SoapboxScience

Riddhi Gupta (@riddhisw), The University of Sydney, will be taking part in Soapbox Science Sydney on 10th August with the talk: “Machine Learning and Quantum Control Using our engineering past to navigate a quantum future”

A quantum leap for diversity

A ‘quantum leap’ is a queer phrase.  “The implication is that ‘quantum’ is something big and powerful, with a hint of science behind it.” But, does ‘quantum’ mean something really small or really big? And what sort of ‘leap’ could promote diversity in STEMM?

A brief history of a queer phrase

The phrase ‘quantum jump’ in the 1920s, and ‘quantum leap’ in the 1930s were introduced to science and philosophy journals by scientists such as Niels Bohr, Max Planck and Albert Einstein. Both phrases originally meant an abrupt change.

When things are really small, quantum theory defines new rules so that physical quantities can only have certain discrete values in nature. Any change or process that violates these rules is not physically allowed.

For a physicist, then, a ‘quantum leap’ is rather small, quite abrupt, and arises when physical systems are behaving according to the rules set by quantum theory.

Last year, scientists were able to catch and reverse a quantum jump mid-flight. It’s a pretty amazing achievement to even observe a single quantum jump because jump phenomena are small in their energy signatures and they can be easily drowned out by other things in a laboratory.

So ‘quantum leap’ is small, carefully observed, but somehow powerful?

Indeed, these jumps are a cornerstone example of quantum mechanical phenomena that revolutionised our thinking about how nature works because they give us a probabilistic interpretation of our existence.

In quantum systems, every time we measure any physical quantity, we force the underlying system (e.g. a coin) to take up the value of observation (e.g. heads), with a probability predicted by quantum theory (e.g. 1/2).  Experimental observations of these jumps provide a tangible demonstration of the randomness inherent in quantum systems.

It’s impossible to not be curious about quantum mechanical weirdness, like quantum jumps, without digging into the technical details and learning more.

‘Learning more’ is hard, and hardest without a good environment

Universities, unlike workplaces or job-training programs, are really precious places for science because they give people an environment to focus on one complicated problem.

To choose what to focus on is almost like an apprenticeship between junior and senior researchers.

For learning to occur, however, we need an environment that is comfortable so that we can be different.

We need a safe place to be humble, to foster competitiveness alongside empathy, and temper timeliness with time for rigour.

A quantum leap for diversity: small, carefully observed, and revolutionary

So what sort of ‘quantum leap’ in diversity do I want in my field?

Small, discrete changes.

In our niche communities, it is impossible for our professional decisions to not (implicitly) endorse our values.

For me, to do robust science with limited resources, we can’t afford to exclude people from scientific inter-personal relationships, for example, whom we gravitate to or listen to during conferences, how we form collaborations, how inclusively research priorities are discussed and formed for shared projects.

Careful observations

Often diversity issues force us to absorb data that we might not want to believe.  I have found that individual anecdotes and stories have important information that can help us to design better policies and institutions.  While working on technical collaborations with people from minority backgrounds, it’s quite easy to see how my PhD experience is substantially different to theirs, under the close-knit apprenticeship model of academia.

EQUS, the ARC Centre of Excellence for Engineered Quantum Systems, for example, has used its unique position as an industry research centre to support re-entry into academia and barrier-removal via provision of individual funding and scholarships. It signals core values by re-writing all policies with a  diversity lens to affect all Centre-funded activities.

Revolutionary, with recognised impact

Women today are the next wave in a long-standing revolution to have our work acknowledged fairly, and our contributions not made invisible.

My research uses ideas from artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and computer science. In all of these fields, women have worked hard and led scientific breakthroughs. As examples, women extensively programmed and physically re-wired the first computer, ENIAC, using “over 17,000 vacuum tubes, 70,000 resistors, 10,000 capacitors, 1,500 relays, and 6,000 manual switches.”  While writing this blog, my colleague shared a handy little history gem: that computing power used to be measured in girl-hours and kilogirls, because the first ‘computers’ were women sitting with pens and paper. In physics, women “discovered pulsars, found the first evidence of dark matter, pioneered mathematics, radioactivity, nuclear fission, elasticity, and … have even stopped light.”

As more people with different backgrounds enter STEMM, we have an opportunity to form a shared  understanding of one another’s experiences.

In making quantum leaps to promote diversity, we see that there is plenty more for us to learn.

In my research group, we make ‘quantum devices’. These devices have been carefully constructed so that we can interact, control, and use properties of quantum mechanics.  In my talk, I will start by showing you what these devices look like, what quantum properties are and why they are different to how we experience the world normally. Next, I’ll establish the connection with our technological past, where we can borrow ideas from robotics, machine learning and engineering to help improve the way quantum devices work.  Looking to the future, I’ll explain why there’s a global push to make the first quantum computer. Together, we can speculate how these devices might affect our future lifestyles.

Dr Paola A. Magni (@doc_magni), Murdoch University, will be taking part in Soapbox Science Sydney on 10th August with the talk:  “Crimes, Critters & Clues”

SS: How did you get to your current position?

I started work at Murdoch University as lecturer in forensic science in 2016, after a period spent in the forensic industry and as a post doctoral researcher in forensic science at another university.

