Lessons from my PhD
About this page
My PhD commenced amidst the COVID-19 pandemic; March 2020. The very next day after moving to North Wollongong, everything closed! Everything then remained closed for 1.5 years. It was a very lonely time. I had no friends and visits to see my family were limited due to the harsh restrictions imposed for travel in NSW. There were so many things that I wish people told me at the start. I wish someone told me that I was doing the right thing. I wish someone gave me tips on the best way to take notes, or the best way to keep track of experiments. Instead, I felt like I was left to figure it out on my own.
You're probably thinking (and maybe if my supervisors read this at some point) "why didn't you ask your supervisors?"
If you are asking this, then you probably don't need to read all the tips that I have written below. I didn't ask my supervisors, because they are so experienced and with all my insecurities, I thought that they would laugh at me for not having it figured out by now.
Writing is everything!
While I was writing up this page, I wrote down many things that I thought would be useful to people starting their PhD. Yet, I originally left this one out. This lesson is so important and I've only realised it now that I am a month away from submitting my thesis. No matter how good your work is, it will never be excellent until you can properly communicate it.
Through the thesis writing process, I have realised how difficult writing up a scientific argument is. I also hear academics complain about the writing of PhD students. This is such a hippocracy, because we need to learn somehow, right? I wish that I had spend more time writing out scientific arguments and writing more essays or discussions of my work before beginning to write out my thesis, because while lab work is a skill that you develop over time, so are your writing skills.
At the start of your PhD, no-one expects you to have all the answers.
This probably sounds like a really basic piece of adice but it was something that I had to keep reminding myself of over and over again. A PhD is a research training degree. You are not being paid for your work, so everything that you do should be to improve your skills and grow. Therefore, in the first two years of a PhD, you should be learning and really trying to gain as much knowledge as you can in the particular topic. Of course, data is also important but in my experience, I produced enough data for 5 research chapters (most of it I will put in my appendices = a lot of wasted time) and am leaving my PhD feeling like I could've done things better in my first two years. I definitely could have done things "smarter". For more details on what I would do differently, see here
Best way to store data, graphs etc.
Over the four years of my PhD, there were a lot of files. So much that it was hard to keep track of them. I managed my data through OriginLab. For each polymer system that I synthesised, I kept only one origin file. In the file, I would have a folder for each method of polymerisation, then a sub folder for each method of characterisation. Then within the sub folder would be additional folders with either the experiment number or the date. This helped me quickly find data that I needed and then use my lab books to find the experimental protocol.
Fig caption. Storing my data within a single OriginLab file.
Focus on one thing at a time.
10.3.23
Today is Friday. I feel quite relaxed even after yesterday's weekly PhD meeting (which makes me feel really stressed). Before I talk about it, I should emphasise that this week I have been quite ill. My eyes were really puffy each morning (it even looked like I was getting a stye) and my nose was really runny. I had a stress-induced cold! When I showed up to work on Tuesday, the analytical chemist at our facility, Patricia, approached me to talk about a GPC sample that my supervisor wanted me to analyse for her other student. I burst out in tears. Patricia was so accomodating and was happy to do it for me. It was quite nice, she even offered to do any of my future samples. This made me relax a little bit.
We discussed how I am coping with my PhD. Obviously not well if I broke down in tears at the mention of work. She gave me some tips:
- To write out a plan for the structure of my thesis. I've done this so many times, but I redid a plan and started to fill in what I have and what I need. This has made me feel more organised.
- To focus on just one thing. Noone can do both writing and lab work simultaneously! - This also made me feel better. Having so much on my mind was sending me crazy. I honestly felt like I was losing my mind! She suggested that I should focus on writing for now, if I am not enjoying lab. That way, when I am sick of writing, I might be more happy in the lab and it will be fun again.
29.3.23
I think that my mind is starting to settle down: that is, I am freaking out less than before. I've smashed out the first 3 chapters of my thesis and now I'm working on Chapter 4 and 5 (the last 2 research chapters). I've tried to focus on one thing at a time: usually I spend 1-2 weeks in the lab and then 1 week writing. It is seeming to work.
Teaching compliments lab work
If I have any advice for PhD students, it is to take on some teaching. Teaching high-school and undergraduate chemistry forced me to relearn really basic chemistry concepts that complimented some of the things I was doing in the lab. Simple chemistries are often overlooked when doing more complicated chemistries such as a PhD project. It helps to go back to fundamentals and really understand what you’re doing and get paid for it.
Try to attend as many conferences/symposia as possible!
