How did you find your job?
I applied for a position as a tenure track assistant professor in 2019. I came to know about the position because they were looking for someone with expertise in X-ray diffraction and someone I know told me about this opportunity.
What does your typical workday look like?
I juggle between teaching, exams, undergraduate and graduate students supervision, meetings with collaborators, writing of papers and research proposals.
What do you like particularly about your job?
Interacting with young people and seeing them motivated to learn and become scientists.
How did you manage the transition into your new role? What was different, what was similar, what may have surprised you?
I have been in academia ever since my PhD, so I already knew the environment and challenges for as concerns research. In starting a professorship, the main challenge was to develop my teaching portfolio, which has taken a large slice of my time during the first two years in the role.
Which of the skills learned at PSI helps you in your new role?
At PSI I had the chance to work in a large group made of people with a wide range of expertise, which has contributed to broaden my research perspective. I also had the opportunity to work at the synchrotron several times and this gave me an additional dimension as a scientist. I have been involved in other experiments using synchrotron radiation after I left. In general, I left PSI as a much stronger scientist than I was before joining.
What did you learn after moving away from PSI?
I moved to the UK and there I considerably strengthened my skills in writing convincing research proposals. I had an independent position focused on research with my own funding, so I learned how to manage these funds. Being independent, I often travelled to conferences to present the results of my work and network with my peers to find new collaborations. I also organised a workshop on the topic of my research, gathering for the first time several European researchers together. This event is now looking at its fourth edition.
Is there anything you miss now that you are no longer at PSI?
The ease of access to any infrastructure I might need for my research. And the salary, of course :)
What advice do you have for your younger colleagues?
Learn when it is ok to say "no", it is easy to become overburdened and risk to burn yourself out. Make sure to have interests outside of work, you are more than just your job and outside interests will help you develop your unique out-of-the-box thinking.
Thank you Marco for sharing your experience with us!