SS: What, or who, inspired you to get a career in STEMM?

I don’t think I ever had any other options: I was all about science since I was a kid!

My friends were playing with dolls, I was the odd one with a caterpillar in a jar asking for a microscope for Christmas.

Not that I was born and/or raised in a family of scientists, my mum was a primary school teacher and my dad was the director of an hotel, but science was always part of me.

I had a great science teacher at school, however my greatest inspiration was meeting a nobel prize winner. I come from the city of Turin (Italy), which is also the city of Rita Levi Montalcini, nobel laureate for her work in neurobiology (1986). When I was a kid she was my “hero” and when I finally had the chance to meet her she told me that her twin sister’s name was Paola – like me. I took it as a sign that we were connected and one day I was going to be like her… not sure if I will get a Nobel prize, but I hope she is proud of me!

SS: What is the most fascinating aspect of your research/work?

My research and my work focuses on using nature that surrounds us as clues to investigate criminal situations. I am fascinated by the many possible different scenarios and by the power of the environment in being able to provide information for crime scene reconstruction. A little insect, or a seashell or even a microorganism can help estimate time, place, presence of drugs or DNA, confirm or refuse an alibi… it’s just a matter of observing it with an open mind and thinking outside the box.

SS: What attracted you to Soapbox Science in the first place?

I believe that knowledge in nothing if it’s not shared. In this case the knowledge is science, but, in particular, science performed by a girl/a woman/a mum who comes from another country and that only a few years ago, could not speak a word of English.

I like the idea of being in the street and meeting with people, us, as scientists, we go out in the street and we meet people, we don’t wait for the people to come to our lab.

I can’t wait to share myself, my science and my journey with everyone!

SS: Sum up in one word your expectations for the day

Sharing

SS: If you could change one thing about the academic/research culture right now, what would it be?

Improving communication. Sometimes even in the same institution we don’t know each other and we miss out on the potential of multidisciplinary research.

SS: What would be your top recommendation to a woman studying for a PhD and considering pursuing a career in academia?

Think big and expand your views. A PhD project should be as multidisciplinary as possible and best if it includes new technologies. Furthermore, don’t be shy and learn how to communicate your science and your journey.

Dr Jessica Borger (@jessborger), Monash University, will be taking part in Soapbox Science Sydney on 10th August with the talk:  “Designing superior killers of cancers”

Soapbox Science: How did you get to your current position?

I took a longer road than most, having worked as a check-out chick, cleaner, waitress, pharmacy assistant and publican. I commenced my undergraduate studies as a mature age student at the age of 21, and upon graduating with first class honors in Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology from the University of South Australia, I spent a year exploring the world. That one year, turned into eight and I didn’t start my PhD until the age of 30. As I didn’t want to stop travelling I undertook my PhD at University College London and then moved to the University of Edinburgh for my postdoctoral training. After becoming a mother and feeling increasingly responsible for the care of aging parents back in Australia, I returned in 2016 and started my Postdoctoral position at Monash University.

SS: What, or who, inspired you to get a career in STEMM?

I have been interested in science for as long as I can remember but I realized that I wanted to forge a career in science after I received a phone call from my Dad when I was overseas. At the time I had graduated but was working in a pub and backpacking. My Dad, always so stoic had tears in his voice and told me the news my mum had brain cancer. What always stuck with me from that phone call was when he pleaded ‘why are you wasting your time in this job when you could fix this?’

SS: What is the most fascinating aspect of your research/work?

Being able to ask questions and a most of the time being surprised and challenged by the answer. Although scientists perform hypothesis driven research, the body, its cellular composition and many of its biological process still remain a mystery. Simple questions often produce years of hard work to answer, most of the time sending you on all sorts of complex experimental journeys you did not foresee at the start. The feeling of triumph when you find an answer to your research questions, answers no one else has found yet, that never-ending thrill of the chase is what drives me.

SS: What attracted you to Soapbox Science in the first place?

Science communication is integral in both making groundbreaking scientific discoveries and in fostering an educated and secure community. In an era of fake news and a media that over-sensationalise science, innovation and technology platforms like Soapbox Science is breaking down common misconceptions and making science accessible within the public realm. Soapbox Science is giving a platform and voice to engaging, enigmatic and passionate scientists to participate in scientific discussions with the public to excite them about scientific discoveries, dissipate any of their fears, answer questions about what may seem the unknown, be challenged and importantly have fun. Most importantly, it will showcase the amazing science in Australia being driven by successful women.

SS: Sum up in one word your expectations for the day

Inspirational

SS: If you could change one thing about the academic/research culture right now, what would it be?

The funding climate for academic research is disheartening. I read an article recently that said we should remove the ‘S’ from STEM as there were too many science graduates. I was horrified that this should be the answer. Why should we be dissuading people from their passions when the answer lies in the government providing vastly greater financial support to research, technology and innovation. It takes significant investment to ensure experienced researchers are retained and not lost to other sectors or other countries and importantly for Australia’s future, to encourage students to study science for the betterment of Australia’s public health and economy.

SS: What would be your top recommendation to a woman studying for a PhD and considering pursuing a career in academia?

