Reflections on transitioning from research to industry
By Obinna, from Nigeria, studying a PhD in Energy Systems
My name is Obinna and I’m from Nigeria. I did a PhD in Energy Systems at the University of Edinburgh between 2015 and 2019. It was more specifically around Power Systems engineering. After my PhD, I went on into industry and started a job as a power systems consultant in the UK with a company called TNEI. It’s a specialist power systems/energy consultancy. Currently, I’m working as a Lead Engineer with Scottish Power Energy Networks, which is one of the distribution network operators in the UK.
Balancing my time between research and other aspects of life
It’s very easy to get drawn into focusing too much on your studies, in my case, my PhD. From the very first day of your PhD, you’re always going to have challenges and there’s always going to be something you haven’t accomplished but from the PhD point of view, you need to see it as a marathon, rather than as a sprint. You have to pace yourself. Of course, there will be a few times (or many times) when you have deadlines to submit a paper or hit some milestone and you have to go all in, but thinking about the entire duration of your programme, make sure that you have things spaced out.
Tell yourself “This is when I’m going to start my research,” “I’m going to be working from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM,” or “I’m going to have my weekends to myself.” Creating that boundary between your actual research work and your personal life is essential, whether it involves family, hobbies, catching up with friends, or doing anything outside your studies.
I must also mention that it is good, from my personal experience, to have something else going on in your life rather than just your research. I was involved with travelling around Scotland and I was learning to play the bass guitar. These, and similar activities, took me out and gave me that break from my research.
Managing transitions
Master’s to PhD
My master’s degree was in Control Systems Engineering and then I went on to do a PhD in Power Systems Engineering. I don’t think I felt prepared at all going into the PhD because it was in a different field and the first year was a very steep learning curve for me.
Regardless of the transition you’re hoping to embark on, it helps if it’s a topic you’re very interested in because that interest or passion will keep you motivated for that long stretch of time. In the first year, you will need to do a literature review which should hopefully give you some space to become familiar with the literature around the topic.
PhD to working in the industry
While I was doing my PhD, I always had an interest in applying myself in the industry, so it was something that I always had my focus on.
Compared to the academic environment, it was slightly different because universities are not-for-profit and, in my experience, things are more structured, gradual and slower. But in the industry, it could be a profit-making company that you’re joining so things are a lot faster, you need to take more risks, and you need to move and make decisions quicker. You’re also working with colleagues who are thinking about the profits for the company. There is a transition to keep in mind and it certainly helps to think about it in advance. That way you can start preparing mentally and you can start researching or finding out what it could be. I think that makes it easier when the transition time comes.
Adapting to life in Edinburgh
When I left Nigeria for the UK, it was to come to London because that’s where I did my Master’s. So that’s where I experienced my original culture shock; leaving my home and settling into a different culture. I’m sure everyone who is considering moving to the UK is already starting to prepare for this in their minds and from my experience, it’s just a different way of living. For example, coming from tropical Africa to the UK, I had to adapt to the weather.
One thing everyone can do is a bit of research into these cities. How is the city? How is the weather? How are the people? How are the cafes? But one thing I would like to stress is that it’s really what you make of a city. I lived in Edinburgh for 4 1/2 years during my PhD. Your experience is going to be a result of the kind of person you are; the kind of relationships you try to encourage around yourself and the kind of activities you engage yourself in.
So, when you move into a city like Edinburgh, don’t just stay in, lay on your bed and expect Edinburgh to happen to you. You have to step out, join whatever club you like, join like-minded people, anything of interest to you.
It’s as much about the individual perspective as it is the about city you’re moving to. Another person may have a totally different experience about the same city from me, and that would be because of how they chose to adapt compared to how I’ve decided to adapt. For me, it’s about how I’ve stepped into the city and made it my home. Make sure you are also taking those personal steps to make the city what you would like the city to be for you.
If I were to do it all again
I wish someone told me that I would eventually get my PhD after four years. It felt so daunting that I almost didn’t believe it. I wish I knew at the time that through my hard work, I would have still ended up with a PhD. I would have done more extra-curricular activities and better managed the balance with my PhD studies and still have been fine in the end. That’s one piece of advice I would give myself if I could go back in time, and the one piece of advice I’d give others reading this.
