Rita Ramalhete

"I think moving to a different country has massively shaped the person I am today. From getting used to a different culture, way of living and working, as well as meeting so many different people from over the world!"

Rita is a Portuguese PhD student of Biological Sciences, living and studying in London. She is also an incredible ball of fire, whose interest in the world doesn't seem to lessen with time. She puts the same energy and curiosity into everything she does - which is a lot - be it looking into a microscope, reading a book, cooking, traveling, photographing, or doing handstands.

She studied Pharmaceutical Sciences, did a Master thesis in Microbiology, and started working in a quality control laboratory in Portugal as soon as she graduated.

After a few year, Rita decided to move to London, where there were more job opportunities. Moving to London was an easy decision: "I already loved the city before. Things have changed a little since I moved here, but there has always been plenty of opportunities and space to grow. Besides, there's that old saying of when you are tired of London, you are tired of life- and pretty much that is the feeling of living in The Big Smoke."

Her first London job in academia was exciting and motivating, but it was also quite unstable, and the project came to an end. Nonetheless, this did not discourage her. She started working as a pharmacist whilst applying to studentships. Recently, she got offered her PhD studentship: "So that's what I am doing now - and there has never been a more demanding yet thrilling time in my life."