Be authentic and don’t loose track of why you want to study science and what you want to contribute in the future. Importantly, although academia is highly competitive remember you are a unique product of your own passions, drive and opportunities, so focus on being competitive with yourself and no one else and this will ensure you and your science will be the best they can be.

Dr Jessica Borger is a cellular immunologist who has contributed to understanding fundamental molecular mechanisms governing the function of particular immune cells, T lymphocytes, the cells of the immune system involved in eradication of infected or cancerous cells. Dr Borger’s Soapbox Science talk will focus on personalized medicine and how as scientists we are training our T lymphocytes to become superior killers of cancer. Chimeric Antigen Receptor T cells, or CAR-T cells, are created from a patient’s own  T cells grown in a lab that have been genetically modified to recognize specific cancer-derived proteins, generating a biological army of highly trained and efficient cancer killers. Upon reinfusion into the patient, this army of cells set off on a seek and destroy mission. CAR-T cells, similar to the car’s we drive, have accelerator and brake pedals and cancer cells have worked out how to apply the break on CAR-T cells to avoid attack. I will discuss CAR-T therapy and the exciting and cutting-edge science currently being performed by immunologists to stop cancer cells from applying the brake and research efforts being made to supercharge CAR-T cells for successful elimination of tumors.

A newspaper recently ran an article suggesting we should take the S out of STEM due to an unsustainable boom of science graduates and the lack of suitable job provisions. What then  happens when we add the prefix of ‘Women’ into this discussion? Currently, there are two issues for Women in STEM; attracting them to a career in STEM and more importantly in the current climate, retaining them. It is this latter point that does not garner the same amount of attention. Critical discussions of policy and funding, which contribute to the broader systemic issues underlying the retention of female scientists, are urgently required to ensure we curb the loss of women in STEM.

All STEM disciplines are essential to ensure an educated, informed and secure public. As the government moves from an economy reliant on the mining and resources industry to one based on new ideas, discoveries and technologies, changes in infrastructure, movement of funding between sectors and discussions of scientific discovery, research and facts needs to ensue. This requires dedicated government funding to support Australia’s largely academic-driven research. In Australia, less than one in three scientists are industry-based, compared to the United States where four out of five scientists work in industry, as we lack small to medium enterprise. Researchers, including myself, instead are largely supported by government bodies including the Australian Research Council (ARC) and the National Health Medical Research Council (NHMRC), which fund 70% of health and medical research workforce salaries.

Currently there is a ‘postdocalypse’, where many mid-career researchers who are 6-15 years of PhD completion are leaving academic research, either for another sector or taking their scientific expertise and skills abroad. Underlying these statistics is the fact that women like me, within 5-10 years beyond their PhD are less likely to have tenured positions and generally earn less than male counterparts.

I have worked part-time for the last 5 years, being the primary caregiver for my child and know of others who additionally are carers for children with disabilities, which enface could explain the financial disparity but it was reported by the Office of the Chief Scientist that men, regardless of their qualifications, who work part time consistently earn more than female colleagues.

Three years ago I returned to Australia with a PhD from the prestigious University College London and 5 years of postdoctoral training undertaken at the University of Edinburgh, achieving the illustrious international mobility required for our careers. I currently subsist on 12-month contracts, a common policy in academic institutions and started on a minimum entry level salary intended for a newly graduated researcher. Career stability and progression were not challenges I had been prepared for as a returning academic researcher.

Due to my extensive time abroad I inadvertently excluded myself from applying for two major Government funded early career awards, a gateway into Australian Faculty positions, because I spent the eligibility period of only 5 years beyond your PhD overseas, with a significant amount of this time on maternity leave and part-time carer responsibilities.

Female researchers that take parental leave or are primary carers loose considerable years of research time and instantly become less competitive than their male peers. The NHMRC has taken significant strides to address these disruptions by adding an extra year of publications to a researchers CV, but realistically disruptions, often ongoing if a researcher returns to work part-time, considerably impact productivity and output for many years.

The actual funding application process for the NHMRC and ARC involves a highly competitive selection process, usually occurring for a few months over the Christmas period. This not only takes researchers away from precious family time in that period but also research time away from the lab as we draft intense research proposals to fund our salaries and experiments in an attempt to secure our only lifeline to remain in academic research for the next 3-5 years.

The success rate for funding applications is on a steady decline, driving intense competition between researchers for scarce resources. Beneficially, the quality of applications has improved, which has come to the detriment of those younger researchers, such as myself who have undergone career disruptions, as we compete against established and more often than not male laboratory heads. Established laboratories with advanced projects can afford to spend months up to years with vast resources and large teams to produce extensive preliminary data to exemplify the significance and feasibility of their ideas which reduces the success of grants based on innovative blue sky ideas. Us new researchers with less established and hindered track records, generally take bigger innovative risks to compete but lack the feasibility attributed to bigger teams, resulting in lower success rates.

The current age of chief investigators receiving grant funding is on the rise as is the longevity of male researchers. Gender analysis has shown that in the period of 2003-18, 82% of NHMRC grant winners were men, and 84% worked in male-only teams. A Daversity problem was proclaimed when the name David, the most popular funded name at 51 times, was shown to be more funded than the total number of women applicants.

