Antonija Cvitkovic (Croatia)
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| My name is Antonija Cvitkovic, and I am a 31-year-old female, a physicist by training, a curious explorer and a dreamer by birth. |  |
A combination of my interest in mathematics and love of nature resulted in choosing physics as a profession. After graduating from the University of Zagreb and working for two years as a scientific assistant at the University of Rijeka, I decided to leave my homeland Croatia to do the PhD studies abroad. At the moment, I am a final year PhD student in a bit exotic field of near-field optics. The Nano-Photonics research group I work with is a part of the Max-Planck-Institute of Biochemistry in Munich, Germany.
I am happy to live and work in Munich, since this multicultural human-oriented town, in addition to having the best beer, is a big scientific center especially oriented to a modern research in nanobiotechnology. Thanks to its very good infrastructure, the Max-Planck-Institute is an excellent place for students who want to learn by doing. Parallel to that, we have a particularly rich spectrum of regular seminar talks given by top scientists. I have also had opportunities to attend scientific conferences, workshops, summer schools - as well as parties organised by the student network.
Antonija Cvitkovic |
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As an experimental physicist, I have spent a lot of my time performing experiments. Those can be sometimes frustrating, but thanks to the positive atmosphere in our group, I learned to accept obstacles as a part of a normal scientific life. On the other hand, the moments you discover something new are unforgettable. And after our discoveries are published, we always celebrate it with a cake or an ice-cream...
Experiences I have had as a PhD student have definitely influenced me in a positive way. Apart from learning a lot about near-field optics and microscopy in general, I learned how to work in team, how to present my work effectively, how to strengthen my patience, how to be critical and organise myself better. I learned to appreciate time more than before and enjoy every second of long walks through the forest with my boyfriend, cinema and/or pizza-evenings with friends, reading books about natural medicine or taking care of my bonsai. Being a physicist does not mean that you have to put on the side your other interests. On the contrary, they help to form a well rounded person, and a scientist with a broad perspective.
School:
Gimnazija Karlovac Četvrtak