{"id":235,"date":"2026-02-25T10:18:33","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T10:18:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\/ic-wip\/?p=235"},"modified":"2026-03-03T12:49:52","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T12:49:52","slug":"wnbiponwednesdays-dr-serena-giardino","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\/ic-wip\/2026\/02\/25\/wnbiponwednesdays-dr-serena-giardino\/","title":{"rendered":"#WNBiPonWednesdays: Dr Serena Giardino"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>This week on\u00a0<a class=\"x1i10hfl xjbqb8w x1ejq31n x18oe1m7 x1sy0etr xstzfhl x972fbf x10w94by x1qhh985 x14e42zd x9f619 x1ypdohk xt0psk2 x3ct3a4 xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak xexx8yu xyri2b x18d9i69 x1c1uobl x16tdsg8 x1hl2dhg xggy1nq x1a2a7pz _aa9_ _a6hd\" role=\"link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/explore\/tags\/wnbiponwednesdays\/\">#WNBiPonWednesdays<\/a> we&#8217;ve interviewed Dr Serena Giardino, who joined Imperial last year as a postdoctoral researcher in theoretical physics. Thank you so much for speaking with us!<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"174\" height=\"300\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-236 alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\/ic-wip\/files\/2026\/03\/Serena-174x300.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">As an introduction, what is your area of expertise?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">I study <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">the force of gravity<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"> as a fundamental interaction, and its <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">applications to cosmology<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">. Gravity shapes the <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">evolution of the universe<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"> and is the force that matters the most at these very large scales. These two things are very closely connected, which is why I think that they\u2019re the coolest things to study!<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">In my research, we try to go beyond Einstein&#8217;s theory of general relativity. If you use general relativity for describing the universe, you have to postulate dark matter and energy. Our understanding of these components is only as good as our understanding of gravity. If we don&#8217;t understand gravity well enough, we could claim to have found dark energy, when we might just be misunderstanding gravity. I find this area extremely interesting because it addresses <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">deep, fundamental questions<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">, like what happened at the beginning of the universe. It\u2019s always something that even children or teenagers find it interesting, because it relates to very fundamental questions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p><strong><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">What are you currently working on, and what do you do on a day-to-day basis?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">I work on <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">modified gravity theories and their cosmological implications<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">. It&#8217;s what I did my PhD on, but now I&#8217;m coming at it from another angle in my postdoctoral research.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">I collaborate with people in my group as well as back in Germany, where I did my PhD. Our meetings involve <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">calculations with pen and paper<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">, and more recently also computational stuff. For example, we use <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">Mathematica or similar things like Python<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"> to model different modified gravity theories and try to understand how to test them. For example, there are many theories for gravitational waves that one can come up with, but <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">we need to test them with observational data<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">. This is really important to me &#8211; I actually care about nature and the data that we get from telescopes and experiments.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">I go to a lot of <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">seminars and events<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"> organised in our department with people coming from other institutions too. I really like the <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">collaborative<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"> aspect of physics, exchanging ideas with people and not sitting in my room all day<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">Can you tell us about your path into physics?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">I&#8217;m originally from Italy, so I studied in <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">Bologna<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">, which is a very nice university town, and completed my Bachelor\u2019s degree in <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">Astronomy<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">. I was always fascinated about the universe and the big questions, but I then began to really enjoy the rigorous, foundational work of theoretical physics. I then did my Master&#8217;s in <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">Theoretical Physics<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">, (still in Bologna), but I also spent a semester <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">abroad in Munich<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">During my time there, I really fell in love with Germany and realised I wanted to do my PhD there. So I moved to Potsdam, which is a city near Berlin, to do my PhD, and stayed for an additional year as a <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"> (also known as the Albert Einstein Institute). After several years in Germany, I obtained a postdoctoral position at <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">Imperial College London<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">, where I now work with Prof. Claudia de Rham.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">Do you have any advice for your younger self?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">One important lesson I learnt is <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">to not attach your entire identity to being a researcher, or being the best physics student<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">. When I was younger, I grew up wanting to be the best in class and wanting to learn everything, I carried this with me deeply. In a way, it was good because it made me very <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">ambitious<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"> and want to do well, but it eventually led me to <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">burnout<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"> when I started my PhD.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">My PhD itself was quite a <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">rocky journey<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">. With little in-person contact due to COVID, it was a tough and isolating period. I also began with a supervisor who left after one year, but luckily found another supervisor who took me on and has since become a role model for me. It taught me that I didn&#8217;t have to attach my whole identity to being a physicist. I had to find other things in life that were also a strong part of my identity, so I decided to spend more time <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">doing hobbies and being with other people and caring more about relationships<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">. I think this type of <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">support system<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"> is really needed since it gives you a sort of stability when, when things go wrong in one area or another.