The NHMRC recently conducted a review on the entire grant program to address the current shortfallings in funding and career support of younger researchers. Recent ‘Ideas Grant’ funding applications under the new scheme closed with an 18% increase in applications which disparately saw funding commitments drop from $471M to $250M, suggesting approximately only 300 projects will be awarded compared to 550 last year. This equates to an 8% success rate and begs the question of what happens to the remaining 92% of researchers in regard to both their academic careers and future financial security and the Australian research sector in general.

A big problem is being a postdoctoral researcher is not a career, it’s a stepping stone to becoming a laboratory head or to change sectors, at least in the current funding situation. STEM is loosing women at senior levels, where there is significant gender disparity with males comprising 80% of the most senior positions. This results in few women being involved in critical decision-making processes involving policies men are less keen to implement including those that enable mothers to use grant funds to take children and carers with them to conferences, or policies which would provide grant funding so women could hire technicians to support their primary carer responsibilities.

Efforts are now being made to develop the leadership, strategic and scientific capabilities of women in STEM to enhance their impact in influencing policy and funding.  We need to return the ‘S’ to STEM with the very important ‘women’ prefix by creating visible and audible role models to expedite funding to support women through initiatives like Soapbox Science which are publicly promoting and providing a platform for their voices to be heard.

Hasti Hayati, (@HytHasti) University of Technology Sydney, will be taking part in Soapbox Science Sydney on 10th August with the talk: “Dynamics of running dogs.”

Soapbox Science: How did you get to your current position?

I simply applied! I used to be an international student back in 2015. I am originally from Iran. I applied for master by research degree at UTS, and I got a position. Halfway through my candidature, I upgraded my degree to PhD.

SS: What, or who inspired you to get a career in STEMM?

My mom was, indeed, a big inspiration. She is a pharmacist who loves her profession. I love the way she handles her business and a great work-life balance she managed to make when we I was a kid.

My dad also helped me a lot in choosing my degree. He is a mechanical engineer as well. When I was about to choose a Uni degree, I remember he helped me a lot in choosing mechanical engineering. He told me that don’t be daunted by its name. At the end of the degree, you will learn how to engineer your world. It’s worth the hard work. And he was so right!

Finally, I always loved to become an academic. I love teaching no matter what the subject is. I now realise how lucky I am that can use my teaching passion in an engineering subject, which can inspire more girls to come on board.

SS: What is the most fascinating aspect of your research/work?

It’s always different. I don’t get to do the same thing for more than a month. It keeps changing as you deal with the cutting edge science all the time. I also love the academic environment. People with the same values are around you. Academic life is so colourful. You can teach, lead, supervise and go to free conferences paid by the Uni!

SS: What attracted you to Soapbox Science in the first place?

When I came to Australia for the first time, I was shocked by the low number of girls in engineering. I remember having a class with 60 students, and I only got three girls in total! I thought about how this could be changed? Apart from talking to my girls after the class and encouraging them to pursue the postgrad degree, I was looking for an opportunity where we can promote this topic. Soapbox can be helpful as it has targeted even the younger generation who can change the culture in positive ways.

SS: Sum up in one word your expectations for the day

Passion.

SS: If you could change one thing about the academic/research culture right now, what would it be?

Not to judge peoples work by the number of citations they have. Fields are different, and there are sneaky ways to increase the citation. The best way to assess one person’s work is to read their work, not counting the number of articles and citations they got.

SS: What would be your top recommendation to a woman studying for a PhD and considering pursuing a career in academia?

I want to remind them that having more women in leading roles can make the world a better place.

Emma Camp (@emmafcamp), University of Technology Sydney, will be taking part in Soapbox Science Sydney on 10th August with the talk:  “Can Super Corals really be Super Heroes for the Great Barrier Reef?”

Soapbox Science: How did you get to your current position?

I was successful in my Fellowship applications for the Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Research Award (DECRA) and University of Technology Sydney Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Research Fellowship.

SS: What, or who, inspired you to get a career in STEMM?

I always had a love for the ocean and knew from an early age that I wanted to be a marine biologist. Through activities and classes at primary school I was exposed to STEMM and fell in love with science.

SS: What is the most fascinating aspect of your research/work?

Through my ocean explorations, discovering coral populations surviving and even thriving in conditions that should kill them. Conventional wisdom dictates the hot, acidic, low-oxygen environments around mangroves are no place for corals. Yet my work has found the opposite. I am not trying to understand how these “super-corals” are surviving in such hostile environmental conditions.

SS: What attracted you to Soapbox Science in the first place?

I really enjoy the opportunity to share my research with the wider community! The more people that are aware of the threats facing our world’s coral reefs the better our chance is of ensuring action, to save them for future generations. By explain my research to the community, I hope to educate, inspire and motivate others to join the fight for coral reefs.

SS: Sum up in one word your expectations for the day

Engaging

SS: If you could change one thing about the academic/research culture right now, what would it be?

Work-life balance. In my experience this is sometimes highly-valued, but there are still too many occasions where work obligations are expected to out-weigh other aspects of your life. To me, maintaining a good work-life balance is crucial for mental health and general wellbeing.

SS: What would be your top recommendation to a woman studying for a PhD and considering pursuing a career in academia?

Be resilient and find a good mentor. Academia can be very rewarding, but also extremely trying. Therefore, having a good mentor to guide and support you is invaluable.

