Not every choice has to be life-determining. We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to make the “right” decision, but it’s also okay to just go for it. You can always change your mind. A lot of the most impactful decisions I’ve made in my life have led me to situations I couldn’t have predicted even if I’d wanted to! Trust yourself and your intuition and see where it takes you.
Science is sometimes seen as a rigid or even dry subject, but this couldn’t be further from the truth! Being a scientist requires creativity and constantly challenging what you think you know. I’m a very curious person, and what I love about experimental sciences is that you get to work on answering questions that haven’t been asked before, which leads you to learn about things you never expected.
I work in an optics laboratory using lasers and magnets to study the quantum-mechanical properties of new materials and how we might be able to control these using light. My day-to-day routine involves running experiments to test our understanding of these materials and analyzing and discussing data to see what we want to try next.
Research involves constantly being faced with failures—when you’re working on something that hasn’t been done before, you have to try a lot of things before you get the outcome you want.
This can get really frustrating, and it’s easy to take it personally when things don’t work. But every time that happens, you still learn something that leads you closer to figuring it out. Earning a PhD is about learning to face the unknown.
One thing that I wish I had done sooner in my career is think about what I need from my daily life. Is it having a slow start in the morning before going to the lab, or do I prefer taking a long lunch break? Do I need to set up a to-do list for the week or have a more detailed daily plan? What activities outside of work are non-negotiable for my wellbeing? Everyone is different, and figuring out what works for you is key to creating a lifestyle you enjoy. Burnout and stress cycles can only get you so far; unsustainable working habits are just not worth it in the long run.
Simone Eizagirre Barker
PhD candidate in Experimental Physics (graduate student), University of Cambridge, Cavendish Laboratory/Department of Physics
Born in Spain / Resides in United Kingdom
Educational Background: MRes (Master of Research) in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, University of Cambridge; Master of Chemical Physics, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom
