Ana Rozman chose to complete her PhD with the University of Aberdeen's School of Psychology thanks to the exciting opportunities available to her and the fascinating research being done by the team.
Ana, from Slovenia, graduates with her PhD in Psychology this week and is reflecting on how her time with the School led her to this moment.
The 29-year-old says: “I wanted to study human colour perception for my PhD project and the School of Psychology at the University of Aberdeen has an incredible group of people studying human perception, as well as all the equipment one could wish for in doing so.
“My PhD project started out aiming to study how appearance of colour changes as we age. I was supervised by two incredible mentors, Dr Jasna Martinovic and Professor Louise Phillips. As my experiments produced interesting results and the focus of my investigation changed, they provided me with support and encouragement whilst also being incredible role models of passionate, rigorous and inspiring academics.
“I am very grateful I got an opportunity to work with them. The spirit of collegiality, kindness and friendliness at the School is something I have really enjoyed being a part of and something I will always remember when I think of the School of Psychology and all the people that make it.”
Having completed her PhD, Ana is now using the skills and knowledge gained in Aberdeen in her new role as Research Fellow at the University of Sussex. And while she has hit the ground running in Brighton, she will miss life in Aberdeen.
She says: “I have many nice memories of Aberdeen. Right at the top is the great time I had with the friends I made on my course, long walks by the Aberdeen Beach, exploring the gorgeous Speyside and seeing the amazing auroras!
“It was amazing to be part of a curious University community, approaching learning actively. Some of the highlights include the projects I got to work on with my peers and being part of a diverse, very knowledgeable group that is the School of Psychology. Part of my studies were unfortunately impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic which substantially reshaped my PhD journey. Learning to dance in the rain (both figuratively and literally, we are talking about Aberdeen after all!) has been one of the most important life lessons I have gained from it.
“My PhD is my highest academic achievement and graduating makes me feel very proud of what I have accomplished. I am grateful for all the experiences and friends working on this has brought me. I already miss Aberdeen and the community at the School which has made my time here so great.”
Though her time in Aberdeen has come to an end, Ana has a wealth of knowledge, experience and memories to take with her on her next steps.
“Overall, completing my PhD was a big exercise in perseverance, building resilience and the values of hard work. All these skills, together with all the new knowledge and appreciation I have for my topic, are a great toolkit to take with me onto my onward journey. The support provided by my peers, the School and the University have made the challenge of obtaining them much more pleasant and filled with encouragement.
“I would like to thank everyone who has made my PhD journey and the experience at the University of Aberdeen so special and completely unforgettable. “