Anne Tiedemann (@AnneTiedemann1), University of Sydney, will be taking part in Soapbox Science Sydney on 10th August with the talk: “Physical activity: the elixir of health and wellbeing”

Soapbox Science: How did you get to your current position?

Since I was a child I have always been fascinated by the human body and how it works. When I finished school I undertook a science degree at University of Wollongong, majoring in exercise science. During my undergraduate degree I was drawn to exploring the role of exercise for the management of disease and in particular for people with conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, stroke, heart disease and low back pain. On completion of my degree I worked as an exercise physiologist in a chronic pain rehabilitation clinic where I prescribed exercise for people recovering from a range of issues but mostly neck and low back pain. Through contact with older patients I discovered an interest in working more with that population and particularly in exercise for fall prevention. After about 5 years as an exercise physiologist I changed careers and explored the world of research. In 1999 I managed to get a job as a research assistant at Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute, UNSW (now called Neuroscience Research Australia) under the supervision of Professor Stephen Lord, an internationally recognised expert on falls in older age. After working as a research assistant for a few years running a large RCT of a community-based fall prevention intervention I embarked on a part-time PhD through UNSW. My PhD topic was the development and validation of a fall risk assessment for use in clinical practice. During my PhD candidature I had my first child and then about six years after PhD commencement while pregnant with my second child in 2007 I finally graduated from my PhD. A few years following this in 2009 I commenced an NHMRC Early Career Fellowship under the supervision of Professor Cathie Sherrington and moved to The George Institute, a research institute affiliated with The University of Sydney. My research continued to focus on prevention of falls in older age with more emphasis on exercise-based interventions. In 2016 I was promoted to Associate Professor and commenced an NHMRC Career Development Fellowship focused on physical activity for fall prevention and healthy ageing. I continue to the present day to be working with Professor Cathie Sherrington and we are now part of the Institute for Musculoskeletal Health which is a research partnership between the School of Public Health at the University of Sydney and the Sydney Local Health District.

SS: What, or who, inspired you to get a career in STEMM?

As I mentioned above, my initial interest was human anatomy and physiology and particularly the role that exercise can play in preventing/ treating/ managing health conditions. I was fortunate to grow up as part of a family of active siblings and parents, where playing sport, weekend bushwalks and catching waves at the beach were the norm. I clearly remember as a young child, watching and being amazed by how many laps of a pool my dad could swim! We were also encouraged to be inquisitive and search for answers to our questions, whatever the topic. Education was highly regarded and respected and we were encouraged to pursue our interests, rather than, for example, a high paying career.

SS: What is the most fascinating aspect of your research/work?

Not sure about fascinating, but a highly satisfying aspect of my research is hearing positive feedback from study participants who manage to change their lives through increasing their physical activity, particularly those who have never been active before. It really is life-changing!

SS: What attracted you to Soapbox Science in the first place?

My goal as a researcher has always been to make a real change to the health and wellbeing of society. I take every opportunity I can to talk about my research, despite how terrifying public speaking can sometimes be for me! I am deeply passionate about promoting physical activity for public health benefit and I want to share my knowledge, passion and enthusiasm with others in the hope that it will have an impact.

SS: Sum up in one word your expectations for the day

Challenging

SS: If you could change one thing about the academic/research culture right now, what would it be?

Oh there are many things I would change! One issue is the volume of administrative tasks that academics are required to do because of the disjointed university and government funding systems we work within. If the systems could be streamlined so that multiple forms containing the same information do not have to be repeatedly completed that would be a start! A lot of researcher time and energy is spent on administration tasks that could be more efficiently managed!

SS: What would be your top recommendation to a woman studying for a PhD and considering pursuing a career in academia?

Select an area of research that you are passionate about because that’s what will sustain your enthusiasm and motivation over the long term, and invest time and energy in building connections with like-minded people because genuine collaborations with supportive people are really important for success.

SS: Can you sustain a successful career in research working part-time and raising children?

Absolutely! I have worked part-time for the past 14 years since my first child was born and have had plenty of success. I obtained a part-time NHMRC post-doc and am currently funded by a NHMRC Career Development Fellowship. I have been fortunate to be part of a very supportive workplace that offers flexible working conditions and that actively supports the needs of part-time researchers. This has certainly helped me to achieve success and I believe it’s crucial if more females are to be encouraged to sustain careers in STEMM.

Aline da Silva Cerqueira (@aline_marine), Institute of Zoology of the Zoological Society of London, King’s College London and the London NERC DTP, will be taking part in Soapbox Science Brighton on 1st June with the talk: “The sounds seabirds make at sea and why we should listen to them”

SS: What attracted you to Soapbox Science in the first place – and what are you most looking forward to/excited about in taking part?

I’m very excited about attracting people’s attention to the work I do and above all, to some of the innovative research methods that are implemented in the field of Conservation Science nowadays. I want to show children and adults the equipment I use to gain a better understanding about seabirds and their environment and how this understanding can help protect them.

I believe that Soapbox Science makes science real, fun and approachable for everyone, which breaks the traditional paradigm of doing science in specialised confined spaces.

I find joy in sharing my knowledge and experiences with people, so who knows if I’ll manage to enthuse someone with my talk and they’ll want to find out more about marine conservation?

