The PhD Chronicles

Science has no borders. Researchers do: a modern Odyssey

Katherine Villavicencio August 5, 2026

A conceptual illustration of the modern scientific journey, inspired by Homer's Odyssey, where the pursuit of knowledge unfolds alongside the challenges of international academic mobility. Image generated using IA.

When Homer wrote The Odyssey nearly three thousand years ago, he described a journey filled with storms, uncertainty, unexpected detours, and the relentless hope of eventually reaching Ithaca. Today’s journeys may no longer cross the Mediterranean, but they continue to test researchers’ resilience in unexpected ways. Not because researchers sail across unknown seas, but because the pur ...[Read More]

Running Models, Chasing Bugs – from Crashes to Convection

Prachi Kar February 18, 2026

Mantle convection may unfold the hidden stories of planetary interiors over billions of years, but geodynamic models can crash in milliseconds. While figures in papers often show smooth convective flows with elegant plumes and slabs, the path to those results is not very easy. This week, Prachi Kar, a PhD candidate at Arizona State University, shares her honest thoughts on the part of geodynamics ...[Read More]

The hidden effects of academic excellence: workaholism in Academia

Katherine Villavicencio and edited by Constanza Rodriguez Piceda September 17, 2025

Figure generated using VEED IA.

Years have passed since I started my academic career, and I have come to realise that, in academia, excellence appears to come with a price tag. Stress and pressure have become commonplace for academics, often normalising certain behaviours such as workaholism. This essay explores how workaholism have become a common practice in these working environments. It was late, the library lights were blin ...[Read More]

From Rocks to Models: Reconciling Field Geology with Geodynamic Simulations

Sara de Santos Souza and edited by João Paulo de Souza Bueno September 10, 2025

When reading a scientific paper or a text explaining the physical workings of the Earth, one of the most striking aspects is the methodological approach—sometimes involving numerical models, other times fieldwork and/or rock geochemistry. This diversity of approaches can initially cause some discomfort, a feeling that things are like square pegs in round holes. How can a computer model dialogue wi ...[Read More]