Jan 20

Jan 20 Intern Intro: Silvia Renon

Getting to know Intern Silvia Renon

By Dan Perry (Pathfinder Intern)

I met up with Silvia Renon, the PGR Staff Events intern in the Research Culture and Researcher Development team. In a conversation filled with fun photos, and audio clips, you’ll get to know her a bit more! Silvia is currently a third-year PhD candidate in biomedical engineering and cardiovascular application.

Tell us a bit about your hometown. What was it like growing up there? I'm from Italy and I come from this very small town close to Milan, called Montevecchia. This translates to an old mountain in Italian. It’s picturesque and growing up there was lovely; it’s the kind of town that you see in movies where everybody knows each other and some people have been living there for generations, which is the case for one of my grandpas, whose family has lived there for generations.

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Some beautiful views from Montevecchia.

The town is on a hill, so you have a beautiful view of Milan from there. During the weekend many couples from Milan love to visit this romantic town! My hometown is famous for three things: goat’s cheese, rosemary and sage cultivations, and pyramids!

*Silvia posing in front of the Northern Lights!*

What sparked your interest in pursuing a PhD? I did my master's in biomedical engineering, which is when I decided to stay in academia. I was also inspired by my grandfather, who was a researcher. He was a veterinary professor in Italy, and his focus was on fish. I remember the white coat, and the fishy smell well!

I want to research applications that might be useful for people, and this is how I ended up doing a PhD. But how I ended up doing the PhD in Glasgow, that's another story.

When I was in high school, I did an exchange programme in Edinburgh, and I fell in love with Scotland. When it came to applying for PhD positions, it felt natural to come back here.

*Dan and Silvia pose together at the ARC!*

What do you like to do when you're not deep in research? Have you got any favourite ways to unwind? I enjoy painting, though I'm not the best artist; it's just a way to unwind. I try to organise an art get-together at my house every now and then! We sit together for coffee, and cake, and after a while, we switch to wine and pizza! This is when art gets interesting! The art just gets better and better. I really love reading too and I try to read both in Italian and in English. I also love trying new coffee places in Glasgow and baking at home.

What drew you to this internship programme and what do you hope to gain from this experience? I'm currently in thethird year of my PhD and I feel like every year has its own challenges and perks. The first year I was trying to get used to a different culture, so I didn't do much in terms of participating outside of my PhD. Second year I started going to events and began putting myself out there a little bit more. And now my third year is when I’ve pushed myself a bit more. I started this internship because I wanted to challenge myself and do something outside of the PhD.

I hope to improve my management skills and learn about how the university community works. I do not really get to interact with anyone outside of the field. This internship is multidisciplinary, making it a good way to expand my network.

Where's your favorite place to write? Do you have a favorite place to write? I don’t write much except when I'm writing a paper or report for my PhD, which is scientific writing. I do love writing in the ARC. I love a coffee place nearby called Ronzio to write in too. There is this gentleman who comes often with two amazing dogs, and also the view is spectacular!