Researchers

Timea’s secondment experience:

She was seconded to RMIT University for one and a half months, and here she shares her experience with us:

• If you could provide one piece of advice to anyone thinking about doing a secondment, what would it be?

 Just do it! Seriously: try to organize the logistics, such as housing as soon as possible.

• What is something new that has been embedded into your approach to your research as a result of your secondment, how has the secondment impacted your research?

To be able to use a new Raman approach combined with chemometrics to analyze complex samples from the subsurface.

Working in a new lab and cultural environment for a relatively short term (in my case six weeks) requires flexibility and quick adaptability – these are skills, which are particularly needed in science, where we are always dealing with new challenges. I am grateful for the opportunity for being able to train those skills, which will have a more long-term impact in my general approach to research questions.

• Can you give us an example of a tangible knowledge transfer / exchange that took place during your secondment?

To learn about practical approaches how to overcome a major problem in Raman sensing of proteins, fluorescence, was extremely useful.

• What was the most valuable aspect of your secondment?

It was an inspiring experience working in another research environment, getting into contact with scientists with mutual and complementary research interests. The discussions with principal scientists, whose work I was studying in their publications, were particularly empowering.