ends up being company tasks. Well I think it's the luck of the draw really, some companies give you a lot to do and others don't. I have no company commitments whatsoever, for instance, despite my agenda being that I want to work for the company afterwards. I have tailored my research to fit with the remit of the company direction in the next few years.
Been on it a year, 3.5 years left approx.
What field are you doing your PhD in?
Discrete Element Modelling and visualization of the evolution of extensional faults in a rift basin, being done as a Computer Science PhD at The University of Manchester.
Why did you chose to do it?
It was offered to me by my MSc supervisor as a NERC funded studentship, I also knew I wanted to do a PhD and visualization (as a general area) is where I want to specialise, so I moulded the modelling and Geological aspects of the project so they had a more computational bent.
Do you enjoy it?
Some days I could pack it all in and do something else without a second thought, other days I absolutely love it. My second and the first half of the third year were the most enjoyable as they were pure research. I've begun to wonder if I'm horribly bi-polar or something but it does seem like it goes with the territory.
I certainly feel very lucky to have been offered the funding and don't intend to waste the opportunity, that's for sure. I must also say that I haven't found it to be this horribly arduous task others appear to have. I have my own office and as a CS student effectively just use a computer for all my work. I have had opportunities to travel to present at conferences and have been around the country as well as to Portugal and Spain.
I have also had the chance to do a few things unrelated to my PhD that have been great experiences. I was a member of the universities team that entered an MoD competition back in 2008 to pit autonomous robots against a series of object identification and navigational challenges. I have also been on a few Geological field trips where I have been able to visit some stunning scenery and stand with my hands in my pockets while others who know how to use equipment have pressed the right buttons!
Don't get me wrong, I can remember days where I got up at 8 with my head swimming with ideas, wandered in, sat in my office on my own till 10, forgetting to eat, then wandered home, slept for a few hours and then repeated. I can also remember times when I have got up, done maybe an hours work and then decided I couldn't concentrate so have stopped. Paper deadlines etc. and internal deadlines can add a bit more stress temporarily, but on the whole I have been left to my own devices.
Now I'm writing up my thesis proper things are obviously far more stressful than they have been, but hey that's to be expected right
How long have you got left?
Just over 1 year to hand in a thesis before I definitely fail due to the 4 year deadline, however realistically NERC have funded me until March 2011, so I currently intend to submit my thesis by December to give myself a nice buffer as I really can't afford to live without a stipend.
What do you plan to do after you complete your PhD?
I would love to move onto a postdoc, however at this point in time it is VERY hard to find funding. I have had 3 opportunities snatched away already. One was confirmed until Labour lost power and then the funding was instantly rescinded by the ConDems, which was nice. Still looking and hoping. Ultimately I want to go down the classical academic path, so research to boost my publication history and get myself better known, followed by a more permanent lecturers position somewhere.
Discrete Element Modelling and visualization of the evolution of extensional faults in a rift basin, being done as a Computer Science PhD at The University of Manchester.
Why did you chose to do it?
It was offered to me by my MSc supervisor as a NERC funded studentship, I also knew I wanted to do a PhD and visualization (as a general area) is where I want to specialise, so I moulded the modelling and Geological aspects of the project so they had a more computational bent.
Do you enjoy it?
Some days I could pack it all in and do something else without a second thought, other days I absolutely love it. My second and the first half of the third year were the most enjoyable as they were pure research. I've begun to wonder if I'm horribly bi-polar or something but it does seem like it goes with the territory.
I certainly feel very lucky to have been offered the funding and don't intend to waste the opportunity, that's for sure. I must also say that I haven't found it to be this horribly arduous task others appear to have. I have my own office and as a CS student effectively just use a computer for all my work. I have had opportunities to travel to present at conferences and have been around the country as well as to Portugal and Spain.
I have also had the chance to do a few things unrelated to my PhD that have been great experiences. I was a member of the universities team that entered an MoD competition back in 2008 to pit autonomous robots against a series of object identification and navigational challenges. I have also been on a few Geological field trips where I have been able to visit some stunning scenery and stand with my hands in my pockets while others who know how to use equipment have pressed the right buttons!