SS: Tell us about your career pathway

When I was still an undergraduate student, I co-founded a marine mammals conservation NGO with colleagues and researchers from my university. It was a pioneering move in this field of research and we all gained invaluable professional experience, even though most of us were still undergraduates! I developed and coordinated this NGO’s first environmental education programme geared toward fishing communities, which was an amazing edifying experience for me. It enabled me to discover my passion for education, igniting me into a successful career as a teacher alongside my research.

This NGO (AQUASIS – http://aquasis.org) evolved and grew into a bigger organisation, under which a range of different research projects and conservation programmes were developed for the protection of coastal, marine and terrestrial species and habitats. I’m very proud to have been part of this work and I still collaborate with them in a research programme for the conservation of marine manatees off the coast of Brazil.

For my MSc, I studied the impacts of oil spills on coastal ecosystems. I developed a keen interest in gaining a better understanding of how marine and coastal ecosystems connect. During that time, I also worked for a state environmental bureau in Brazil, where I led their Integrated Coastal Zone Management team for two years, working at the interface of ecological monitoring, policy making, stakeholders and coastal communities’ interests. Through this experience I understood that successful nature conservation can only be achieved through the engagement and commitment from communities, stakeholders and authorities.

After completing my MSc degree, I moved to England, where I worked at first as a researcher in academic publishing in London. After that, I worked as an ecology consultant and biology lecturer in Brighton for over 10 years.

In 2011, I had my first child and my life changed completely. I had to figure out how to juggle my career with being a parent. Mind you, I am still trying to learn how to do that!

In 2017, I decided it was the right time for me to pursue my dream to study for a PhD in Conservation Science. I was lucky enough to be offered a place on the London NERC DTP programme, fully funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC UK). I am now a full-time PhD student with King’s College London and the Institute of Zoology of the Zoological Society of London, researching acoustic tracking of seabirds at sea.

Being the mother of two young children (5 and 7 years old) at the same time as a full-time student can be very challenging at times. Without the help and support from my husband, supervisors and colleagues, I reckon it would be virtually impossible to do it.

SS: What, or who, inspired you to get a career in science? 

From an early age I already knew that I wanted to become a scientist. I initially wanted to pursue a career in Astronomy. I had some amazing school teachers who were very enthusiastic about the topics they taught, and I found their enthusiasm contagious. During my final year at college, I had a biology teacher who made me fall in love with Biology. She was very knowledgeable, friendly and enthusiastic. She introduced me to the world of the ‘living things’ in a way that I had never appreciated before. By the end of my last school year, I knew I wanted to study life! Astronomy became a hobby, whilst Biology became my career choice.

SS: What is the most fascinating aspect of your research/work?

To gain an insight into the lives of seabirds when they are far, far away at sea is absolutely fascinating!

I can see from the GPS data, that they are often really in “the middle of nowhere”, in the open ocean, out of sight of land. Yet, there is a lot going on around them. I sometimes can hear many other birds in the audio tracks, which may indicate that there are (previously unknown) hotspots for seabird activity in the high seas. These birds may be feeding, socialising or just resting. They make interesting sounds that are often different from those they make when they are at the colonies.

I really love to be able to explore and unveil the seabird soundscapes. The world of sounds is very rich in information and it is great to learn more about it. When I characterise the acoustic information over spatial and time scales, I can then identify patterns that may indicate specific behaviours. This type of information can underpin the creation of mitigating measures for the protection of these remarkable animals.

SS: Research in STEM is increasingly multi-disciplinary. Which subjects do you use in your work?

In addition to seabird physiology, behaviour and ecology, it is fundamental to have a good understanding of marine ecology and conservation, geographic information systems (GIS), acoustic science and marine environmental factors, such as ocean temperature, hydrological processes, variation in productivity and marine management strategies. To make my work possible, Biology, Physics and Environmental Science walk hand in hand

SS: What 3 attributes do you consider important to your work (e.g. creativity, team-work, etc), and why did you pick these?

Creativity – this is possibly one of the most challenging albeit essential attributes for me. It’s great to be able to “think outside the box” to create or modify research tools. Different animals have different particularities thus we always have to adapt methods and equipment to work with them. Creativity therefore plays a fundamental role in the execution of my project.

Team-work – from data collection to analysis, it is fundamental to rely on a team. I have had the opportunity to collaborate with some of the best scientists in my field of research. I not only have learned a lot with them, but they have been very generous to share their data sets with me and allowed me to go on fieldtrips to collect more data with them. I believe team work is the spirit of a successful research project.

Organisation – with so much going on in my personal and academic lives, it is vital for me to maintain a good level of organisation! I work with lots of different types of data and have to organise them in long spreadsheets, with at least two data backups. I also have many deadlines and important milestones to meet along my PhD course, as well as to make sure that my children are able to meet theirs. It can be all very confusing, so I try to keep track of everything by having a to-do-list at the beginning of each week and sticking to it.

SS: If you could change one thing about the scientific culture right now, what would it be? 

Science is still somewhat exclusive. It is seen by many as something very complex, difficult to do, to attain and to understand. I would like to make science more popular, not only as a curricular subject, but also as a profession and as a conversation topic.

