INVITE was a fantastic, very intense and selective programme and I am still amazed that I have been selected to take part in it.

Beyond the prestigious title of Marie Curie scholarship and great financial supports, one of the worth achievements was the relationships we made in the INVITE group which made my Ph.D. a never-ending period in my life. Outstanding friends around the world and in different fields, with a variety of backgrounds and roots, gifted me the chance to fly in the eternal sky of colourful cultures.

Honestly, I would like to say that I love my Ph.D. and I think I’ve got a great experience and impressive results. Hopefully, the outcome of my research can provide fundamental information for an upgraded protocol in grapevine biotechnology and affect the viticulture and vine industries as an important economic role player in Italy and the world.  

My current short-term goal is to complete my Ph.D. project and publish the related articles. Being an individual who firmly believes that learning never stops. I want to continue learning and enhancing my skills in this field during my postdoctoral fellowship and eventually, I hope to become an expert scientist in plant biotechnology to establish my start-up. Making real this dream is not unrealistic thanks to the INVITE programme that provide me the opportunity to enrich my professional CV in a short period of time with several valuable skills.   

I hope to become an expert scientist in plant biotechnology to establish my start-up. Making real this dream is not unrealistic thanks to the INVITE programme

Samaneh Najafi

I would like to end up my experience with a suggestion for anyone who starts a Ph.D.: do a Ph.D. only for the love of research, not anything else. Just do it exclusively for the experience, provided you really enjoy research and you are willing to devote a significant few years of your life to solving a research problem.