I recently submitted my thesis, and while completing a PhD thesis is a significant milestone, the submission process can be quite overwhelming due to various administrative requirements. To help fellow PhD students navigate this often-overlooked aspect of their journey, here are some practical tips:

1. Understand Requirements: Familiarize yourself with your university's guidelines for thesis formatting and submission. Each institution has specific rules you need to follow, including downloadable templates.

2. Plan Your Story: Embed your research in a coherent narrative. Draft a plan and identify any gaps, especially in the results section, to determine which remaining experiments need to be completed.

3. Start Early with Administrative Tasks: Begin collecting the necessary documents and signatures well in advance of your submission deadline. Keep in mind that people may be sick, on holiday, or busy with other commitments. In Germany, I had to submit additional documents such as certified copies of my diplomas and letters to the dean and the university —none of which could be digitalized. This required extra printing time!

4. Organize Your Documents: Save all thesis-related materials on a drive, including drafts, feedback, and administrative forms, to avoid last-minute scrambling.

5. Seek Support: Don’t hesitate to reach out to your committee, peers, or administrative staff if you have questions or need clarification about the submission process. They are familiar with the requirements and can provide valuable insights.
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Good luck to all PhD candidates! 

​My ~150 pages of cumulative thesis along with 50+ printed documents required for the submission

Check the blog post by ESR12 ​Léxane Fournier

As Stockholm prepares to host the Nobel week this coming December, the rest of the world is still discussing the recently awarded Nobel prizes in chemistry and physics. This year's awards have sparked intense debate, as they highlight the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) in scientific research. The recognition of AI-driven discoveries in both chemistry and physics has raised questions about the future of scientific inquiry and the role of technology in advancing our understanding of the natural world.

The 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded jointly to David Baker, Demis Hassabis, and John Jumper for their groundbreaking work in protein structure prediction and design. Baker was recognized for his achievements in computational protein design, while Hassabis and Jumper were honored for their development of AlphaFold2, an AI model that can accurately predict protein structures. The influence of AlphaFold reaches far beyond academia; it has made protein structure predictions widely accessible through the AlphaFold Protein Structure Database, which now boasts over 214 million predicted structures. As ALLODD is a drug discovery-focused consortium, these AlphaFold predictions are particularly valuable for our research, potentially accelerating the identification of novel drug targets and the design of more effective therapeutics.

In an unexpected turn, the Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to John J. Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton for their seminal contributions to the foundational methods that enabled the development of machine learning. Hinton, often referred to as the "Godfather of AI," was recognized for his pioneering work in artificial neural networks. This decision has sparked discussions about the boundaries between traditional scientific disciplines and the emerging field of AI.
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The recognition of AI-driven research in both chemistry and physics has elicited mixed reactions from the scientific community. Some researchers have questioned whether these awards align with the traditional scope of these disciplines. However, others argue that these awards reflect the transformative impact of AI on scientific research. As we reflect on these awards, it's clear that AI is reshaping the landscape of scientific discovery. While some may debate the timing of these recognitions, there's no denying the profound impact that AI-driven research is having across multiple disciplines.

P.S. If you ever are in Stockholm in the first week of December, make sure to make the most of the Nobel week events!
- Go visit the lectures by the newly awarded laureates at Karolinska, Stockholm University, and KTH.
- Enjoy the light illuminations dedicated to past Nobel Prize awards scattered throughout the city! Check out the program here: Nobel Week Lights – Stockholm | 2024; the lights on Stadshuset are usually the most impressive.
- Don't skip the Nobel Prize Museum; even if you're a science geek, it can surprise you with some secret facts about the laureates.

 Image credit: Nobel Week Lights 2024 - Visit Stockholm