Science is about questioning, investigating and scrutinising the natural world. There is no absolute truth in science and that’s the reason why there’s always scope for more investigations and experimentations, and no space at all for conformism.

Along the education system, however, young minds are trained to conform with norms, memorise tons of information so that they can achieve good grades. The problem is that people can think in different ways, may find it difficult to memorise information and/or don’t perform very well in exams, tests and other assessments. From my experience as a teacher, I think the performance-driven cultures found at schools and universities cause more harm than good and end up scaring away low-performing students from science. All in all, these have negative effects on how society perceives science.

Science education should foster a positive science culture from primary school education by spurring on the curiosity of young minds, embedding and developing critical thinking across the curricula, and emboldening individuals to question facts and processes. This is an honest and solid approach to science learning and will probably constitute the most important steps in becoming a scientist.

SS: What would be your top recommendation to a female student considering pursuing a career in academia?

They should keep their eyes on their goal!

Science, as a career, continues to change to accommodate and reflect changes in our societies. This is a natural evolution in which we play primary roles. Whoever wants to pursue a career in science should be offered the chance and the means to do so.

Work hard, feed your curiosity and passion with more curiosity and passion, and just go for it!

SS: What words of encouragement would you give to children who might be interested in a career in science?

Being a scientist is probably one of the best ways to keep our minds young and open. There is no stupid question, there is no silly question, there are only questions!

Looking at the world with curiosity gives us the chance to seek and to find innovative ways to change what needs changing, and to create what needs to be created. There is plenty more to be discovered, fixed, created, cured and changed. Science gives us the knowledge and the means to achieve all this.

More than ever our planet needs scientists to make it a better place, a healthier home for all creatures. I hope many children will enlist on this great adventure!

Rosanna Barnard (@BarnardResearch), University of Sussex, will be taking part in Soapbox Science Brighton on 1st June with the talk: “Networks: how mathematical graphs can protect us from epidemics”

SS: What attracted you to Soapbox Science in the first place – and what are you
most looking forward to/excited about in taking part?

I think it’s important that academic research is accessible to members of the public. I
was also attracted to Soapbox Science because I am passionate about promoting
women in science, as well as encouraging the researchers of the future.

I spend a lot of time working on a computer in an office, so I am really looking forward
to being outdoors and seeing how people from outside academia react to the work I
am doing!

SS: Tell us about your career pathway

I never ‘knew’ what I wanted to do – other than enjoying my day-to-day work and
working for MI5 (something which I have not yet pursued!)

At school I enjoyed a mix of subjects including the Sciences, Languages and Arts.
For my A Levels I studied Mathematics, English and Photography. I had a really
inspiring Maths teacher during my A Levels, and she encouraged me to study
Mathematics at University. Towards the end of my degree I saw an advert for a PhD
research project which sounded interesting and challenging, and decided to give it a
go (even though I was afraid!). I really enjoyed doing research, and following my
PhD I accepted a position working full-time as a Research Fellow. Now, I get to use
all of the skills and training I have acquired along the way to try and make useful
predictions that help people.

SS: What, or who, inspired you to get a career in science?

I get inspired by people I meet who are really passionate about what they do –
teachers, colleagues, friends and mentors. I also find inspiration in seeing successful
women who are able to `have it all` — balancing their dream career with other
responsibilities such as having a family.

SS: What is the most fascinating aspect of your research/work?

Having recently moved from a Mathematics department to a Biology department, I find
the work that other people are doing around me, on subjects that I am less familiar
with, the most fascinating! I also feel lucky to be doing research that could benefit
humanity as a whole.

SS: Research in STEM is increasingly multi-disciplinary. Which subjects do you
use in your work?

My work utilises techniques from Mathematics, Physics, Epidemiology, Biology and
Public Health.

SS: What 3 attributes do you consider important to your work (e.g. creativity, teamwork,
etc), and why did you pick these?

1. Perseverance
2. Creative thinking / problem solving
3. Kindness

In my experience as a researcher, I have found it to be really important to keep trying
different approaches when things are going wrong. I am also a strong believer in
maintaining a healthy balance between work and things outside of work, and
practicing kindness towards yourself and others.

SS: If you could change one thing about the scientific culture right now, what would
it be?

I want to make scientific research more open and more inclusive. For example, by
making publications and related data publicly available and by encouraging a more
well-mixed academic population by fostering inter-disciplinary collaborations as well
as collaborations between people outside of academia, early career researchers and
established academics.

SS: What would be your top recommendation to a female student considering
pursuing a career in academia?

Absorb as much information as possible! Try different things out: what kind of work do
you like doing? what activities do you like doing outside of work? what sort of working
environment suits you?

Think about developing a dual-path career plan (e.g. have a plan for academia, and a
plan for outside academia)

Attend as many events, lectures, workshops and talks as possible and ask the people
that inspire you what their experiences are and what advice they would give. Enjoy
yourself 🙂

SS: What words of encouragement would you give to children who might be
interested in a career in science?

We need you! You are important and you are unique. You are the researchers of the
future.

Oly Sen Sarma is a PhD student in behavioural endocrinology at the Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University. The title of her talk at the Soapbox Science event in Uppsala on 25 May was “Buddies over solitude – Active or sedentary lifestyle?”

