• Question: What does your day-to-day look like?

    Asked by anon-319285 on 10 Mar 2022. This question was also asked by anon-314250.
    • Photo: Fiona Fotherby

      Fiona Fotherby answered on 10 Mar 2022:

      I am a PhD student in my third year, so I am pretty comfortable in my programme. I wake up a bit later than others in my research group. I get in slightly after my supervisor. I like a lot of coffee. I walk about 15 minutes to work. Between 2-7 people work in my office and lab. I like working alone in the evenings.
      On a typical day, I set up a few experiments in the lab, let them react in various ways, mostly heat and stirring with different chemicals. I evaporate them, or filter the solid, or purify it, and see if I have made the correct thing I wanted! I run my samples on NMR. I process my data, by determining the chemical signals from NMR that prove I made the right molecule. If it is a new molecule, I take other measurements, like melting point, mass spec, IR, and some other ones. I type up my results and write a discussion in my PhD thesis later.
      I eat a healthy lunch at my desk and go for a walk, or go to golf after work. Or see a friend.
      I also do some lab demonstrating where I work in the lab with undergrad students. I mark reports.
      I make supper at home.
      I watch TV and live alone!
      I hope this tells you about my regular day as a grad student in St Andrews. 😀

    • Photo: Veselina Georgieva

      Veselina Georgieva answered on 14 Mar 2022:

      I wake up quite difficult at around 7 am and then I make myself a cup of tea that is made of herbs. I watch some TV shows which are about vampires and the supernatural. Then, I put myself on makeup, clothes and drive to work for about 10-15 min. I do lots of experiments and tests in the lab during the day. I have a lot of meetings, presentations and reports as well. After a long day, I go home and rest or go out for a run with my headphones. This helps me put my thoughts in order. In the evening I cook with my husband and me then we watch TV reality shows like Survivor. We have a cup of tea with peace of chocolate and then go to bed.

    • Photo: Andrew Parrott

      Andrew Parrott answered on 14 Mar 2022:

      My typical day involves checking my emails & calendar first thing to see what needs responding to straight away, and what else is planned for the day. If I am going to the lab I then walk there (about 40 minutes) and when I arrive I plan out what experiments need to be done during the day. Then either I am working on the experiments or looking at the data from the experiments (I do a lot of spectroscopy) or working on ways to process the data more quickly (computer programming). Some of the work will be with others (e.g. undergradute students, PhD students, other staff). During any lull in experiments (often for NMR experiments you need to wait a while for the result) I try to get through the rest of the less urgent emails. Often I am also writing reports and presentations, or attending meetings (on Zoom still). At the end of the day I walk back home, or if at home already try to go out for a walk to make sure I don’t sit at my desk all day!

    • Photo: Matthew Macariou

      Matthew Macariou answered on 14 Mar 2022:

      There’s a lot more of the mundane stuff than there is science. That’s been typical throughout my career, and I’m sure many other scientists would agree.

    • Photo: Stephen Doughty

      Stephen Doughty answered on 14 Mar 2022:

      A mix of meetings, reading, teaching students and doing some research. In different amounts on different days. Sometimes I have lunch too.

    • Photo: Amit Vernekar

      Amit Vernekar answered on 15 Mar 2022:

      I get to work at 9.00 am. I provide guidance to my research and M.Sc students on daily basis. I go around the lab many times to know what’s going on and what’s the new finding. There would be daily discussions on experiments. I have lunch at 1.00 pm and then I read literature to keep myself up-to-date. I go home at 7.00 pm.

    • Photo: Sophie Strickfuss

      Sophie Strickfuss answered on 16 Mar 2022:

      I get to work around 8. First I check that my team are ok or if they need any help, and I give guidance to the most junior people. Then my days are quite varied: most days I go to meetings to discuss progress on our projects and I review my team’s work. I also review CVs and conduct interviews for possible new staff. I give technical advice as required, and mentor people too.

    • Photo: Graeme Barker

      Graeme Barker answered on 18 Mar 2022:

      Very varied – typically I get into work around 8:30 and look at my emails over coffee. For most of the day, I’m either teaching a class, writing in my office or catching up with my research group in the lab. I’ll usually leave around 5:30-6:30 in the evening.

Comments

  • Photo: Lucy

    Lucy commented on :

    Hey Emma and Maisie, this is a great question! ✨🥰

    I am really lucky that I now work from home, so I get to wake up with my cat every morning and log on at about 830. This is after either some morning yoga or a walk.

    I’ll get to speak to scientists around the globe 🌍 so I’ve spoken with Nobel prize winners, and even NASA astronauts. So there’s no set time that I finish for the day, but if I work over because of a time zone difference with a scientists who I’m looking to interview, I’ll have that amount of time off the next day.

    I get to write for a magazine, do some podcasting, and create videos for a science journal so every day is different.

    But the best part is the team I get to work with is fab!

    Once I’ve finished for the day I’ll make some dinner (Im a veggie and love trying new recipes) or go out with my friends ✨🥼