Student life @TSL
We are an active student community, supporting each other during our journey as students at TSL.
Something quite unique about our student community is how diverse it is. It includes students of all nationalities and levels—from visiting undergrads engaging in short projects, to MSc students, visiting students from other institutes, predoctoral interns and PhD students. We are always open to help each other out with both science and everyday matters.
Join us
Find out what opportunities there are for PhD studentships here
and how to apply for predoctoral internships here
Being a predoc at TSL
A predoctoral internship is a fantastic way to gain experience, learn new skills, get to know the lab, and get familiarised with research and the life of a PhD student. It can pave your way into getting a PhD position, if that’s what you’re interested in. Many of the current members of our TSL student committee first joined the lab as predocs. James, our current vice-president, shares a bit of his experience as predoc before starting as PhD student:
“During my 12-month pre-doctoral internship in the Moscou group, I undertook a bioinformatics-based project investigating the evolutionary history of disease resistance genes in grasses. I did not have a background in bioinformatics but I was given plenty of training and my colleagues were always willing to help when I ran into difficulties. It was satisfying to have personal responsibility for a project and time to substantially develop the work.
I quickly saw myself as part of the TSL student community, who made an effort to ensure that students outside of the main PhD stream weren’t overlooked. The annual programme of student events at TSL were particular highlights to my year, as were the scientific and social events that occur more widely at the Norwich Research Park.”
Being a PhD student at TSL
Being a PhD student at TSL is a very exciting experience. Every day is an opportunity to discuss new ideas, interact with engaged fellow students and co-workers, get involved in thought-provoking discussions over coffee, learn from different cultures, and develop new skills. Diana, our current student president, shares about her experience as PhD student:
“I really enjoy doing my PhD at TSL. We have a lot of freedom in terms of how we manage our time in the lab and keeping a nice work-life balance is very important to me. I usually plan my experiments so I can fit them during weekdays, to let myself enjoy my free time and relax on weekends.
I like the working dynamic in the lab, the spaces to discuss projects, getting feedback and troubleshooting with colleagues. One of my favourite things about the lab culture at TSL is how willing everybody is to help and give support. There is always someone you can contact, who has the right expertise to solve any give problem you may encounter. As a third year PhD student, I can now look back at when I started as a predoc and appreciate all the skills I’ve learned and the confidence I’ve gained as a scientist with the help of my co-workers.”