Don't get me wrong, I can remember days where I got up at 8 with my head swimming with ideas, wandered in, sat in my office on my own till 10, forgetting to eat, then wandered home, slept for a few hours and then repeated. I can also remember times when I have got up, done maybe an hours work and then decided I couldn't concentrate so have stopped. Paper deadlines etc. and internal deadlines can add a bit more stress temporarily, but on the whole I have been left to my own devices.
Now I'm writing up my thesis proper things are obviously far more stressful than they have been, but hey that's to be expected right
How long have you got left?
Just over 1 year to hand in a thesis before I definitely fail due to the 4 year deadline, however realistically NERC have funded me until March 2011, so I currently intend to submit my thesis by December to give myself a nice buffer as I really can't afford to live without a stipend.
What do you plan to do after you complete your PhD?
I would love to move onto a postdoc, however at this point in time it is VERY hard to find funding. I have had 3 opportunities snatched away already. One was confirmed until Labour lost power and then the funding was instantly rescinded by the ConDems, which was nice
. Still looking and hoping. Ultimately I want to go down the classical academic path, so research to boost my publication history and get myself better known, followed by a more permanent lecturers position somewhere.Understatement of the decade!
During my PhD I had a ridiculous amount of freedom. If I wanted to work at home, I could - no problems. I just dropped an email to the professor to let him know. Likewise, if I wanted to show up at noon - no problem.
It was all about productivity - "bum on seat" time never entered into it, which I really liked. There were a number of times that I would work until 3 or 4am, get good results, email them to the professor and then not show up the next day. Why stop when you're on a roll?
Anyway, I know it depends a lot on your supervisor, but from what I see the situation is similar for most PhD students, as long as they're not too closely tied to industry. I guess things are a little different in Switzerland.
What field are you doing your PhD in?
Developing theory behind kinetic numerical methods for gas dynamics.
Why did you chose to do it?
Because it gives me a lot of freedom to do what I like on a day to day basis. Most days I do hardly any work. I try to really rattle along for a few months a year in the holidays and then coast through the teaching period. Also easy money.
Do you enjoy it?
My work is a bit solitary which I sometimes dont like. I get only very general direction from my supervisor so sometimes I feel at a loss as to what to do, which is sometimes a bit depressing. I eventually get an idea how to proceed but in the interim I am usually quite down.
How long have you got left?
Just over a year.
What do you plan to do after you complete your PhD?
I haven't decided between
1) Work in a bank
2) Work in industry
3) Go for a position at a more prestiguous university (probably abroad)
4) Try and get a job where I am, less ambitious but less stress I think.
Developing theory behind kinetic numerical methods for gas dynamics.
Why did you chose to do it?
Because it gives me a lot of freedom to do what I like on a day to day basis. Most days I do hardly any work. I try to really rattle along for a few months a year in the holidays and then coast through the teaching period. Also easy money.
Do you enjoy it?
My work is a bit solitary which I sometimes dont like. I get only very general direction from my supervisor so sometimes I feel at a loss as to what to do, which is sometimes a bit depressing. I eventually get an idea how to proceed but in the interim I am usually quite down.
How long have you got left?
Just over a year.
What do you plan to do after you complete your PhD?
I haven't decided between
1) Work in a bank
2) Work in industry
3) Go for a position at a more prestiguous university (probably abroad)
4) Try and get a job where I am, less ambitious but less stress I think.
I'm hoping to do 1 in the field of Aerospace Propulsion. Was a little unsure what to do so its now way after graduation and i'm trying to get in contact with 1 of my lecturers in the field. Problem is i'm out of the country... and i could discuss it by Skype but my gf won't let me install it on here because it caused a major crash/reformat the last time.
Hoping things get a sense of direction because i'm quite clueless as to what to do for now.
Hoping things get a sense of direction because i'm quite clueless as to what to do for now.
What field are you doing your PhD in?
Maths - Adaptive Methods for Q-Tensor Liquid Crystal Models.
The basic aim is to compare two adaptive grid methods used to solve PDEs (r refinement and h-p refinement) for liquid crystal problems with a view to finding an overall adaptive method.
Why did you chose to do it?
It was either do the PhD or an MMath. I much preferred the idea of working relatively independently as opposed to the lecture/exam system of the MMath. Oh, and I get paid for the PhD!
Do you enjoy it?
Start in October this year.