This is a tip that I cannot stress enough. Conferences/symposia were the key motivator behind my research. They not only introduced me to a community of like-minded people who accepted me as a researcher and a person, but they also helped grow some ideas that I had in the lab. They were definitely the highlight of my PhD and where I built a lot of confidence in my social and presenting skills. I also met many academics who I have maintained communications with.
In the acknowledgements section of my PhD thesis, I am 100% going to thank everyone that I have met and befriended at these events, because they changed my life. For more information, see the conferences tab. Also, for all those in polymer science, be sure to join the polyNSW community. They are amazing!
keeping a great lab notebook will save your life in the end.
21.5.24
At this point in time, I have submitted my PhD thesis and have had time to reflect on some of the mistakes that I made. One of them is the upkeep of my lab notebook. Considering that I have 4+ years of experience, you would think that my lab book is in great condition. In fact, this is wrong and there is a lot of room for improvement. Therefore, I recommend practicing and putting emphasis on the maintenance of your lab notebook. This video has some great tips and tricks for maintaining a lab notebook:
The key takeaways are: • The key notes to write down are: What you did, how you did it, why you did it, what you used. • Always write down the protocol you used and the reference. • Check with supervisor for requirements of record keeping. What makes a good notebook? • Date, keep a wider margin in the lab notebook, to write down notes, thoughts, ideas. Alternatively, use the back page for the notes and thoughts • Keep a small time block out of your day for writing and reviewing your lab notes. Try to stick to it every day. • Write as you go, dont leave it until the last minute. • Ask does it need to be signed off?
Can someone pick it up and replicate the experiment?
From the start of your PhD, everything you write can be used later. Make sure to keep the notes organised. Optimise your system to refer to them early on!
21.5.24
This lesson carries on from the previous. However, reflecting on all my experiences, I think that the best way to do this is to keep everything together. In your lab-book, when you write down the reason for carrying out an experiment: if it is because your supervisor requested it, then write it down. Write all the reasons and motivations down. In your lab book, you should reference where you can find the notes from the meeting, research papers or any other information that lead you to carry out that experiment.
13.3.23
I am almost finished writing up the second chapter (experimental chapter) of my thesis. At the moment I am working on MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and most of the things I am writing about, I had already wrote about previously - whether it was in random document or a monthly report. Only now, I am starting to realise how important it was to organise everything. Now, I work off an app called obsidian. This helps to keep all notes in one place and allows me to link files to other files. This is a note for other honours, masters or PhD students: organising your work earlier on will save a lot of time later.
15.2.23
I've been going through a range of emotions over the last couple of weeks. I've been quite upset and depressed from things not quite working in the lab. Other things also weigh on me, like the fact that the end is so close but I have a huge mountain to climb - that is writing my thesis and publishing papers with my work.
While, I have been writing my thesis and analysing all my old data, my supervisors demand a weekly meeting which is every Thursday morning. I often get stressed on Wednesday as I do not know what to present. I think I get really stressed about it because previously, I have felt incompetent by the comments my supervisors have made. I almost try not to present data to them for fear of them thinking that I am completely stupid. This is something that I need to get over.
Last week, one of my supervisors asked me why I haven't been working on my first research paper. I explained that I felt a little bit lost and like I was going in circles. Honestly, I felt like every meeting was not helpful at all, because there are 4 experienced academics who do not agree about the direction of a project that I have been working on.
However, she did motivate me a little after that meeting and now, on Wednesday afternoon, I can say that I have something to show my supervisors tomorrow. In fact for the last few hours, I've been writing and reading and I noticed something in the literature that resembled my data - that I had previously dismissed.
I went back to my July 2022 folder with experimental data: Experiments that I did in the lab "just for fun." Well looking back at these experiments, I say to my past self "thankyou!!!" It was cool data that I didn't realise at the time and something that I can put into my first research paper (I am working on having 3 research papers by the end of my PhD). When my paper is published I will post about all these cool things I found!
You should definitely make detailed notes of every PhD meeting that you attend
When you have your weekly, biweekly or monthly PhD meeting with your supervisors, you should be writing down everything that they say, suggest or request you to do. Early on in my PhD, one of my supervisors asked me to do a set of experiments. The following week when I presented the results she said to me "I don't understand why you did this work." My response was "You requested it last week" but in her defence she said "I do not recall." This happened several times in my PhD work before I stopped doing what they requested, I noted their interests down and if they asked more than 3 times, I would do the experiment.
Keep an Ideas notebook
The thing that I have learned in my PhD is that not all ideas are good. Some are bad, and while making mistakes helps you learn, sometimes it is not worth your time. At the start of my third year, I decided that whenever I had an idea, I would write it down in a word document that I kept on my cloud. I would add different ideas in there, whether it was about reactions or applications or things to write about, paper ideas. It is only when my mind returns to that idea constantly that I decide to do it.
