Now in its third year, the INI Postdoctoral Fellowships in Mathematics scheme enables “exceptional early career researchers in the mathematical sciences” to gain “experience, independence and new connections on their way to a successful academic career”.  In this episode of Living Proof, Dan Aspel speak to Dr Swapnil Jaideo Kole to learn about her journey through mathematics so far, and to find out what being awarded this Fellowship – which involves spending three months on the INI research programme "New statistical physics in living matter: non equilibrium states under adaptive control"  and nine months working with Professor Michael Cates at Cambridge University’s Department for Applied Maths and Theoretical Physics  – means to her personally.