Emma Spooner

"I think I am very well described as a Coordinator, Influencer and Quality Controller. I like being organized and detailed and working through problems methodically. I also like to make sure everyone is happy in a team and that we are all working towards the same goal!"

"I work on a PhD project in Organic Solar Cells, which are pretty similar to the solar panels you can see on people's roofs. The main difference is that those solar panels are made of silicon, whereas my project is focused on replacing the silicon with polymers. This means the solar panels could be semi-transparent, flexible and even made by printing! This could be very important when trying to increase the number of solar panels and the amount of people using them, and my work is focused on making organic solar cells as efficient as possible.I really like doing lab work and getting hands on with my experiments. It is very rewarding making miniature versions of solar panels and getting to shine an artificial sun on them. I also really like working in the field of renewable energy and feeling like I am making a difference.I get paid a PhD stipend which means I receive money from the government tax-free to live off whilst I work. Stipends vary a lot depending on the area & university, but mine is about £14k per year."

"During high school I excelled at science and not much else so it seemed like the most natural option for university. I wasn't sure which part of science I liked best so I chose to do a degree in chemistry as this was the 'central science'. I didn't enjoy lab work very much during my degree but for my masters year I spent a year working in the labs of a company making organic transistors. I had a wonderful time here and lab work finally 'clicked' for me. There is something truly special about using your hands to make a tiny working electronic device!This placement started my love for organic electronics and my search for a similar PhD project. I wasn't sure for a while if I wanted to do a PhD but I also didn't want to be limited later on along my career path so decided to pursue one to open up as many doors as possible. The PhD has been much more enjoyable than I thought and I've really liked being in charge of my own project and time.I have been especially inspired by my mum, who also did a PhD in science, and the three female project leads at my masters placement company. "

"In my free time I like playing guitar, lifting weights, running and cooking elaborate vegan meals. I think there is a real link between science experiments and cooking and they use a lot of the same skills!"

"In a typical week I will spend 3-4 days in the lab. On non-lab days I will spend time answering emails, analysing my data from previous experiments and planning new experiments. I also really enjoy writing little bits of code to make my data analysis easier.On lab days I will typically weigh out materials and make up solutions of my polymers. It takes me about a day and half to make a full set of organic solar cell devices by spin coating my solutions, and then I will test them with something called a 'solar simulator'. Besides this there is a lot of time chatting with other members of my research group, going to group meetings and coffee breaks!"

"After my GCSEs I took A levels in Chemistry, Biology and Maths with AS levels in Theology and Further Maths. I didn't actually take any post GCSE qualifications in Physics, despite now doing a PhD in the department!After school I studied for a Masters in Chemistry at the University of York with a year in Industry and then went straight into my PhD."