As a Phd student in Sweden, I have to submit my individual study plan to the faculty for review every year. An individual study plan is somewhat like an appraisal (as in regular jobs) where you describe your work and achievements for the year and state your plans for the future etc.
Well, as I was completing my study plan, I realized that I have yet to give a proper introduction to myself on this blog.
I would say that I formally started in science about ten years ago, after my secondary education. It is interesting that I very nearly went into something else. I come from a country where scientific research, as a result of poor government policies, is in a sad state.
I was very fortunate to receive a scholarship to complete my university education in one of the most prestigious universities in the UK. I graduated with a BSc Hons in Molecular Biology in 2005 and went onto work for Johns Hopkins for a year before taking on the Phd with my current supervisor. Including the work I did before embarking on my BSc, I garnered a total of four years of experience in industry before I started my Phd.
In retrospect, those four years have been invaluable training for me. Besides exposing me to different techniques and animal models, it has honed my soft skills which one needs even (or perhaps especially) in academia. All that technical grounding has given me a nifty pair of hands which enable me to get results fast and leave me more time to catch up with my reading. Most importantly, it was my experience in working with people that has helped me in my selection of my Phd supervisor/lab.
I chose Sweden over the UK (I had offer of a place and firm funding) because of a variety of factors. Both labs were renown in their own right and had good facilities. What appealed to me about the lab in Sweden was: (1) During my BSc, I’d worked with my current supervisor for a summer project and am comfortable with his working style. As such, I am more confident of a successful partnership with him than with the other unknown (but very renown and established) principal; (2) The Swedish Phd normally takes 4 years as compared to 3 yrs in the UK. This gives me more time to build up expertise in my chosen area and generate results; (3) My current supervisor is himself an excellent young scientist who is just starting out as a PI. This means that our working relationship will be closer, more flexible, less bureaucratic than in a large group, and also means that I will be exposed to more areas such as grant writing, attend more seminars and conferences, teaching etc. Good training!
