Why doing a PhD is the perfect path for me

I’ve been doing my PhD for 2 months now, and in this blog, I’ll explain why I chose to embark on a 4-year marathon of research.

I would say that I’ve always had a curious personality and I enjoy learning. There’s something exciting about performing first-hand research and finding out things that no one else has discovered yet. In all aspects of life, I can’t help asking the “but why?” questions, which are actually very important in science to keep new research moving forward (even though at home, my family sometimes tells me to stop asking questions!). Some everyday science examples include: Why is this gene expressed at a higher level? Why doesn’t this mouse get fat while eating a Western diet? Why are these cells dying? Another useful personality trait to have in science is patience. Luckily, I’m a fairly patient person, which is good because most experiments in science research take a lot of time to optimise. If you’re not very patient, don’t worry, it might just be more obvious to you that science is often slow!

Aside from personality traits, which we are born with (or which we specifically try to develop), numerous experiences and decisions in my life so far have led me here. At high school, I became interested in science, so I naturally chose to do all three science subjects for the HSC, despite some teachers advising against it because it might be “too much science.” But the work doesn’t feel quite as difficult if it’s an area you love! Deciding to do Advanced Science at UNSW has worked out well for me, because in second-year molecular biology I was lucky enough to have two Crossley lab demonstrators. This was the perfect opportunity to meet some PhD students and ask them about their real research while waiting for a 1-hour PCR or gel to finish.

At the same time, I was also doing a general education (i.e. non-science) subject on physical activity and health (in the Faculty of Medicine, so not technically a science subject… clearly, I really like science!). I enjoyed taking a step back from the molecular level and thinking about the human body with a more wholistic view of health, nutrition, and exercise. I also had my own diet challenges during my undergraduate years at uni, and have become increasingly interested in how we can use food and exercise to maintain an optimum state of health. Combining my interest in metabolism with my developing skills in molecular and cell biology, I realised that I would like to go into some sort of obesity-related research. So, I emailed the Crossley Lab and organised doing a third-year research project with Alex, investigating the transcriptional regulation of energy-burning beige fat. My project was successful—I got some new and exciting results! When semester one ended and my research internship was over, I was sad to be leaving the research world behind to complete my final semester of undergrad studies.

I applied to do my Honours in the Crossley Lab because I wanted to know more about the metabolism research project. I thoroughly enjoyed Honours, and it probably helped that I’ve landed in a great lab group with other inspiring researchers as mentors. I knew I wanted to do a PhD because, as corny as it sounds, I feel like the path I’m on at the moment is the right path for me. If Honours turns you off research, then it’s probably not for you. But I didn’t want to give up on the project I’d only just scratched the surface of (to me it felt like Honours flew by!). I’m excited to be at the forefront of new knowledge, to have the opportunities to travel and meet other scientists around the world, and contribute my own work to the international science network.

Other aspects of a PhD that appeal to me are the lab work and independence. I like doing hands-on experiments each day and developing specialised skills to test complex research questions. Lab work feels productive because every time you do something, you get a result, and even if it’s a negative one, it’s still something to learn from and try differently next time. Self-motivation is definitely required for a PhD, because you are granted the independence of planning your own daily and weekly schedules, consisting of lab work, analysis of results on the computer, reading, writing, and more. I’ve also learnt that working hours are very flexible, and the science experiments often control your timing. The first time I came in on a Saturday to feed my cells felt like a momentous day marking the beginning of a new era of PhD life and dedication to my research, moving beyond the 9-5 weekdays of Honours. With the level of hard work and perseverance required to complete the PhD marathon, I’d say it’s important to take the time to choose a project that you’re interested in, and with a lab group that you get along with, before committing yourself to four years of study!

Emily Vohralik (@EVohralik) is a PhD candidate. This story was published on May 4, 2018, on the Crossley Lab Blog (available here), and has been republished here with permission.