Professor of Environmental Chemistry and Agricultural Research Senior Expert/Consultant, Agricultural Research Department at the Ministry of Municipality - University of Nottingham
My PhD Journey: When Supervisors Become Family This week's Nature editorial asks "What makes PhD students happy?" and my answer is clear: supervisors like Scott Young and Simon Chenery. I was blessed to pursue my PhD at the University of Nottingham and BGS after completing doctoral studies in Egypt (but not awarded). What I found wasn't just academic supervision—I found mentors who transformed my entire approach to research. Scott Young taught me the systematic art of scientific thinking: how to dissect research problems, design rigorous experiments, and craft compelling narratives in English. His confidence in me—ranking me among his top PhD candidates out of 40—became the fuel that drove me forward. More remarkably, he trusted me to co-supervise undergraduate projects and even a PhD student before I completed my own doctorate. That trust was transformative. Simon Chenery showed me that fieldwork could be both scientifically rigorous and deeply human. I'll never forget collecting samples amidst waterfalls and green meadows, his careful attention to my safety crossing roads, and his meticulous teaching of sampling protocols. The week I spent with Simon and his wife Caroline, sharing meals and bridging Egyptian and English cultures, remains one of the most beautiful chapters of my life. The Nature editorial emphasizes that "supervisors who invest in positive mentoring relationships with their PhD candidates also reap the benefits for their own research." Scott and Simon exemplified this philosophy. They didn't just supervise—they invested in me as a whole person. To Scott and Simon: You weren't just my supervisors. You were my academic family. The lessons you taught me about rigorous thinking, ethical research, and genuine mentorship continue to shape how I now supervise my own students in Environmental Soil Sciences. Simon's gift still sits on my desk—a daily reminder that great supervision creates ripples that extend far beyond a single PhD thesis. To every PhD supervisor reading this: your mentorship matters profoundly. Invest in your students, trust their potential, and remember that good supervision doesn't just produce better research—it shapes better researchers, better teachers, and better human beings. #PhDLife #AcademicMentorship #GratefulForMyJourney #SoilScience #UniversityOfNottingham #BGS #PhDSupervision
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6dThank you for your kind words Ezzat, it was a pleasure having you as a student and you are so right we are investing in the future with our students