Angelina Frank
Nationality: Germany
Faculty & Year of Study: Centre for Quantum Technologies (CQT), Year 2
Undergraduate: Jacobs University Bremen, Germany
"Don't be afraid make decisions that at first feel scary or impossible."
Why Did You Choose To Pursue A PhD?
To me, a PhD is a journey that fosters your persistence, independence and the skills it takes to transform your own creativity into presentable results. It is an opportunity to pursue academic curiosity and insight, while at the same time learning about project management, marketing, and communication. Given that science is a global and unpolitical effort, it gives you a platform to independently expand your intercultural understanding as well as to pursue global communication and collaborations.
Can you tell us briefly about your research topic?
We are working on building quantum photonic circuits in elastomeric materials.
How does PhD graduate education compare with your undergraduate experience?
A PhD teaches me to develop the tools, expertise and confidence needed to pursue my own ideas. As compared to undergraduate education you are finally allowed to invest your time into work on a topic that truly interests you. I think of my project almost like a start up: You work and study towards acquiring results and an understanding of subjects that you find meaningful. The motivation that drives your daily efforts during a PhD is more personal and richer than during an undergrad, because a PhD gives you freedom to focus on a topic of your interest. It is your own venture and you can shape it into the story you want it to be. At the same time, the reward in grad school does not come from fulfilling other people’s expectations, and may at first be more difficult to find. The only road to success is to actively search for meaningful problems and their solutions. A PhD means more freedom at the cost of having a bit less safety.
What challenges have you faced during your stint as a PhD student?
The entire point of graduate school is too learn how to face challenges and how to overcome them, so there would be plenty challenges to mention here 😉 The best thing about it: It actually does become easier with time and work, just keep going!
Any other words of wisdom to share?
Don’t be afraid make decisions that at first feel scary or impossible. To me, the scariest decisions (like leaving my home continent for a Master’s or a PhD) have turned out to be the best, even if they feel impossible at first. Oh and another thing, many people older than you – students, parents, friends, professors – will try to give you (well-meant) advice.
Listen to them and think carefully, but don’t let that overtone your own thoughts about what you feel is the right thing to do. There are many different routes to success and we can only speak with certainty for the ones that we have experienced.
Perhaps you will discover an entirely new one.