Hi, I am Yuting Dong, I will defend my PhD in October, so I am seeing the light in the end of the tunnel. I am from Netherlands Institute of Ecology, both in Animal Ecology and Terrestrial Ecology department. My PhD is about the effects of biotic and abiotic factors on reproduction in spiders. You can find one part of my research in this Youtube video, which is a documentary I made for my spider work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLvTYNDPqgE.
What are you passionate about in your research? I love the flexibility of doing a PhD that deals with easy-to-work animals, i.e., spiders. My false widow spiders are easy to rear and handle. As long as I make a plan ahead, I can use the maximum capability of time management and prioritization of tasks to schedule the experiments, data analysis, writing and etc. Thanks for the flexibility of my supervisors, I also have the flexibility to work anywhere. In this way, I am even more efficient and motivated.
What should all 1st year PhD candidates know? The first year was the most relaxing period for me in a PhD, I would say it is a perfect time to be prepared and think about what you really want. Although after 3 years, I still didn’t figure it out. Haha life is complex!
What is the coolest place I’ve travelled to? Chile, I was visiting Chile in Aug 2024. I have been to 6 continents except Antarctica, and I must say Chile trip is really AMAZING.
I explored the Atacama Desert and did star gazing, also visited the Lagunas around the desert with lots of flamingos. The star gazing experience is breath taking—you can easily see the Milky Way by naked eyes. Lagunas are clear and sometimes appear to be whitish because of the salt. It was not touristy at all, and I did a relaxing road trip around lagunas. Got out of the car, me and my friend simply sat on the shore watching flamingos foraging and flying. It was so quiet and meditative.
In the end of the Chile trip, I went to Patagonia region, and went hiking in Torres del Paine National Park, which was another magnificent trip. The beauty in Patagonia is beyond most scenic areas in the world. Almost nobody was there because it was winter, me and my friend were the only two who wanted to hike to the Torres del Paine, the most challenging hike in winter and you are obligated to have a professional guide. This hike is the most unforgettable experience I ever had, and I will definitely go again.
In a word, the photos on Tripadvisor fall short of capturing the true beauty in Chile. Moreover, people working around these beautiful places in Chile are friendly and professional—highly recommended!
If you could be any animal, what would you be, and why? A Guanaco (wild alpaca) in Torres del Paine National Park. Beautiful views, plenty of food, not a lot of humans, not many predators, and I look cute!
What is your useless talent? I can move my little toes…….
