Kaja Horn

Kaja discusses being taught by some of the UK's leading researchers and why you should make the most of the resources available to you at university.

Tell us a bit about your current role and responsibilities

Over the course of three years, my PhD seeks to assess how prepared the Scottish Energy labour market is for a Just Transition to Net Zero. My day-to-day basis varies a lot depending on the state of my research. Some days, my focus is reading and battling complex literature and data, but much of my time is spent networking, attending events, site visits and, in general, speaking to people about the field I am researching. Furthermore, my PhD is a collaborative PhD, which has given me invaluable opportunities to be involved and present at conversations with key stakeholders in our energy industry.

Did you get into this role right after graduation?

I started my PhD directly after completing my MSc Energy, Society and Sustainability degree in 2022. Coming from a natural science background, this master's degree helped me gain a wider understanding of the social sciences associated with our energy systems. This was a great benefit when interviewing for this PhD position as I was able to draw from projects and conversations that we covered in our classes. I had previously not considered doing a PhD and was convinced that working in the industry was the right path for me. However, I was lucky enough to have conversations with one of the Programme Directors for the course, which ultimately convinced me to apply. Having just started my second year of my PhD, I am very much in love with my project and the team (the Programme Director of MSc Energy, Society and Sustainability now happens to be one of my supervisors).

What is the most satisfying part of your role?

For the first time, I know that my work is contributing to finding solutions to one of the greatest challenges my generation is facing: climate change. The feeling of knowing that my project is having an impact on our current energy transition is invaluable. At university, you learn a lot about the issues we are currently facing but this is the first time I get to fully dive into the field I am interested in and design and work on a project that will make a difference. It is great to see the enthusiasm for innovation and a Net Zero future, whenever I meet people from the industry.

What part of your role do you find the most challenging?

A PhD can be a very challenging, lonely experience at times. You have to be very self-disciplined to ensure you are making progress and continue working on the PhD. This is easy when you're excited about what you are doing but there will be rough patches where you are struggling to motivate yourself to work. Luckily, these phases do not last very long. Normally, all it takes is taking a step back, which reminds me how privileged I am to have this experience and a project that I love. Moreover, I have other PhD friends and it is that PhD community which has been great at making sure none of us feel alone or overwhelmed when working on large-scale projects. Really, a PhD allows you to hold on to the social aspect of your university life a bit longer!

Do you have any advice for students looking for employment in your field?

Whatever you think you want to do once you graduate: keep your options open and speak to people in the field. If you are thinking about doing a PhD, speak to your lecturers, PhD students; people who have been through the process, to find out if this is really what you want to spend your next couple of years on. If you are not thinking about doing a PhD, still speak to people about it and hear about their experience. I did not want to do a PhD at all, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions I have ever made.

It is also important to remember that while you may hold the title of “PhD Student”, you gain incredibly valuable work experience and transferable skills: project management, data analysis, critical thinking, communication, problem-solving, time management and many more. You are not “putting your career on hold” but rather creating the basis for significant professional development and invaluable networking opportunities. PhDs are known to be hard-working, determined and capable across industries and this will not hurt your employability but rather enhance it.

Tell us a bit about your background and why you chose Edinburgh

My background is in environmental science and geography but towards the third year of my undergraduate I started to realise that what I really wanted to focus on was energy. As someone who loves the outdoors, I have long wanted to make my contribution to the fight against the climate crisis, I just did not know where to start. The more I learned about energy systems and the impact they were having on our planet’s ecosystem, the more I wanted to learn. The interaction between energy and the environment has long made sense to me but I knew that I was missing a significant aspect of energy systems: society.

I chose the University of Edinburgh because the MSc offered here was the best fit for me: a focus on energy and society. The courses offered and the opportunity to do a field excursion (Orkney) to learn first-hand about the dynamics of our traditional and renewable energy systems were exactly what I had been looking for.

What was the highlight of your studies?

Highlight Number 1: Edinburgh is beautiful in all seasons, as long as you have a raincoat. You really need that raincoat, though.

Highlight Number 2: You are taught by the experts in your field. Whenever I did research for an assignment or a topic covered in class, most of the articles published were written by my lecturers, who, in most cases, were amongst the leading researchers in the UK in this field. Not only is it impressive, but it sets the ground for such great conversations.

Highlight Number 3: A relatively small cohort, ideal to make friends and enjoy the social aspect of university life. In my year, we had less than 30 students in the degree, which meant that everyone got to know each other quite well over a short period of time.

Do you have any advice for current students?

It may sound obvious, but if you ever have any questions (e.g. academic, careers), just ask. When I took the MSc, the relationship between students and lecturers felt more collegial rather than a hierarchy, which established a very pleasant teaching environment. Your lecturers want to help and teach and, if anything, are grateful to be asked about their work. If there is one thing I regret not doing when I was a student, it is not taking all the chances, conversations, career sessions and meetings that were offered to me. You have one year, so make sure you utilise every moment and every opportunity offered!