Parvaneh

Parvaneh graduated from The University of Sheffield in 2008 with a PhD in Physics and Astronomy.

I have just completed my PhD in polymer physics, in The Department of Physics and Astronomy at The University of Sheffield. Previously, I did a Masters course in Nano Science and Technology in 2003-2004. It was a joint programme between the University of Sheffield and Leeds.

When I started my PhD, I had no idea that it would be different from doing a Masters project. I thought, like a Masters project, I will do some experiments and plot some graphs and try to understand the trends and if there is any problem, my supervisor will have all the answers for me. But it was not like that at all!

As a Phd student, you are the one who is responsible for your project, not your supervisor. If some thing doesn´t work or you can not get any good data or the data analysis doesn´t make any sense, it is you who should find a way to make it work not anyone else. Team members will help you, but some times there is not any quick answer.

At the beginning of my project in the Physics Department, I was doing experiments without knowing what exactly I was looking for. It took me a while to deeply understand the details of my projects. However, eventually I started to come up with new ideas and experiments to test my ideas. Any experimentalist will tell you that the lab work is different from the world of theory. Things that work in theory, don´t easily work in the lab and it is not often clear why!

Understanding these unknowns can be very challenging but you will learn a lot by working on them. So, if you are prepared to challenge your brain, go for a Phd. It is much more than just learning science; you will develop many skills such as lateral thinking, time management, team work, creative thinking etc. It is an excellent experience to develop personal skills and have fun through the great education system available at The University of Sheffield!

At the University of Sheffield you will be with people from all over the world and you will barely feel like a foreigner. My social life in Sheffield is very colourful.

There are so many opportunities to meet and become friends with people from different countries and cultural backgrounds. I have travelled to many other countries through the friends I've made whilst at The University of Sheffield. We frequently go out and have a fantastic time together. This is fun and also a great chance to network, which is a necessity in modern life.