Graduate student and British Skin Foundation researcher, Jennifer Shelley, shares her life experiences from being a curious child to participating in world class research as she has worked to find a cure for atopic dermatitis (AD), commonly known as eczema. Shelley discusses the frustrations of navigating the daily setbacks of research life, resilience and the satisfaction when everything comes together, coping with rejection, self care, making connections and cultivating professional relationships, and a host of other subjects every graduate student faces.