A biologist’s daughter: what I want to be when I grow up

…Probably one of the few questions that every one of us has been asked as a child and one of the questions which keeps puzzling people’s minds even when they become a ‘grown- up’ and independent individuals at university.

Being a doctor and a biologist’s daughter, choosing biomedical sciences as my degree at university has been one of the easiest decisions in my life so far. However, it still sounds a bit weird and even abstract every time I tell my friends that I am actually in the process of becoming a scientist one day.

I sometimes feel like the character of one of Plateau’s most famous parables, who once encountered the real nature of the world behind the walls of the cave. Upon his discovery, he decided to share his knowledge with his friends but, unfortunately, was mercilessly rejected and ridiculed.

Why Edinburgh?

Is another frequently asked question. Founded in 1583, the University of Edinburgh has become home for many of the greatest scientific minds, including Alexander Graham Bell, David Hume, James Clerk Maxwell, Charles Darwin, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and many more.

Therefore, it’s not surprising that I am more than delighted to have the opportunity to be part of this life-changing adventure, amongst a community that has been influencing the world for centuries. Moreover, the strange mixture of medieval and modern architecture surrounded by the beauty of the Scottish Highlands makes Edinburgh one of the most unique cities in the world, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

What’s next?

My favourite question above all! As cheesy as it may sound, life is a box of chocolates and only we ourselves are aware of which flavour suits us best.

For me personally, this is Biology with the light aftertaste of Chemistry, combined to give Pharmacology – one of the oldest branches of medicine and biology concerned with the study of drugs’ nature and action.

Bearing this in mind, as well as my mutual interest and respect for nature, I would be more than happy to continue my life pathway and pursue a science-based career in the future as there are still a lot of ‘known unknowns’, but much more ‘unknown unknowns’ waiting to be revealed, which is what makes it so exciting.

Originally from Bulgaria, Katerina Gospodinova is a Biological Sciences graduate of The University of Edinburgh with experience working part-time at award-winning professional services provider FDM, as a student brand ambassador.