Andreas Svela is a PhD student in Quantum Engineering in the Department of Physics

What was it like preparing for, and talking at, the annual FoNS Research Showcase?

This year's Showcase was held remotely because of the COVID-19 pandemic, so the PhD students were able to pre-record their presentations, which is great because you can really polish the talk and make sure the voiceover is exactly how you want it to be. However, on the flip-side, there are no excuses for it not being perfect..!

Why are opportunities like this important?

Communication is really one of the core parts of a scientist's job. Being challenged to make your research accessible for scientists from other areas is good, and it is also inspiring to see how others are presenting their work and explaining complicated things.

Got any helpful advice for fellow students about giving an academic talk?

Remembering back to when you first started the PhD yourself, what was confusing, what things did you struggle to understand yourself along the way, and how you eventually did understand them – keeping these things in mind while making the presentation helps you to make sure you explain it in a way that is easy to follow for others.

Watch Andreas' Showcase talk

Andreas Svela: Suppressing back reflections in optical microcavities

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