In the 39th episode of the Behind the Science Podcast, Dr. Raquel Felix shares the story behind her PhD dissertation on modeling tsunami scenarios for Lombok and Bali, Indonesia. In the episode, she dove into the captivating process and analysis involved in developing tsunami models, which provide a crucial scientific basis for disaster preparedness in Indonesia. She candidly shared challenges in learning new skills independently, particularly in coding, which was needed to process and generate the models.
Her life outside of research kept her grounded while studying abroad. She had an excellent support system through friends within and outside her department who shared similar struggles and experiences. Dr. Felix also highlighted that the support of her professors and postdoctoral colleagues who played a significant role in her overall positive experience, allowing her to remember more good moments than difficult ones.
Throughout the podcast, she shared valuable life lessons for aspiring researchers: create opportunities by reaching out to institutions or individuals you wish to collaborate with; surround yourself with positive friends, colleagues, and mentors who can support you during challenges and celebrate successes; and remember that research life can be challenging—it’s okay to feel down sometimes, but what’s essential is always to get back up and keep going.
The Marine & Earth Science Learning Hub brought this podcast to you and co-presented with the UP Resilience Institute. Listen to Dr. Felix’s more in-depth discussion about her PhD dissertation and more anecdotes about her life in the field of science here:
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📚Research spotlight:
Felix, R. P., Hubbard, J. A., Bradley, K. E., Lythgoe, K. H., Li, L., and Switzer, A. D., 2022: Tsunami hazard in Lombok and Bali, Indonesia, due to the Flores back-arc thrust, Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 1665–1682.
Do you want to nominate a scientist in the field of DRR and geosciences to be featured on the Behind the Science Podcast? Or, have you read an author’s publication whose behind-the-scenes story you are eager to hear about? Email us at upri.educ@up.edu.ph, and we will do our best to feature them on the BTS Podcast!