(no subject)

[exsequar]

Okay, it's time for a cheerful and optimistic post about my future prospects!

Get this: I might get my Ph.D. at Trinity College Dublin.

....

I mean, EEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

Okay, it all started when I emailed one of my favorite profs from Ireland asking her if she knew about any job opportunities in Dublin for a person with a BA in Chemistry. She replied with this:

"Have you consider doing postgraduate studies here in Dublin?? I remember you were a brilliant student and I am certain that you could find funding here. I do not have a grant available just now but if you would like to work with me I could try to get some money here and there and we could prepare some proposal for you to apply here."

(Some of the odd grammar is because she's from Spain. She's such a lovely woman!) So basically she's saying, I would love you to work for me and I will MAKE IT HAPPEN. That email quite literally blew my mind. I hadn't let myself consider the possibility of going back to Dublin for a Ph.D., considering it prohibitive in a financial sense, but the more research I do into the matter, the more convinced I am that I could do it! For one thing, they ALSO pay their chemistry PhD students a stipend and waive the fees, just like here in America. (I didn't know that!) For another, the application process is so much simpler - no GRE, no personal statement. I just work with a professor at Trinity to develop a proposal along the lines of their current research, send in my CV and a couple recommendations, and bam. It happens. (I'm pretty damn sure I'd get in too. A BA in chemistry from a prestigious American school, very high grades here, and VERY high grades in the year I SPENT at Trinity. Plus this personal support, which I'm confident would be backed up by other members of the Chemistry department.)

My mind is blown.

And it's not like I'd be SETTLING for anything. Trinity is a damn fine school - ranked 53rd in the WORLD, and frequently mentioned in the same breath as Oxford and Cambridge. I'd be back in DUBLIN, the home of my heart. When I told Louise I was considering it, she was like YOU MUST DO THIS. I would be back with Louise and Niall and Paddy and Dara and Barry and Conor and Paul and Ronan and Niall C and EVERYONE and the thought just makes me want to explode for joy.

Another great thing is that I think I could really love working for this woman. Her name is Isabel Rozas and she's a medicinal chemist working on drug design. I absolutely loved the three classes I took with her, and I'm quite fascinated by the details of drug design. How cool would that be??? It combines organic chemistry and biochemistry in such a brilliant way. I don't think I'd want to do it for my life, since pharmaceuticals scare me, but as a Ph.D. project? Hells yes!

I think... I think this might actually happen! I have a meeting with the international studies dean here at my college tomorrow. I'm trying not to get my heart too set on this (I haven't even spoken to my parents, and this essentially amounts to MOVING OUT OF THE COUNTRY for four years) but oh. Oh I want to go.

&DUBLIN;

Comments

[ghostrunner7.livejournal.com]

I might get my Ph.D. at Trinity College Dublin.

Congratulations. Of course, I'll be forced to kill you with the power of my mind from sheer jealousy.

[crediniaeth.livejournal.com]

I say GO FOR IT. This sounds like an awesome opportunity. I sincerely hope that this works out for you, m'dear. *beam*

[musical-emjay.livejournal.com]

AIGH I'M JUST ABOUT TO RUN OFF TO BED BUT. OMG. LIKE, OMG.

ANNE. ANNNNNNNE \o/ *twirls you*

I am hoping SO HARD for you right now. Please let this happen, universe D:

[skyfalling.livejournal.com]

Oh, wow! That's great. And I have every confidence that this can and WILL happen, because you are more than capable and it would make you happy and it just sounds so awesooooooooome.

[theaerosolkid.livejournal.com]

Oh. My. GOD. That is AMAZING. You have to do it!!!!!! I know you can!!

[jezzabe.livejournal.com]

Oh, sweetheart. I hope it works out for you!!

[redandglenda.livejournal.com]

That's so wonderful for you!!!!! I actually got really excited reading this! Congratulations to the MAX! You deserve it, hon.

[deirdre-c.livejournal.com]

Do it! Dooooo Eeeeeet!

[jebbypal]

I'm for this! Now is the time to do something exactly like this since you're not tied down by anyone but your family, and my impression is that your immediate family of parents and siblings are in pretty good health.

[hebrew-hernia.livejournal.com]

Well, that sounds 99% fantastic.

[fayemeadows.livejournal.com]

\o/

*hugs*

[maleyka.livejournal.com]

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE OMG! *TWIRLS*

[snuffkin.livejournal.com]

\o/ OMG HOW AWESOME!

[pau494.livejournal.com]

\o/ KHKJGHFAKHJDFADKJHG. Allow me to keysmash for you! That is exactly what I wanted for you, you should see my face right now after reading this! :DDDDDD

Um, it's obvious that I'm in the DO EET camp, right? <3333333

[sorchasilver.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a definite winner! I really, really hope this works out for you, sweetie.

[splits_thesky]

OMGZ, THIS IS FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!! I am crossing all my crossables for you, bb. ♥♥

[candidlily.livejournal.com]

Yay! That's excellent news! ♥

[airgiodslv.livejournal.com]

I am so happy for you! That sounds like an excellent option. Do talk to your advisors, though, because I'm not sure how it works in the sciences, but in arts & humanities, a European doctoral degree is only equivalent to an American master's. You wouldn't be able to teach college with it in this country, and I'm not sure about other drawbacks. If that doesn't matter to your life plan, though, then awesome! Go for it!

[thediane.livejournal.com]

Oh yay!!! I'm delighted that this is a viable option for you because hooray Dublin \o/

[why-me-why-not.livejournal.com]

This sounds awesome and I have every faith in you that you can accomplish whatever you put your mind to. I will keep sending warm, hopeful thoughts your way! <3