This time Scientific Bangladesh has interviewed Safia Mahabub Sauty. She is a Ph.D. student in the
Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Guelph, Canada. Here she shared her insights and experiences, which might be helpful for present and future Ph.D., students.
1.Scientific Bangladesh: Please briefly introduce yourself, your Ph.D. topic and, your University to our readers.
Safia Mahabub Sauty: I’m a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Guelph, Canada. I study epigenetic conversions at the eukaryotic replication forks that can predispose to cellular differentiation and cancer.
2.Scientific Bangladesh: How did you choose your i) Ph.D. topic and ii) Institute?
Safia Mahabub Sauty: I initially started in my program as a Master’s student after finishing my Bachelor’s in BD. At that point, the factors that went into choosing this program were 1)a generous funding package, 2)an agreeable geographical location, 3)amazing rankings for a very young university 4) research that aligns with my background. One year into my Master’s, I decided to transfer to the Ph.D. program because I saw a huge learning opportunity in my project. I developed healthy working relationships with my colleagues and supervisor, which was the most important prerequisite for joining a Ph.D. program.
3.Scientific Bangladesh: What is the minimum qualification in your university to get admission as a Ph.D. student, Bachelor or Master degree?
Safia Mahabub Sauty: The official requirement is BSc with a minimum of 80% in the last two years. Another pathway is, If the student has good grades in Bachelor’s, they can enroll in the Master’s program, finish the coursework, and apply for a transfer to the Ph.D. program after a year.
4.Scientific Bangladesh: If anyone wants to do a Ph.D. in your University/country, what steps should one follow?
Safia Mahabub Sauty: Admission to my university and most of Canada largely depends on securing a supervisor. The steps I had to follow were 1) email potential supervisors with CV and transcripts, 2) attend an interview(s) with the Professor upon invitation, 3) apply centrally to the university once the Professor has shown interest in offering a position in their lab. Whether one applies to the university before or after talking to the potential supervisors, it will eventually come down to securing one to get admission.
5.Scientific Bangladesh: How will you get a Ph.D. by submitting a thesis or publishing a certain no of publications (journal articles)?
Safia Mahabub Sauty: By submitting a thesis, ideally composed of 2-3 publications.
6.Scientific Bangladesh: Did you deliberately choose your Supervisor? What were your criteria for choosing a Ph.D. supervisor?
Safia Mahabub Sauty: I deliberately chose my supervisor. My understanding was that every professor is brilliant and doing amazing research, so I focused on finding a supervisor who’s empathetic to their students and helps navigate the stress of a Ph.D.
7.Scientific Bangladesh: What is your key to maintaining a good relationship with your supervisor?
Safia Mahabub Sauty: Communication and the credit is due largely to my supervisor. He treats the students as his equals, keeps realistic expectations, and maintains a respectful environment that automatically facilitates open communication.
8.Scientific Bangladesh: What principle do you follow to maintain a good relationship with your labmates?
Safia Mahabub Sauty: It is important to be responsible and respectful in the lab. People from diverse backgrounds with different lifestyles gather in the lab, and everyone is the key.
9.Scientific Bangladesh: Doing a Ph.D. is a stressful job? How do you manage or release stress?
Safia Mahabub Sauty:
Everyone manages stress differently. For me, scheduling and compartmentalizing tasks help manage stress. I also find talking to my supervisor helpful to navigate through the workload. And I can always turn to my family, friends and Netflix when I don’t want to think about work.
10.Scientific Bangladesh: How many days in a week you go to the lab? Why?
Safia Mahabub Sauty: 5-6 days. I try to give myself 1 if not 2 days off a week to energize and get rest. It is essential to give yourself a much-needed break even if you think you shouldn’t. There’s no glory and very little productivity in overwork.
11.Scientific Bangladesh: Ph.D. is considered as training for a career in Research. What 1. technical and 2. Soft skills you are focusing on developing or developed by this time?
Safia Mahabub Sauty: The expectation is that I’ll come out the other side of the Ph.D. being comfortable with molecular biology techniques and having developed analytical and transferable skills. Learning how to maintain a work-life balance to maximize productivity or work in a team is as important as learning how to write a grant proposal or design an experiment.
I see my PhD journey as an opportunity for both personal and professional development.
12.Scientific Bangladesh: What is your plan? Want to go back to Bangladesh or not?
Safia Mahabub Sauty: I’ve always wanted to go back home for a faculty position after finishing my degree. That being said, I’m aware that what I want might be completely different than what options will be available to me, and I will have to make the decisions as the circumstances unfold in the future.
13.Scientific Bangladesh: What are your suggestions for prospective Ph.D. students?
Safia Mahabub Sauty: Ph.D. is a very intense commitment, so don’t make it if you’re not ready, or you’ll be burned out. Everyone’s timeline is different; go for a Ph.D. only when it’s right for you.
14. Scientific Bangladesh: Thank you for managing time to answer the questions.
Safia Mahabub Sauty: Thanks to Scientific Bangladesh for the opportunity to share my experiences.