Case study
Yixi Zheng is a post-doctorate researcher working at the University of East Anglia. She is passionate about polar oceanography.
What did your PhD focus on?
My PhD focused on the physical oceanography in the Amundsen Sea, Antarctica. Specifically, my research centered around the study of complex interactions between ice shelves, ocean, and sea ice occurring in close proximity to rapidly melting ice shelves. I utilised observational data and idealised models to gain insights into these physical processes. Throughout my PhD, I was fortunate to be involved in several international, multidisciplinary projects, which allowed me to collaborate with a diverse range of researchers and gain a broader perspective on the field. Additionally, I was able to participate in two research cruises to Antarctica, which gave me hands-on experience with the unique and challenging conditions of polar research.
What inspired you to undertake a PhD?
I really like my research – I just feel like this is the right career I want to pursue. As a PhD candidate, I learnt a lot of soft skills like time management and multitasking, as well as building a work-life balance and learning how to take care of myself. It would’ve been super hard to start a career in academia if I didn’t have a PhD – the research skills I’ve learned are useful too. I felt like people around me were really forgiving. It was a good time when I could really try everything without being afraid of making a lot of mistakes because there was always someone who can help me check whether I are on the right track, whether my results are good, whether my methods are scientific or not.
Has your background and identity influenced your approach to research and your scientific journey?
Being a foreign-born Asian, I think and behave in different ways, and sometimes that makes me feel lonely. Before I moved to the UK, I wasn’t too different from other people, so it was hard for me to accept the change. But if you enter a new environment, you are likely to feel very odd. After a while, none of those things I mentioned is an issue; it’s just the beginning that’s difficult.
I was educated in a totally different way; I tend to focus more on math in my research, compared to UK students. The time spent doing math in China was used in the UK for things like writing essays, doing presentations, making posters, and reading literature. I did a three-year undergraduate in China and then a two-year undergrad in the UK – so I notice the difference between the two educational systems. In China, we tend to focus more on theory, but in the UK, we care more about applied research. I’m not trying to say that one system is better than the other, they’re just different. I used to think I was doing something wrong, but actually, I was just doing something different.
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