Testimonies – Monalisa

Before the MonaLisa Doctoral Network, there was the Innovative Training Network ArtMoMa.

Both projects are European initiatives aimed at training the next generation of scientists.

ArtMoMa ran from 2020 to 2024, and several former doctoral students, now PhD holders, shared their experiences of the project with us.

The project met all my expectations. It enriched my experience of the PhD; I learnt a lot during the summer schools and also during the secondment. The 2 months in Bologna made me enter a new project that I continued for the last year of my thesis. I am grateful to have met all the other PhD both during summer schools and when we exchanged for secondments.

I would suggest to fully profit from the occasions you will have inside the network. Try to be involved in the group with the other PhDs and if you have the possibility try to help organizing conferences, it is a very interesting experience. Organize well and in advance your secondment and don’t see it as lost time, but as an opportunity to visit a different research environment and learn plenty new things.

Challenging, fundamental, and renewed research. The project, together with my experience in ArtMoMA, provided me with many learnings that have shaped my vision for conducting precise and responsible research. It has been an experience that will influence me throughout my entire professional career, gaining a very solid foundation in physical organic chemistry in a network of excellent researchers.

For students working on demanding projects, my advice is to not be afraid to ask questions about the research and the direction it is taking, especially in relation to your own interests and timeline. Although it can feel difficult at first when you lack experience, developing and trusting your own critical judgment is essential. You know your project better than anyone else, so be persistent in raising the problems you identify and in pushing for the changes you believe are necessary.

My experience with ArtMoMa has been exceptional, both personally and professionally. I learned a great deal during this time and was very happy with how my projects developed.
The annual meetings we had were great opportunities to learn about different areas of science and meet other researchers. We had a great group of people in ArtMoMa and it was always a pleasure to meet up and share ideas.
The secondment opportunities were also great. I visited the Giuseppone group in Strasbourg and worked on a very fruitful collaboration. Overall, ArtMoMa was a fantastic PhD experience that gave me a strong foundation for the next stage of my career.

It is difficult to set clear expectations at the beginning of a PhD, especially for experimental projects, where many factors are outside one’s control. While scientific outcomes may not always align with initial ideas, what truly defines the PhD experience is the steady learning curve, the chance to develop independence, and the opportunities to collaborate, attend conferences, and grow within a scientific network. In this respect, the experience fulfilled my expectations.

A PhD is less about having all the answers from the start and more about learning how to ask the right questions, deal with uncertainty, and adapt when things don’t go as planned. My advice would be to stay curious, value collaboration, and measure progress not only by results but also by skills, resilience, and connections built along the way.