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">Something else I would suggest is to <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">find a mentor<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">. This has been really important to me, because there are not a lot of women in physics, so seeing someone like Claudia de Rham who is not only an <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">absolute powerhouse of research<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">, but also a <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">great person on personal level,<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"> is really inspiring to see.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">I also learned that there are <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">different definitions of success<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">. In theoretical physics, a lot of girls don\u2019t feel confident in pursuing it because they feel like they need to be a genius. That is not true, and otherwise I would not be here. What matters is the <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">hard work that that you put in and the curiosity with which you approach things<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">. In some areas like astronomy, the culture feels more collaborative &#8211; thousands of people operate telescopes and interpret the results together. There are more women in astronomy than in theoretical physics &#8211; I think this is partly because the <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">stereotype of the lone \u201cgenius\u201d<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"> isn\u2019t as strong; people feel they can contribute their part simply out of interest. That stereotype in theoretical physics is really unhelpful, and I wish it didn\u2019t shape the field so strongly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">Can you tell us about your outreach work and why it is meaningful to you?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">Outreach is one of the most meaningful things for me. I do something that is very theoretical abstract &#8211; there are no humans in what I&#8217;m researching, apart from the people I collaborate with. I really like <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">teaching and mentoring younger students<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">, and I think the public deserves to know the fruits of the research that we have conducted. It\u2019s a way of giving back to society for allowing us to do this work, and it&#8217;s extremely satisfying to see the g<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">enuine curiosity<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"> that kids and some adults have about how the universe works.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">Opening up a new horizon for someone is one of the most satisfying things ever. Working in a very abstract field can sometimes feel disconnected from society, even though it advances human knowledge. There are lots of problems with <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">misinformation<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"> and not knowing how to distinguish what is reliable, so I do think that it&#8217;s really important to share what we know and <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">how to analyse and learn things about the world<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">. I think these are basic skills that we need to pass on. It\u2019s really important in the world that we&#8217;re living in and spread the fascination with the universe is just extremely rewarding.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">What has your experience been like as a woman in theoretical physics?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">The most important positive has been having a career that is <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">intellectually stimulating and never boring<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">. The work itself is extremely interesting, and I can\u2019t get enough of that. I\u2019ve also met and <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">collaborated<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"> with some amazing people who are not only smart and motivated but also genuinely great on a personal level. <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">Traveling to conferences and experiencing different cultures<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"> has been rewarding too.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">Early on, I struggled with <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">self-doubt and insecurities<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">, especially as a woman in a male-dominated field. <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">Completing my PhD<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"> greatly strengthened my confidence. I was fortunate not to face active undermining, so the main obstacles were my own beliefs about myself. There is also<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"> intense pressure to excel<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">, which can lead to burnout &#8211; something I experienced and observed in others. I\u2019ve learned that <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">mental and physical health must come first<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">. Another challenge is <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">balancing a research career with family life.<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"> The system rewards single-minded dedication, which makes it hard for people &#8211; especially women &#8211; who want both a career and family. Constantly uprooting life is rewarding in some ways but can be difficult in the long term.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">What do you do outside of physics?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">I love <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">reading books<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">, both fiction and non fiction. I&#8217;m a big fan of <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">classic literature<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"> especially from Russia or Germany, 19th century novels and the worlds that they create. I&#8217;ve been really into <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">neuroscience<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"> lately, too and am part of some book clubs where we read non-fiction books and come together and discuss them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">I also love <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">exercising<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">. It&#8217;s something that I didn&#8217;t do much when I was younger, but the benefits and fun that I have with it now is incredible. I love <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">long distance running<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"> and I&#8217;m currently training for a half marathon, and I also try to be out in nature through <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">hiking<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"cvGsUA direction-ltr align-start para-style-body\"><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">Something else I like is <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">music<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">! Piano used to be a big part of my life, so I love going to the theatre to listen to <\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">classical music concerts or opera<\/span><span class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\">, which is the love of my life. Especially in London, there&#8217;s so much going on in theatres, museums and plays.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This week on\u00a0#WNBiPonWednesdays we&#8217;ve interviewed Dr Serena Giardino, who joined Imperial last year as a postdoctoral researcher in theoretical physics. Thank you so much for speaking with us! As an introduction, what is your area of expertise? I study the force of gravity as a fundamental interaction, and its applications to cosmology. 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