During my first-year as a PhD student, I attended group meetings, journal clubs, lectures and listened to seminars and Friday lunchtime talks, read papers, presented papers and wrote papers, as well as a lot of coding. Durham is also full of opportunities, which I really enjoy. I am heavily involved with my college life by attending many clubs and societies and volunteering. There is also plenty of outreach to do, like the Planetarium or Celebrate Science events, and I even got to do some of the outreach in my native language (an interview about my research in Polish).

My PhD journey was a life-changing adventure, filled with uplifting moments and intense challenges. Arriving from Bangladesh, my first time in the UK, I was warmly welcomed by Hatfield College, and spent my 1st year of my PhD living there. Looking back, my time at Durham University was a blend of warmth, academic rigour and unforgettable experiences. I am grateful for the people who stood by me during that time – my supervisors, mentors, staff, colleagues and friends.