Hello internet! I’m Eman Ahmed – a 24-year-old PhD candidate at New York University. I grew up in Karachi, moved to the U.S. to study chemistry at Macalester College (a small liberal arts college in Minnesota).
Why Chemistry? Like most Pakistanis, I thought I would become a doctor when I grow up. That changed after my first course in organic chemistry at Macalester. Chemistry is like solving a beautiful and magical puzzle: you create a molecule no one else has ever made before, by experimenting with different recipes until you find one that works perfectly, because it is in harmony with the laws of science. That feeling is euphoric! As for becoming a doctor? Well I always tell my parents that I’ll still be a doctor – just one with a microscope, not a stethoscope, around my neck
Why a PhD? I get paid to ask questions that are interesting to me, devise experiments to answer those questions, and create new things in the process that help others. All of this in NYC – the Karachi of America.
I am a polymer chemist. A polymer is a small molecule that repeats itself to create a material with cool properties. Polymers are everywhere: your book bag is made of them, they’re in wall-paint and personal care products, and my favorite one – YOU! We are made up of biological polymers, DNA and proteins.
Obstacles I’ve faced? Subtle but numerous: “You’ll be too educated to find a husband”, the daily dose of impostor syndrome when people say, “you don’t look like a chemist” or “you must be very smart”. Also, believe it not, working in a male dominated field means everything is closed a little bit too tight or placed a little bit too high for a girl who is 5’2”.
Myths about getting a PhD:
You have to be a super-duper genius. I’m not going to lie – it’s hard and you will feel like you’re struggling most of the time all the time…but you will find supportive people along the way who will remind you what you’re capable of. Find your support system. Getting a PhD is a marathon not a sprint.
You have to be of a certain age. Getting a PhD is not like renting a car: anyone can do it at any age they feel ready. In my case I started right after undergrad.
PhD programs aren’t paid. In the US and UK, all STEM PhD programs (and many humanities and social science programs) pay their students. You’re not making millions of $$ but it’s enough for you to be independent.
After graduating, I want to be science communicator, to help the public at-large understand new discoveries and curb misinformation.