In situ with Odile Eisenstein

Odile Eisenstein is an emeritus professor at the University of Montpellier, France, and a professor at the Hylleraas Centre for Quantum Molecular Sciences at the University of Oslo, Norway. She is an officer of the National Order of the Legion of Honour, France’s highest order of merit, and was the first woman to be elected to the chemistry section of the French Academy of Sciences. She was speaking with Ada McVean

I wasn’t so good at maths in school, and I didn’t find it very pleasant. I enjoyed chemistry more than physics and I got very good grades, but I was not fascinated. I would become fascinated a little later.

I had no chemistry at home. My mother was interested more in the humanities than anything in science. She emigrated in the 1930s from Eastern Europe. She also knew very little about jobs you could get apart from being a teacher. This is probably why I thought I was going to be a teacher, but I didn’t really want that.

I came into chemical physics at the University of Paris-Sud, France. I enjoyed the classes. There were many professors and many topics – thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, kinetics, spectroscopies, chemical structure and bonding. I had a professor there who was just a super teacher, and he became my mentor, my supervisor for my PhD. As he was by training a synthetic organic chemist, he introduced me to many chemists, mostly in France.

I must admit that I was just totally thrilled. I was teaching myself basic programming at this time, which meant learning Fortran IV. There was no class in programming associated with the chemistry programme. Discovering these topics by oneself was not a problem. We were a few PhD students teaching each other some of the elements and we enjoyed this aspect. So I learned programming and I went to the computer centres in the university. In those years, you had to go to the centres to submit a calculation. Submitting a calculation from your office wasn’t possible until many years later.

I’m enjoying retirement tremendously. I realised that I was completely free of any administrative duties. I have to write reports very rarely and I do not require permission to do what I want to do. I cannot be a PI any longer, but I can be associated with many programmes. Later, especially after I started as an invited professor at the University of Oslo, I became very involved again in research as a co-PI in projects that I had been dreaming of doing for many years. After some real regrets around the time I had to get ready to start my retirement, I realised that I had not really lost much and that freedom has made my life easier.

It’s normal that things are not easy

I am a completely addicted reader of novels. I cannot go out without a book in my bag – this is just out of the question. I read books by writers from all over the world, most often in French translation but also in English. It is a way to discover cultures and people. It can be ‘classic literature’ or contemporary books.

I love going to art exhibitions. I have always had an interest in visual art, especially but not exclusively in painting. I enjoy most 20th century art but again in a non-exclusive manner. I thus go to most art exhibitions I can go to in France or in any country I happen to be.

With the help of friends who are opera fans, I have recently discovered that I enjoy opera. I am afraid that there my taste is more ‘classical’ and I focus on composers of the 18th and 19th century.

I really enjoy meeting people. I appreciate the possibility of interacting with people via the internet, but nothing equals being next to a person sharing a coffee, a tea or any other drink or food. One understands each other so much better this way. Solving a difficult scientific question or sharing personal news does not go so well via the internet.

Governments should understand that science is done with a lot of people, a lot of freedom and significant funding. Science is not done in a day; it’s done over a long term. Discovery is not something you can predict. It’s something which is going to come through long study. Discoveries resulting from government funding can be absolutely major, but you cannot say ‘I will work and I will find something’.

Some of the most important advice is to be persistent. It’s normal that things are not easy. It’s normal that things are not equally fun every minute, every day. Don’t give up easily. Don’t be too discouraged. It is normal to have periods of days, weeks or even longer that can be discouraging.

Try to find something which you really enjoy doing. If you do something you don’t like, it is never going to work. And try to be curious of everything that is around you. Basically, be curious, be persistent. And I think it should work out. And don’t hesitate to talk to other people to get guidance.