The PhD Chronicles

Silent voices, trapped minds.

Katherine Villavicencio and edited by Constanza Rodriguez Piceda February 12, 2025

Recreation scene of the psychological thriller God’s Crooked Lines, with PhD students trapped by depression and suicide feelings. Image generated by PromeAI.

In this week’s blog post, Katherine Villavicencio (University of Chieti – Pescara) looks into the world of the mind and the mental-health issues that can result by the pressure behind a research project, such as a doctoral thesis. Here, through a personal reflexion ,she explores the main reasons that can lead candidates to suicidal thoughts, and even to the execution of them, finally a ...[Read More]

Dirty Poppy and the Research Tournament of Arcane Mysteries.

Katherine Villavicencio and edited by Constanza Rodriguez Piceda November 13, 2024

Representative Cup for the winner of the Research Tournament of Arcane Mysteries. Figure generated by PromeAI.

In this week’s post, Dr. Katherine Villavicencio (University G. d’Annunzio, Italy) looks into the flaws of the academic system that enables abusive supervisors to hold excessive power. In the form of a wizardly tale, she sheds light on the negative experiences of students subjected to the oppressive control of this kind of supervisors. In an alternate universe, the magical world is governed by ac ...[Read More]

Summer of ‘23: Chronicles of a summer school on meteorite and comet impacts.

Katherine Villavicencio and edited by Constanza Rodriguez Piceda March 27, 2024

Exploring geologic formations along the Nördlingen Ries impact Crater. Credit: Attendees of the school.

One of the best-researched and preserved impact craters on Earth is the Ries Crater (Germany). Hikers, bikers, school groups, and geo-tourists from all over the world come here in search for the evidence of the cosmic catastrophe. In this week’s blog post, PhD student Katherine Villavicencio from University G. d’Annunzio (Italy) shares her experience when attending the Summer School “Impacts and ...[Read More]

Alice in Depressionland

Katherine Villavicencio and edited by Constanza Rodriguez Piceda September 13, 2023

Figure generated using Bing Image Creator.

Not all is about internal evolution of Earth and geodynamic processes. It is also important to make the space for ourselves to separate academic responsibilities and personal interests, in a way that equilibrate our health and make the develop of the PhD thesis “easier”. As it was described in previous blogs (as here and here), mental health matters during the PhD pathway especially when the illus ...[Read More]