If you have enough knowledge and possibility to have a choice, choose work that you will love. In the everyday rush, always find the time to stop, grab a coffee or tea, and think about whether you are going in good direction; don’t run blind. Something that may look like a unique possibility may not be as good as you think. Take a chance to try and, if you feel that it is “it,” go ahead; but if you don't feel it, just step back and choose another possibility.
And to all women who already know their paths, I would like to quote the words of Marie Angelique Arnauld: “Perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things, but in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.” Remember to like what you do at work—and after work as well.
I’ve always had a curiosity of how the world works. I’ve also always wanted to be independent, and to choose what I will do. I liked physics from the very beginning in primary school because it was well-defined and easy to follow: the rules were the rules. I had wonderful teachers, and no doubts about continuing with applied physics.
After completing both undergraduate and PhD studies, my adventure with science and physics continues today. I currently lead a research group; lead the Laboratory of Optical Information Processing; teach students; make experiments and plan scientific development; and serve as vice dean of our faculty. This means that I need to coordinate my work in between scientific research, didactics, and organizational activities, which is possible only with a good team of co-workers.
The biggest challenge in continuing my career was to believe that I can be independent and can make decisions about my research and scientific path. It was also related to the responsibility I have for overseeing my research, my team, and my students. When I realized that I could make decisions on my own, I made a huge step forward in my head. I had to start believing in me.
Agnieszka Siemion
Assistant Professor with the Optical Information Processing Laboratory, Faculty of Physics; Head of Laboratory of Optical Information Processing; Vice-Dean for Students Affairs, Warsaw University of Technology, Poland
Born in Poland / Resides in Poland
Educational Background: MS in optoelectronics and PhD in physical sciences, Warsaw University of Technology, Poland
