Cape Town – A UCT mechanical engineering PhD graduate, Sherlyn Gabriel, has opened up about battling mental health and wanting to quit during her seven year journey to obtaining her doctorate.
The 30-year-old who received her PhD last week said she battled throughout and spent many late nights on campus feeling “dejected”.
When it all became too much, she said she secured a teaching job in Japan and jumped on a plane to go and work as an English teacher in the city of Tatsuno for a year.
“It was a weird time to just up and leave. By then I had completed all my tests, most of my analysis and my writing.
“I told my supervisor that I would work on drafting my thesis part-time while there.
“I felt like quitting but somehow completed the rest of my chapters,” she said.
Gabriel’s dissertation titled “the effect of blast loading on composites that contain sustainable materials” focused on understanding how composites made from sustainable materials, such as natural fibres and bio-based resins, respond to blast loads compared to composites made from glass fibre.
Her thesis found that glass fibre composites contained better blast-resistant properties when compared to those natural fibre composites, which, she added, was expected.
She also argued that more of these sustainable materials will be used in various applications like car interiors and building materials in the near future.
Gabriel said she was elated that she has been finally awarded the research degree and hopes she can continue contributing to the mechanical engineering field.
"But I’m not going to lie. My PhD was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. It was like a rollercoaster, a crazy rollercoaster that just wouldn’t stop. Trying to understand material behaviour when subjected to a complex loading condition has its challenges, but the mental blocks and imposter syndrome easily made me lose sight of the end goal.
“I tend to get frustrated at my progress [in life] and I make myself believe that there’s still so much I need to do to be successful. I’m also one of those people who believes that what I’ve achieved is not good enough,” she said.
Getting my PhD has been a collective effort from my supervisors, other staff in the department, my loved ones and fellow students. Without their support and advice, I would not be able to push through the difficult times. I am very lucky to have had the opportunity to do my PhD but also be surrounded by wonderful people such that I could also obtain it.”
More of Gabriel’s story can be read here: https://www.news.uct.ac.za/article/-2022-07-20-honestly-ive-just-been-out-here-trying-my-best
Cape Times