… a blog title I never thought I would have to write, but alas, here we are. It has now been precisely one, long year since the start of the UK lockdown, and oh, what an unprecendented time! Is anyone else sick of “unprecedented” yet? Can we go back to “precedented”, please? A friend ofContinue reading “How to finish a PhD thesis during a global pandemic…”
Low pollution due to COVID-19: but what about ozone?
Although I am by no means an expert on air quality or ozone in particular, I have spent the past 4 years trying to find links between various pollutants and… the weather. I will spare you equations in this post, although I was highly tempted to include some and cite my own thesis (working verionContinue reading “Low pollution due to COVID-19: but what about ozone?”
What makes a “good researcher”?
A question whose answer plagues my very existence…: “NOT ME”. But even though some very lovely people in my life reassure me that I am smart, and intelligent, and whatever else, I honestly very rarely feel this way. Final year PhD makes me feel constantly on edge, like I am far behind where I shouldContinue reading “What makes a “good researcher”?”
A post about my actual PhD work? No way!
Here goes the first post of 2019. When I first started this blog, some years ago, I had no vision for it to stretch out into my post-undergraduate years. It would have astonished me then to imagine that, in 2019, I would still be writing! So, what’s new? A hefty part of my current PhDContinue reading “A post about my actual PhD work? No way!”
Why Lovelace rightfully deserves a place on the £50 banknote.
So, here is the deal: Bank of England are still taking nominations from the public for the new £50 bank note to be graced with a British scientist. As soon as this news surfaced, two things were clear as day to me: my nomination would certainly be a woman; and my nomination would absolutely beContinue reading “Why Lovelace rightfully deserves a place on the £50 banknote.”
Conferencing in Japan: IGAC 2018
One of the many perks of being a PhD student is that it can take you out to some really cool places for conferences or fieldwork. My PhD project has brought me to East Asia twice now, and this time it was for the 14th meeting of the International Global Atmospheric Chemistry project (IGAC),Continue reading “Conferencing in Japan: IGAC 2018”
On writing, panicking, and presenting my work.
The last time I wrote, it was May. Seemingly, nothing significant has happened since then; I haven’t managed to publish a paper or win a poster prize or anything of the such, only reserved for the best PhD researchers on the table. Shocking as it is, I have actually made some progress with my work,Continue reading “On writing, panicking, and presenting my work.”
How to unlearn ‘playing small’.
Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking, so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. How often do you take a step back? How often do you downplay your own potential in order to remain hidden among the crowd? Oh but we are always told that you’ve gottaContinue reading “How to unlearn ‘playing small’.”
On why I do what I do.
At the end of a recent meeting, my supervisor and I started nerding out about research and what it really means to be a PhD student. And naturally, given the general theme of this blog, I want to talk about some of the nerdy things that came out of that conversation. If only for theContinue reading “On why I do what I do.”
Life’s frustrations!
One of the most frustrating aspects of doing a PhD is that more often than not, no one else really knows what you are doing. So if you are not quite sure what you are doing, then there really is no one else who can clarify that for you. Your supervisors can only be ofContinue reading “Life’s frustrations!”
