Lisa Jones
University of Southhampton, UK

https://doi.org/10.36866/pn.110.41a

Halfway through my PhD I came to the realisation that academia is not for me, which was pretty daunting. I absolutely love the science and teaching others about it, but over time I discovered that I do not enjoy the process of ‘making’ the science in the lab!

Although very rewarding, my PhD has been a tough journey. When I tried to seek advice, I realised there was very little in the public domain about the trials and tribulations of a PhD. That’s what inspired me to start my science blog (inascienceworldblog. wordpress.com) and Instagram (@lisa_ inascienceworld). My PhD SOS feature definitely generates the most engagement. A PhD has many positives but experiencing tough phases is common, and my blog post ‘The PhD slump’ was one a lot of students related to. Many commented or messaged me saying how they really needed to hear what I shared and they’d put my tips into practice. Knowing people appreciate the advice I share is so humbling.

I love the world of science communication – I learn new things, and there’s room to be creative, I interact with people I never would have otherwise, I can share my experiences, I can help others and I can teach people about science. This is the field I now know I want to pursue.