Life is less stressed than I’m used to
25-year-old Frederico Milheiro Pimenta from Portugal is a PhD student at the Department of Chemistry and has been working in Aarhus for one and a half years financed by the Marie Curie Actions/European Union in the ITN-Network TopBio.
- As a PhD student Frederico Milheiro Pimenta has to teach roughly 140 hours each semester, Photo: Lise Balsby / AU Communication
- In the end it’s a matter of understanding what happens at a molecular level in a very complex system, Photo: Lise Balsby / AU Communication
- Frederico Pimenta is studying the number of molecules of singlet oxygen (a reactive oxygen species) that is needed to induce certain cell responses, for example cell death, Photo: Lise Balsby / AU Communication
- In the University Park in Aarhus, Photo: Lise Balsby / AU Communication
- Frederico Pimenta with Danish PhD student Anton Søgaard Poulsen, Photo: Lise Balsby / AU Communication
What brought you to Aarhus University?
There was a vacant PhD position as part of an EU project and it offered a possibility to do as much research as possible in a variety of areas. In addition, working conditions for a PhD student in Denmark are generally better than in Portugal, where you’re not considered a working person but just a student. I also like the fact that there’s a lot of travelling related to my research.
What kind of research are you doing?
I am studying the number of molecules of singlet oxygen (a reactive oxygen species) that is needed to induce certain cell responses, for example cell death.
Why is this kind of research interesting?
Because it’s a very broad field going from chemistry and physics to biology and biochemistry, and it’s interesting because in the end we want to understand what happens in a very complex system at a molecular level.
How would you describe the Danish PhD programme?
It’s a lot of work because we also have to teach roughly 140 hours each semester. In Portugal I would only have to do research and it’s not three years but four. But I think it’s really good in Denmark that you have teaching assignments because you learn how to give information and organise the way you express yourself.
What are your experience with Danes and Denmark?
In general I like the Danes. The Portuguese are very open people and talk straight away. Danes are not like that, but I have empathy for this attitude. And Danes are extremely helpful. In Portugal there’s far more competition than here, and Danish researchers help each other for a greater good. And life is less stressed than I’m used to in Portugal.
What has been your most challenging experience?
What really affects me is the food. For me the biggest difference from Portugal is the weather, but the food is what affects me the most.
What will you be doing in 10 years?
Well, I keep my options open. I could do research in the academy or go to industry. If I get the possibility of staying here I will, because I like what I do.
