Jiang Ji Ho Zhang
PhD Student in the “Space Interferometry” group
What is your current position at our institute?
PhD Student in the Space Interferometry Group.
What is your academic education?
- BSc in Physics at Universitat de Barcelona
- MSc in Aerospace Science and Technology at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
What were your previous academic positions?
- Associate teacher in the Physics department at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
- Associate researcher in the Physics department at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Please let us know why you chose the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics for your research.
When I was doing my Master Thesis at the Institute of Space Sciences (ICE-CSIC), I had the opportunity to attend the 13th Edoardo Amaldi Conference on Gravitational Waves. There, I met some people from the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics and learned about their research. I found everything so exciting and challenging that I decided to continue my career with them.
Did you have someone who acted as a role model or mentor to you in the past, or does so in the present? What is the most important thing you learned from them?
I don't have a specific role model, but I've been very lucky to have had great supervisors throughout my whole academic path. From all of them I've learnt something that inspired me in different ways and encouraged me to continue in science (even when I thought I wouldn't). The people who you surround yourself with are definitely going to influence in your decisions, and I am very grateful to have met such great people and passionate scientists. So I would say that they all contribute to my concept of role models.
What would you recommend to a young woman wanting to start a career in physics?
I think there's nothing as huge as the desire to start a new project. However, if there is something that stops you, I would suggest the following: don't compare yourself to others and don't let anyone decide for you.