Now, as I write my thesis, I realise that some of these ideas that I noted down were useful, because I could use them in my Outlook and Future work chapter. It is also worth noting that all the work that you do throughout - whether it is writing, or noting things down, it will never be wasted!
If you're worried that you have no data in your first two years, Don't stress. A PhD can be done in under a year.
Its true. A PhD is a process. You learn, you get trained on how to do research, you make mistakes and stress over the smallest things. But everything you do in your first two years only builds you up to be a better researcher.
- A passage taken from Side-projects:
This is a little anecdote about experience. A guy fixes an instrument in 20 minutes and charges $20,000. When the customer remarks about the cost of fixing, he then says "it's 20K now, but also 20 years of my life". I am starting to realise the depth of this as the work that I did in two weeks is equivalent to about a year of my PhD. If I started my PhD fresh, right now, I could probably smash it out in 6-9 months.... But it took me 3 years to get to this point.
Therefore, the take home message should be: be kind to yourself. Enjoy the learning process and spend this time working on yourself, because it is really the only time you will get.
The best advice I can give about presenting: No-one knows what you will say, so don't panic if you stumble!
21.8.23
In July 2023, I attended the Fpi-15 conference and there were a lot of things that I learned from this meeting that has changed the way that I think about science and presentations. My presentation was on the second day (of 7-day conference). I was so nervous before hand, but before I knew it, it was over. In the evening, I spoke with John Reynolds (a well-known polymer chemist) who said something basic to me. He said, “no-one knows what you are going to say.” While these words were so simple, it really changed the way that I thought. It’s true, no-one knows what I am doing and no-one knows what I will say next.
Since this day, I stopped being super nervous for my presentations. Whether or not I forget my words or forget what I am going to say, no-one really knows the extent to which I made an error. I don't know if this will help anyone else, but if it does please let me know.
You don't have to agree with your supervisors.
Throughout my PhD, my supervisors would tell me experiments to do. I would always listen to them and do the experiments that were suggested (sometimes I thought they were not relevant). Then, when I'd present the data a week later, I would get comments like "why did you do this?" "why waste your time on this?". It was very frustrating; however, I have learned to make a note of what they say and only do it if I believe it is valuable. Also, if they tell me to do the experiment 3 times (at different time points), then I will do it, because I can guarantee that in every meeting, they forget what happened at the previous one.
Take some time to think about everything you do, even if it looks like you are being unproductive.
12.4.23
This was a hard lesson that I had to learn. Thoughout this blog, I often complain about my PhD meetings. I think it stems from the beginning when I was quite insecure of my intelligence, and was overwhelmed with imposter syndrome (Note, I still am).
From the start of my PhD, when I had nothing much to present at my PhD meetings, comments would be thrown at me like: “is this all you’ve done?”. Of course, these comments pushed me to do more and more, but when I was stumped by a problem, I didn’t take the opportunity to sit and really think about it. Instead, I did more and more lab work that probably didn’t need to be done. In turn, it wasted more time than if I had just sat down for a few days and thought about it.
Afterall, a PhD is a marathon. You have time.
From the start of my PhD, my supervisor said to me “A Day of reading can save you a week in the lab.” He often said this to me in my first year. I’m starting to really respect the things that he told me. While I worked hard and am close to finishing, I could have done less and still been at the same point. Imagine, 10-hour days of running around the lab: would make you quite sick of it. Well, it has and I’m trying my hardest to stay out of the lab these days.
Previously, if I had an idea, I would immediately try it out. I got a lot of success from this method. I also wasted some materials that could've had better use. Now, when I have an idea, I write it down and then sit on it for a few days. Usually I forget about it, which means that it probably wasn't worth it.
Now I’ll tell you about some of the struggles ive been facing lately that has made me really wish that I spent more time thinking than doing.
In a multistep synthesis, I’ve been trying to prepare a cholesteryl triethyleneglycol derivative. I did it successfully the first time in Oct 2021, but since then I can’t seem to make it. 1.5 years! I did all my characterisations with this material, and while I could probably write my thesis with the data I have, I need more to fill in missing pieces of the story.
Since Oct 2021, I have completed my other chapters (mostly). All I need is this material. For the last month, I have been looking over my data and trying to see what went wrong. I set up a few little experiments but in the end, I needed to pay more attention to detail and that detail was the proton NMR spectrum.
I wonder where I would be right now, if I had just sat down and really looked at what is happening. Would I have a few papers?