How do you know if you should pursue an advanced degree in science—and once you do, how do you set yourself up for success? In this episode of The Science Basement, we sit down with Dr. Victor Oria, to explore the real challenges and rewards of life in research. From growing up in rural Kenya to conducting research across the UK, Germany, the USA, and now Denmark, Victor shares his inspiring journey through academia, and opens up about: 🔹 Navigating self-doubt in academia 🔹 Building resilience through failure 🔹 Why work-life balance is essential to scientific creativity He says “Research can be tough, but if it was easy, everyone would do it.” This episode is especially valuable for early-career researchers and students starting their scientific journey. Tune in for honest reflections and practical tips for traversing your scientific path. Dr. Victor Oria is an Assistant Professor at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Your host for this episode is Roselydiah Makunja with help in pre-production from Emmi Olkkonen. Editing by Kerttu Kalander. Episode cover by Anubhuti Bhatnagar. TSB podcast logo by Tomás Garnier Artínano. Jingle by Havelocke: www.thisishavelocke.bandcamp.com Follow more about The Science Basement through our Website: www.thesciencebasement.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/ScienceBasement Instagram: @sciencebasement Twitter: @ScienceBasement Email: [email protected]