India is a country full of warmth and colours, where a little child was left too pale and cold about her social image of not performing excellent in mathematics or science in general. She found school to be really boring. Everything was way too strict and bound to rules which was clearly not something that she enjoyed. Also, she was forged to believe that the only way to get great respect in the society is to get ‘high grades in educational certificates’.

“But couldn’t creativity be merged with academics? Sigh!” thought the little child.

To give a brief introduction about the lead character of this story, she was bubbly, compassionate, fascinated about art and music and among all the subjects taught in school, biology and the languages were her favourites. She was the only child of her parents and was growing up to become a pride of her family but certain things were pulling her back. Let’s name her Mimi.

Not considering the exceptions, in India, male kids were (are) stereotyped as they must become career oriented and the main earning member of a family. On the other side, female kids were generally brought up in a slightly different way. They were mostly told that they are very delicate and they should have all the knowledge to run their own household and family when they grow up. But these so called ‘delicate’ parts of society take up such powerful responsibilities in real life? That was fascinating for little Mimi. However, at home her parents were a bit different with this conception. While the other female kids were not appreciated to play outdoor games, Mimi was playing cricket in her locality with all the other boys. For the society, it looked weird but her parents never stopped her. People would laugh at her so much! The fact was she was treated as a ‘son’ of the family, who was also getting trained in the household, works sometimes.

Mimi’s father, a highly qualified and reputed engineer running his own company would always get to hear “You are such a successful person and look at your daughter! She is just going to end up being nothing in her life.” Some also tried to force him to send his little daughter to a residential school, far away from the family. But he never wanted that. The poor father used to be very embarrassed but at the same time he was always smiling back at these people and never said anything. Every night, Mimi used to listen to stories from her father where she was a brave girl, living in the forest and saving all the animals from the hunters. She imagined herself riding a horse, wearing brown knee boots, black jeans topped with a checked shirt and a cowboy hat. How glittery her eyes used to be, envisioning herself to be the queen of the jungle, just like Mowgli! With all the innocence, at the end of the story she would ask her father

“Baba, am I that brave?”

“Absolutely, my child! You are our life and we know, one day you will make us proud,” said her father.

”But how? Everybody bullies me so much for being a weak student,” Mimi replied. Her father used to smile as if he knew nothing could stop his child.

Mimi’s mother, a well-educated home-maker, did not always tell her stories, instead she would always describe how amazing she will feel when her daughter will sing on a huge stage with an audience of thousands cheering for her. Also, she was fascinated when her little kid used to recite poems. She said,

“I can see you giving talks in a room full of people about your work, one day”, the hopeful mother also said

“I couldn’t do it, but you will do it one day.” and those little eyes would lit up in optimism.

Mimi’s parents were never forcing her for getting ‘great scores’ in studies, they always said, whatever you study, understand that and never mug up. Whenever Mimi was compared with our her ‘bright and intelligent’ friends and cousins, her parents used to tell her

“We don’t want to you to be the best student in the class but a best human being. We are happy with whatever and however you are.” This was the best feeling for Mimi.

Socializing was a huge part of Mimi’s family and meet and greets cropped up quite often. Extended family, family friends and many acquaintances always made the gatherings fun and happening. All the kids were inspired to recite the poems, sing songs and dance which they recently learnt. Everybody clapped and appreciated all the kids! It wasn’t that fun for Mimi. She was always shy and scared to come forward as people would start asking her

“How much did you score in science this time? Did you pass?”

or

“Let me ask you to solve a mathematical problem first!” and every question would end with a room full of laughter. That was clear signs of bullying a child. Her parents never enjoyed these situations but they were scared of talking against the society.

“It was an easy question, Mimi. Why didn’t you answer?” her restless father asked, while going back from the gathering. Mimi used to be so angry with her parents that she just kept numb, looking outside, keeping her chin on her hand on the car’s window.

With time, various stress and the peer pressure from the society, she had to discontinue her passion for being a singer. But she had to prove to herself that low marks in the exams don’t prove that one is stupid. Her parents never failed to motivate her and that made a lot of difference with time.

“How difficult can it be to be successful in academics?” Mimi thought, and realized that the essential thing is loving what you study. Very unlike other families, Mimi’s family supported her to opt a subject which she loved and that was medicine. From then, the scenario changed completely.

This is a story of my childhood. I never imagined that I would do a PhD but I am doing it and that too from a world class institution like Uppsala University. Until now, whatever I have achieved is mainly because I was led to choose my path at the right time. Figuring out your interest is important and if your family is supportive (overlooking what society thinks) then that is the best possible thing that can ever happen to you. If people end up perusing their passion and interest then nobody can stop them.

At the end of my blog, I would like to say that this might not be a very common scenario in many culture/countries but I am sure some can relate to my experience. The purpose of writing this blog is not to disgrace my country or my culture, not to mean that everybody around me was mean, not even to brag about myself in any way. It is just to give out some messages that motivation is the ultimate breakthrough for everyone. Appreciation and sharing the concept of self-appreciation can make a lot of difference. Education is definitely the key for a better world but it must be portrayed as an open book to each and every one, so that they are able to choose their favourite chapter and contribute on that to the world in the near future.

‘’All power is within you. You can do anything and everything!’’

• Swami Vivekanada