Early mornings and late nights define the life of Amira Bencherif, a dedicated postdoctoral researcher at Georgia Tech. Her educational journey has taken her from France to Montreal, and now to Atlanta, where she works in the Epigraphene Lab under the guidance of Professors Claire Berger and Walter de Heer. Their research focuses on understanding graphene's properties and developing ultra-fast electronic devices, perfectly aligning with Bencherif's interests.

She embraced the graphene project we proposed with passion," said Professor Berger. "There is not one problem she touched upon that didn’t show fast progress. Amira is a doer. Everyone in the group, from professors to grad and undergrad students, is very impressed by her qualities as a researcher and as a person.

The postdoctoral position is a complex, multidisciplinary project requiring technical skills, quick learning, smart decision-making, and deep knowledge. Despite the challenges, Bencherif finds the work incredibly fulfilling.

"My workday starts around 9 a.m., and then it’s either working in the classroom or our laboratory, developing and characterizing devices," said Bencherif. "I also supervise an undergraduate project and help our grad students with their research. The day typically ends around 7 or 8 p.m."

Beyond her demanding research, Bencherif finds balance through her passion for Kathak, an Indian classical dance form. She practices every weekend, both alone and online with her choreographer.

"We recently gave a performance in Florida, and maybe we’ll bring it to Atlanta next year; that would be fun," she said.

In her free time, Bencherif enjoys exploring Atlanta, taking walks around the Beltline, visiting the bustling Ponce City Market, and discovering charming coffee shops around the city.