Twice Mice » Academia

Accepted

Lydia — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 17:59:41 +0000

We are pleased to inform you that the PNAS Editorial Board has given final approval of your article for publication.

This is wonderful news. The two years of work that I spent in Seattle have resulted in a solid paper in an excellent journal – the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. The review process was quite painless, and now I have my first paper coming out in 2009 on which I am the single first author. I am so grateful to my PI, my lab mates, and colleagues who gave me so much assistance in bringing this all together. And Adrian, of course, who is always by my side.

Graduation Day

Lydia — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 22:17:36 +0000

My first day of my PhD was February, 2004. I had a long hard road ahead of me. I spent many days and long nights attempting FACS, PCR, bleeding, hybridising, giving seminars, going to lab meetings, and writing many many words about science. In January, 2007 I submitted my thesis, and left for Seattle. My thesis was then sent out to review by two anonymous reviewers. Four months later, I got their comments and responded to the issues that they had raised, and sent this back to Australia for final approval. It wasn’t until November, 2007 that I got the letter confirming that I had been awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. I deferred graduation for one year, and then in December 2008, I was able to walk across stage and officially claim my diploma.

It was the first time for a while that I heard the national anthem, Advance Australia Fair. What a strange song. These days, our soil seems more brown than golden. As the university is only sixty-two years old, it has to import a lot of its pomp and ceremony from Oxford. The robes we wear, even in the heat of summer, are thick black wool, as worn hundreds of years ago in England.The silver mace, carried during the academic procession, is a twentieth-century replica of the eighteenth-century Oxford mace. The conferring process for PhD graduates is very neat, but I was nervous that I would stuff it up in front of everyone. When my name was called, I walked across the stage and kneeled in front of the Chancellor. I removed my black velvet bonnet, and inclined my head and he placed a blue silk hood over my shoulders. I replaced my bonnet, and stood up. He handed me my testamur, shook my hand, and I walked down the stairs, degree in hand.

Afterwards Fleur and I celebrated with champagne, our many years as molecular biology graduate students officially coming to an end. Adrian and I then had lunch with my parents, where they presented me with a beautiful watch to mark the occasion of my graduation. Now, when we find a home in Belgium, I can now hang a diploma on my wall that proudly proclaims that I have earned a Doctor of Philosophy from the Australian National University.

A Post-Doc in Belgium

Lydia — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 10:28:43 +0000

I recently got a message asking for details about being a post-doc in Belgium. The salary for a first-year post-doc straight out of a PhD is set at 2350 euros per month after tax (more if one has children or a non-working spouse). In addition to this, health care and free public transportation passes are often provided. Naturejobs often has post-doctoral positions advertised, however the best strategy is to search for papers of interest, and then contact the lab heads directly. One will have the best chances of success if one can state why one wants to work in that lab in particular, and suggest a project that one has designed ones self. Most of the websites for Belgian universities are not great, so it can be difficult to get an idea of where the best researchers are situated. A list of the ISI highly cited researchers from Belgium can be found here. Work visas for non-EU citizens will be sponsored by the institute, but can take several months to be processed. Collaborations and conferences within Europe are plentiful, and it only takes a few hours on the train to arrive in one of a number of countries with excellent research and development.

Invitation to December 2008 Conferring of Awards Ceremony

Lydia — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 05:36:15 +0000

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You have received this email as you have been assessed by your College as eligible to graduate in the December 2008 Conferral of Awards ceremony.
Congratulations! We look forward to celebrating with you in December!

On 10 am Friday 12 December 2008, I will be walking across the stage to finally receive my Doctor of Philosophy.

Doctor!

Lydia — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 00:56:00 +0000

Ph.D.

It is my pleasure to advise you that on 26 November 2007 the Dean of the relevant College has approved the award of your degree of Doctor of Philosophy. I congratulate you most warmly on this achievement.

The paperwork has finally gone through, and now I am officially a doctor!

I am am very proud of all my work over the years. Glad that I never quit, I kept on going, and it was all worthwhile in the end.

I shall come back to Australia to graduate in December 2008, but will celebrate this weekend in San Francisco, and this December on a cruise through the Southern Caribbean.

I am happy happy happy.

Success in science

Lydia — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 01:53:00 +0000

Often I look around at the scientists around me, at one of the best public research institutions in the nation. While one or two of them seem happy, so many of them seem stressed and anxious. What does it take to feel like a successful scientist? I see Primary Investigators that push their graduate students and post-docs past breaking point for the next Nature paper. I see researchers stay late in the lab when they have partners and children at home. I see people in tears over yet another experimental failure.

I myself feel like I am just keeping my head above water. I can see some ahead of me swimming with sure easy strokes, but so often it feels like a struggle just to get through the day. I feel like I’ve studied my whole life for this job and I’m still not good at it. Failed experiments, slow data, rejected fellowship applications. I just never feel like I’m any good at what I do. I look around me, and I don’t think that I’m the only one who feels that way.

Next month I am starting a Masters in Public Health, part-time by correspondence. One day I want to have a job that I enjoy, in which I feel competent and successful.

Doctor of Philosophy subject to corrections or revisions

Lydia — Thu, 31 May 2007 17:33:00 +0000

“The candidate should be granted the award of Doctor of Philosophy subject to corrections or revisions required by the examiners in the thesis to be made to the satisfaction of the Supervisor and the Head of Department in the copy intended for deposit with the University Library”

New job

Lydia — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 17:30:00 +0000

My first week at work was quite blurry, as I came down with a severe cold and spent a lot of time in bed. Now, though, I have completely recovered, and I am enjoying my time in the new lab. My work-mates are lovely, although I do very much miss Sarah, Amy, Fleur, Katharine, and everyone else back in Canberra.

Supervisors and Theses

Lydia — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 14:39:00 +0000

I have a meeting with my supervisor today, about the final draft of my theses. If this is the outcome I will be so happy. I just have to get through the next 96 hours, that’s all.

Please let her say I can submit…

Final draft

Lydia — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 21:38:00 +0000

Today I gave my supervisor a complete final draft, in full colour, from title page through to references. She has a week to give me any final changes, and then I’m sending it to the binders next Monday.

Fleur and I are off to decide on the paper and dividers that we need this afternoon.

I’m submitting the following Thursday, and then flying out the next Monday.

It’s all coming together.

Complete draft of thesis

Lydia — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 21:02:00 +0000

Today, while sitting on the verandah on my mother’s house, looking out at the trees and the bright blue sky, I finished up the draft of my general discussion, finalising the complete draft of my thesis. From now on, everything is simply revision.

I have moved my flight to the 29th of January, so I have plenty of time for my supervisor to read my chapters, and for me to instigate her changes. What a great way to start 2007.

2007

Lydia — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 20:18:00 +0000

I had a lovely and relaxing Christmas and New Year. Now I am at my mother’s place in Queensland, for a week of writing up in peace and quiet, with thesis writing alternating with delicious fresh meals and laps in the pool.

I only have one resolution this year: Finish Thesis.