Profile

Hi, I live in Bristol, although I am originally from Warsaw. I am 25 and currently doing a PhD which is great fun (I get to do competitions like this one!) When I’m not studying, I usually cycle, climb or dance!

Some people would question is my work is even “science”  in traditional sense, since no,  I don’t work with  advanced numbers (AS-level maths will do) and I don’t need to know Latin names for every single piece of “stuff” I am looking at. However, the origin of the word “science” is “to get to know something”, so let’s stick to that.

My background is in Geography and Geology so I am interested in anything place-related. Also I really like the outdoors. Although I wrote an undergrad dissertation on volcanoes and ice, I moved onto future sustainable cities…well this is how life sometimes works – so don’t worry if you change your mind about your future every now and again.

My current work is a PhD based in Bristol, south-west England. I work in the field of environmental policy, which means that I work with the local politicians, businesses and charities to create effective strategies and action plans for future Bristol. in particular I am interested in local water, energy and food.

Some questions I ask myself sometimes are:
* A third of food gets wasted in supermarkets/restaurant/ big institutions. How to connect extra food better with charities so nothing gets wasted?
* About 13% of Bristol residents live in cold homes (comparing to 10.6% national average) How to help the poorest households to reduce their bills?
* 1 in 4 children in Bristol live in poverty – that’s quite a lot! Poverty means that often children are not fed well. Can school meals improve – get tastier, more sustainable and locally sourced?

I have a luxury of being a full time student, which means that I can focus solely on my research, without distractions -and I get paid to do it. (for example, my colleagues have children or extra work, so they have to juggle their time more)

I have my own desk with a computer and lots of paperwork. Sadly, no lab work! It’s all computer-based these days.

I cycle to Uni, it takes me 30 minutes. I get to see lots of squirrels, trees and dogs.

Occasionally I meet up with my course mates to work from a cafe – we get to exchange gossips and support each other as well!

Sometimes I attend extra events, lectures etc in order to meet more people who could participate in my research. It’s a bit stressful, cause there are usually lots of important and senior people, but there are free drinks and snacks to ease the nerves.

My tasks depend on the stage of the research but they are usually:
* reading academic journal (some quite dry!)
* reading policy papers (even dry-er!)
* writing up what I’ve learnt (my favourite part !)
* meetings with my supervisors or research sponsors (monthly)
* workshops, evening lectures (twice a week)
* interviewing my participants