How long have you got left?
3.5 years.
What do you plan to do after you complete your PhD?
The PhD is in partnership with Hewlett Packard so maybe a job with them relating to liquid crystals. The idea of lecturing still appeals to me but I doubt I have the ability to teach at a high enough level. Always a possibility I'll end up applying for similar jobs as I would have without a PhD - actuary and finance type graduate schemes.
Maths - Adaptive Methods for Q-Tensor Liquid Crystal Models.
The basic aim is to compare two adaptive grid methods used to solve PDEs (r refinement and h-p refinement) for liquid crystal problems with a view to finding an overall adaptive method.
Why did you chose to do it?
It was either do the PhD or an MMath. I much preferred the idea of working relatively independently as opposed to the lecture/exam system of the MMath. Oh, and I get paid for the PhD!
Do you enjoy it?
Start in October this year.
How long have you got left?
3.5 years.
What do you plan to do after you complete your PhD?
The PhD is in partnership with Hewlett Packard so maybe a job with them relating to liquid crystals. The idea of lecturing still appeals to me but I doubt I have the ability to teach at a high enough level. Always a possibility I'll end up applying for similar jobs as I would have without a PhD - actuary and finance type graduate schemes.
Don't assume you will be the same person you are now in three years time.
My supervisor (and I think many seasoned academics) recognise that the PhD is really a glorified training scheme to make somebody suitable to fit in with the academic establishment. You will be exposed to many renowned people from the field (as long as you don't just sit in an office ALL the time), get to hear them talk and see how they form new ideas and, hopefully, see that their thought processes are often very similar to your own.
The one thing I have really got from the experience, aside hopefully from the qualification itself and a slightly surprising new found interest in Geology and numerical modelling, is a slightly more down to earth opinion of the scientific establishment as a whole. The people who work in it are, of course, usually clever, but they are just people, most of whom get their ideas by observing those around them. The lone thinker is a rare (and not always good) thing indeed I have observed.
Also, if your university will let you do some teaching or let you become a mentor (Manchester has a great system where we get paid to basically be markers and classroom helpers for the undergrad students), then do so as I have found it a very rewarding and helpful experience, especially if you are looking forward potentially to future lecturing.
I think Strathclyde let us so some teaching, or at least take tutorials, and do marking. It should give me a good idea if I'd be interested in lecturing long term. Interesting to hear your thoughts on academics. I probably have a similar opinion of most lecturers as a 6 year old has of their primary teacher - all knowing and unsurpassable - seems this might be changing a bit over the next few years.
Oh and sounds like you were working in my ideal PhD area. I applied for one involving flow through porous rocks,which was my Honours Project subject and I absolutely loved it. Typically a pal got that one and I got bumped to liquid crystals!
I feel it's necessary to give balance this viewpoint for onlookers. This is the most damning review I've ever seen, with regards the difficulty/enjoyment-factor within a PhD. The vast majority of people I've met think it's a fairly pleasant experience and much easier than life in the real world! Masses of free time, lots of flexibility and an opportunity to meet lots and lots of interesting and like-minded people.
I'd also add that from my perspective, science is actually over-budgeted, with academia producing far more PhDs than are actually necessary. I've also had no problems whatsoever with the process of peer review - be it from the reviewing or publishing point of view. If anything, I think the standards at some journals are far too low!
What field are you doing your PhD in?
Immunology. "Endogenous Retroviruses and Antiretroviral Immunity".
In a few of sentences: most animals are packed with viruses are are integrated into our genomes. My PhD looks at whether their presence (and potential expression as proteins) impacts our immunity to viruses that infect us from day to day, along with a variety of other things.
Why did you chose to do it?
I'd like a career in research and I find the field fascinating. 5% of the human genome is comprised of relatively complete endogenous retroviruses, whereas only about 2% is considered to produce everyday proteins (an outdated way of looking at this now, but still).
I was offered the choice of a relatively computational PhD at Oxford working in the same field, but in the end I thought that a bit of lab experience wouldn't be unwelcome, so I came here. With regards to the last question, I may go more into computational biology when I've finished, I'm not sure.
Do you enjoy it?
Generally, yes. A lot of the stuff you do from day to day gets a bit repetitive, but it's nice when you get a result.
