Founder Created a Job That Unites Her Passions

Name: Sylwia Nowakowska (she/her)

PhD: Nanoscience, University of Basel, 2016

What was your main area of research?

I performed fundamental research on materials for molecular electronics and quantum computing. I worked in an Ultra-High Vacuum Laboratory and got to move single atoms with a Scanning Tunneling Microscope – this was exciting!

What is your current job?

I am the Founder & Data-Driven Creator of Data Immersion in Canton of Zurich, Switzerland.

I manage the Data Immersion platform focusing on Data Art and Data Visualization: https://data-immersion.com/

I also create helpful content that inspires, informs, and supports creatives working with data.

What is your favorite thing about your job?

I love that it unites my passions: Research, Data Visualization & Data Art, AI Engineering, Design, and Photography.

How did you find this position? What were the career steps you took to get to where you are now?

I founded my own company.

PhD Graduate ➡️ Development Engineer (Avantama AG) ➡️ Laboratory Scientist | Senior R&D and Data Scientist (obvioTec AG) ➡️ Senior Researcher: AI in Oncological Imaging (University Hospital Zurich) ➡️ Senior Machine Learning Engineer (DataPhant) ➡️ Founder | Data-Driven Creator (Data Immersion)

If someone is interested in a similar role, what would you recommend they start doing now to prepare?

Learn about Data Art & Visualization & creating a portfolio.

Why did you decide to not pursue a career in academia?

I did not like the idea of doing a couple of postdocs and hoping to get a stable position that would involve bureaucracy, grant applications, politics, and publishing struggles.

What advice do you have for someone getting their PhD and looking to pursue a career outside of academia?

Focus on acquiring skills needed in the market that align well with your scientific profile.

For example, as a physicist, I expanded my skills portfolio to include Python coding, Data Science, and Machine Learning. This expanded set of skills resulted in landing a position where I could combine my experimental physics background with AI Engineering.