"Put yourself out there – that’s my best advice"

Why did you apply for a job at Health?

I wanted to be closer to my husband, who is Danish. I would have moved to Denmark at some point regardless. I have a background in forensic medicine and was studying in the Netherlands when I became aware of the opportunity to continue my studies in Aarhus. In fact, I didn’t know there was a forensic research community in Denmark until I looked into it and contacted my current supervisors, Kirstine Lykke Nielsen and Mogens Johannsen.

I’ve been incredibly lucky to write my master's thesis at Aarhus University and later be employed at the Department of Forensic Medicine, first as a research assistant and now as a PhD student. I am very grateful for that.

How does Health differ from your previous workplace?

The job at Health is my first real adult job, and now that I’m a permanent employee, the balance between my work and personal life is much better. My supervisors are very attentive to my work-life balance, ensuring I don’t overwork. I can still have a lot on my plate, but not in an unhealthy way. That means a lot to me, and I get the impression that this attitude is common across the faculty – we look out for each other as colleagues, and there’s a strong focus on work-life balance.

Besides that, working in academia here isn’t that different from the Netherlands. A few months ago, I was interviewed for the university newspaper Omnibus, where I gave an example of the cultural difference, which might also be relevant here. People in the Netherlands are very direct and can seem a bit indifferent about how they express themselves. It can sometimes come across as rude, although I’m sure that’s not the intention. In Denmark, people are also very honest. However, as I see it, you’re more considerate of other people's feelings – you try to say things in a kinder, more thoughtful way. And Danish bread is much better than Dutch bread. The cheese is not.

What is most important to you in your working life?

A good work environment means everything to me. I’m motivated by the people around me, which is why I’m so happy right now. My colleagues are incredibly helpful and supportive. The working environment, both in the group and at the department, is fantastic, and that actually impresses me a bit, because sometimes we’re also each other’s competitors – for instance, when applying for external funding for research projects. But I never feel that.

One thing I would like to see improved – which can challenge the work environment – is the English communication at the department, the language barrier. Sometimes I miss a direct translation of, for example, an email or a guideline instead of just a brief summary. As a workplace, we should aim to be more transparent and inclusive. But that’s likely an issue specific to the department, and I know that the management is aware of it. I don’t think it’s a challenge across the whole faculty. For example, I’m glad the faculty newsletter is available in English.

What do you wish you had known before starting your current position at Health?

Two things, in particular, surprised me when I joined my new workplace. I knew, of course, that there are certain formal requirements for me as a PhD student, such as teaching obligations. But that fulfilling these obligations would be difficult – or at least a bit inconvenient – did catch me off guard. As PhD students at the Department of Forensic Medicine, we have to make arrangements with colleagues in other departments to meet our teaching requirements, as we don’t have enough teaching opportunities within our own department. I didn’t know that in advance.

The second thing that surprised me was that PhD courses at Health are so centered around the medical degree programme. For those of us without a background in medicine, it can sometimes be challenging to relate to the lecturers’ examples, methods, and approaches. It’s a small thing, but it still strikes me how dominant the medical degree is within the faculty.

Do you have any advice for (international) colleagues who have recently started at Health?

Active participation in social activities is key to good integration. It certainly has been for me. Put yourself out there. Attend events outside of working hours. Be open and curious. Those are probably my best pieces of advice for other international colleagues starting at Health. I think by participating and always saying yes, I’ve almost insisted on becoming part of the group.

It can be tough being a foreigner at a Danish workplace at first – especially when you’re introverted like me. You can feel quite lonely, and it’s hard to break through and become part of the community. It takes courage, for example, to engage in conversations with Danish colleagues and encourage them to speak English. They don’t mean to exclude; I think it’s natural to revert to one’s native language in informal and social settings.

But when it works, when I succeed, for instance, when I insist that we speak English during breaks and outside of work, it’s all worth the effort. I feel both seen and included now, so I try to take responsibility and give back when we welcome new international colleagues to the department. I want to help them integrate into the community.

Contact

PhD student Emaan Ghias
Aarhus University, Department of Forensic Medicine
Phone: +45 50 53 44 65
Mail: eghias@forens.au.dk

This text is based on machine translation.