How long have you got left?
T minus 2 years.
What do you plan to do after you complete your PhD?
There are really only a few options available to me if I want to continue in science. 1) Go and find a postdoc somewhere, 2) sell my soul and go and work for BigPharma, 3) ???. Many of you may have heard about UKCMRI (a merger of the National Institute for Medical Research, UCL, Cancer Research UK and the Wellcome Trust) opening up in London in a few years time (if everything goes to plan), so I will probably have finished my PhD and be well on the way to finishing a first postdoc when it opens. Might be very convenient timing, we shall see.
// EDIT // Having a read through the rest of the thread, I guess I work in a very relaxed environment, really. The nature of my work means that some of the time I'll be very busy and at other times, I really won't have much to be doing at all. As long as the work gets done, we don't really keep 9-5 hours, and I can spend quite a bit of time reading around my topic / doing nothing in particular.
Immunology. "Endogenous Retroviruses and Antiretroviral Immunity".
In a few of sentences: most animals are packed with viruses are are integrated into our genomes. My PhD looks at whether their presence (and potential expression as proteins) impacts our immunity to viruses that infect us from day to day, along with a variety of other things.
Why did you chose to do it?
I'd like a career in research and I find the field fascinating. 5% of the human genome is comprised of relatively complete endogenous retroviruses, whereas only about 2% is considered to produce everyday proteins (an outdated way of looking at this now, but still).
I was offered the choice of a relatively computational PhD at Oxford working in the same field, but in the end I thought that a bit of lab experience wouldn't be unwelcome, so I came here. With regards to the last question, I may go more into computational biology when I've finished, I'm not sure.
Do you enjoy it?
Generally, yes. A lot of the stuff you do from day to day gets a bit repetitive, but it's nice when you get a result.
How long have you got left?
T minus 2 years.
What do you plan to do after you complete your PhD?
There are really only a few options available to me if I want to continue in science. 1) Go and find a postdoc somewhere, 2) sell my soul and go and work for BigPharma, 3) ???. Many of you may have heard about UKCMRI (a merger of the National Institute for Medical Research, UCL, Cancer Research UK and the Wellcome Trust) opening up in London in a few years time (if everything goes to plan), so I will probably have finished my PhD and be well on the way to finishing a first postdoc when it opens. Might be very convenient timing, we shall see.
// EDIT // Having a read through the rest of the thread, I guess I work in a very relaxed environment, really. The nature of my work means that some of the time I'll be very busy and at other times, I really won't have much to be doing at all. As long as the work gets done, we don't really keep 9-5 hours, and I can spend quite a bit of time reading around my topic / doing nothing in particular.
Last edited:
Soldato
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lol PHD titles do sound very alienating to common folks. It is as if you are communicating in an alien language
What field are you doing your PhD in?
Cosmology. Looking at the clustering of dark energy.
Why did you chose to do it?
Wanted to be a theoretical physicist after I finished my degree.
Do you enjoy it?
I did at the start. But now I've lost interest in the subject, plus had quite a lot of bad luck with things not working out. Wasted so much time in the first few years just trying to understand the stuff I was doing. Wish I'd done it in something else, but when I left uni, cosmology was my favourite subject.
How long have you got left?
I submit in three weeks. Whether I'll pass or not is another matter.
What do you plan to do after you complete your PhD?
Have a few ideas, maybe set up a business with friends. I doubt I'll ever use my PhD for anything. Post doc work certainly isn't for me. I've learnt a lot on the course though, such as computing, so could probably go into that.
Cosmology. Looking at the clustering of dark energy.
Why did you chose to do it?
Wanted to be a theoretical physicist after I finished my degree.
Do you enjoy it?
I did at the start. But now I've lost interest in the subject, plus had quite a lot of bad luck with things not working out. Wasted so much time in the first few years just trying to understand the stuff I was doing. Wish I'd done it in something else, but when I left uni, cosmology was my favourite subject.
How long have you got left?
I submit in three weeks. Whether I'll pass or not is another matter.
What do you plan to do after you complete your PhD?
Have a few ideas, maybe set up a business with friends. I doubt I'll ever use my PhD for anything. Post doc work certainly isn't for me. I've learnt a lot on the course though, such as computing, so could probably go into that.