Can you tell us about your Natural Sciences journey?

My interest in Natural Sciences started when I was a child. I always loved nature and was fascinated by the world surrounding me. I have an analytical mind and enjoy solving problems so STEM subjects came to me quite naturally. 

I grew up in one of the most polluted cities in Europe and realised how important science is, not only for learning how things work but also for fixing the damage people have done to the environment.

  At school, I knew I wanted to study science, but for a long time, I had no idea which discipline I should use. Eventually, I chose Chemistry since it addressed environmental issues close to my heart and opened a lot of career paths. During my university studies, I had a chance to gain experience in proofreading scientific textbooks and studying quantum chemistry research, I also volunteered in a charity shop and was the secretary of a sports club.

This gave me a much broader perspective on my career possibilities and valuable experience. However, the deciding point in my career was my fourth-year placement. I worked at the Facility of Airbourne Atmospheric Measurements (FAAM), measuring trace gases onboard their aircraft all over the world. The experience of working at FAAM changed my life. I decided to take a PhD funded by the Panorama Doctoral Training Partnership to follow up on my postgraduate project and gain more experience in data analysis.

So far, my PhD has focused on working with the trace gas data I have collected at FAAM. The first step is always making sure that the files are in the correct format and that any faulty data is filtered out. Further steps depend on the type of data I am dealing with. For example, I can calculate how much methane is emitted or deposited over a given area. Moreover, I regularly present my to the research group in my department, as well as other researchers from my field.

How did your degree prepare you for your further study? 

During my degree, I enjoyed practical sessions the most and even though I have not touched a round-bottomed flask since my undergraduate studies, the experiences of conducting experiences and managing data were a great foundation for my PhD. I have learned to keep my work tidy, make a lot of notes for my future self and label my files in a meaningful way - all the little habits save you a lot of time in the long run.

We also did many group projects and presentations that helped me to better communicate with a range of people. I appreciated these exercises since I’m not a native English speaker and I used to be very shy about talking to larger groups. Now, I am happy to present my results in front of leading specialists in my field    

What are your greatest achievements so far?   

Measure methane emissions from wetlands in Zambia and Uganda on board the FAAM aircraft is definitely my greatest achievement so far. As part of my postgraduate project, I modified the greenhouse gas analyser to provide measurements fast enough to calculate Eddy Covariance Flux, a method of showing the spatial distribution of emissions. This was the first time such Flux could be calculated using FAAM aircraft data. The laboratory work, fieldwork and data processing were challenging, but I enjoyed them a lot and I am very happy with the outcomes.

What advice would you give to students who aspire to a career in Natural Sciences?   

Follow what you love and what you are passionate about, but also think about what kind of tasks you enjoy doing. Do you enjoy fieldwork, coding, managing people or outreach? Sometimes, you just need to try something and see if it works for you. If so, that is great and if not, you have learned something about yourself and gained experience so it is not a waste of time.

When studying, it is important to focus on research skills, critical thinking and understanding science. This will help you, regardless of the career you choose - employers always look for transferable skills. Knowledge is useful, but if you have a bad memory (like me) it does not matter as long as you know where to look for information. 

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