Jan 23, 2020 / Alumni stories

Hi there. My name is Eolo Di Casola; I am a Ph.D. in Astrophysics at SISSA who turned (mostly by chance) into a substitute teacher in the Italian high school system.

Four years of PhD flew quickly. But truth is, I had great fun. SISSA granted me plenty of chances to work and learn at a rate impossible to achieve at the university, meet the big wigs in my field, and enjoy some exquisite trips.
My supervisor proved to be genuinely reliable, helpful, supportive and friendly. Trieste unveiled as an underrated gem, and a true pleasure to live in.

It was a great adventure lived by an ordinary guy (yet one fully aware of his privilege).
What I really loved was the possibility to meet and befriend some truly special people, bright minds sparkling with awesomeness, who helped me become a much better person and scientist.
Some of these friends are still part of my life today, even though we are all scattered around the globe, and meetings are mostly online events.

I had decided that, if I had to pursue an academic path, I was going to work for the people I felt were right, and at my own conditions; doing science just for the sake of it was simply not enough.

It was not a flawless start: adjusting myself to the rythm of the school required quite an amount of hard work, much more than during the Ph.D. time, much more than I could possibly imagine (it got even worse over time, but it’s ok).

Being a teacher has been simply great. I loved the job at first sight, and I have learnt to love it even more all along these years. I’ve been a teacher for as long as I’ve been a Ph.D. now, and I can say that, despite all the issues and problems, these two experiences have been some of the very best in my life. The people I’ve met, the amazement I’ve felt: I honestly couldn’t hope for more, and I have a sense that these years have meant something true to me — and, hopefully, also to some of the people crossing my way.

Read the full story here.