Crystallography

M

Hi guys. Most of my BSc studies and entirely my MSc focused on molecular biology. I have been proposed a phd position in a very good university from a really nice supervisor, but it is a crystallography subject. Please, crystallography people help me! Is it worth leaving molecular biology? Is it more difficult? Do you "enjoy" crystallography?

H

I will say go ahead if you have an offer from "a really nice supervisor" !

M

yeah but what about the subject...

S

Crystallography is the experimental science of determining the arrangement of atoms in solids. In older usage, it is the scientific study of crystals. The word "crystallography" is derived from the Greek words crystalline = cold drop / frozen drop, with its meaning extending to all solids with some degree of transparency, and graphein = write.
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Sandy
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R

@ Sandy2008 - isn't your answer straight from wikipedia...?

H

If you look at Sandy2008's other posts, they just seem to be copying and pasting random definitions. What a numpty.

Crystallography sounds boring to me but then again so does molecular biology. My subject would probably sound boring to you.

There's no way of knowing whether you will find a subject hard or enjoyable until you try it. Have you looked at some recent research in this area or looked at key books?

M

What is your project? Yes, I have checked it, and actually have taken one course during BSc. It seemen interesting, but not so close to my interests until now. How much do u rate the university when u select a phd? What is more important? The lab or the University?

H

Would you be doing the PhD in crystallography mostly because it's the phd offer you have or because of your interest? If it's the former, I would suggest thinking twice because sometime's it's only the interest and "love" for the subject that keeps you going. There have been a number of threads on here of people quitting their phds because they weren't interested in the subject. It's hard to do a PhD but a million times harder if you have not much interest for the topic.

In terms of university vs the lab, I would go on your supervisor, how many PhD students, publications, conference presentations etc and then look at the department and university.

H

Crystallography is a great field. You may find it exciting to be able to measure the structures of biologically relevant systems that you may be interested in, so your background of molecular biology should be helpful. It will be a great combination of being able to measure the systems that you understand too. I don't know if you will be using x-rays for your crystallography studies?
Whether or not you "enjoy" the field will depend a lot on your adviser. Meanness, hypocrisy, etc. are some common traits found in advisers...

M

Hope you don't have to deal with an advisor of the kind you described...
Anyway, I think I'm going to accept the offer and indulge myself into crystallography. Yes, it will include X-rays. Does that make any difference? I also believe molecular biology will help me understand the underlying mechanisms and might make it even more interesting. I'm meeting the supervisor tomorrow, fingers crossed guys :-)

H

Actually I do.

I too feel that your background of molecular biology will be an added advantage.
I just asked if you would be using x-rays to get an idea about which world you will be in.
You will be making highly accurate measurements of structures and distributions in space, sometimes unique to the use of x-rays !

M

That sounds even more encouraging... As you can see, I am completely new in the field (well not yet, we'll see tomorrow).
Thanks a lot for your advice!

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