SoapboxScience

Dr. Antonia Misch (@AntoniaMisch), LMU Munich, is taking part in Soapbox Science Munich on 7th July where she will give a talk: “Wir und ihr: Warum sind Vorurteile wichtig? (Us and them: Why stereotypes matter (for better and for worse))”

SS: Why did you choose a scientific career?

AM: I love learning and exploring new things, and my work allows me to think about so many interesting questions every day! As a social developmental psychologist I study the development of social behavior, and so the questions I am thinking about are really relevant to many issues in our society. The most exciting part is that I can actually investigate and answer these questions by running real experiments.

SS: How did you get your current position?

AM: After high school I was thinking about studying psychology, but wasn’t sure whether I wanted to become a psychotherapist. At that time I didn’t know what else to do with a psychology degree. Then I heard that the psychology department at the local Max Planck Institute was recruiting interns to run psychological studies with children. I did an internship there and loved the work so much that I ended up staying until after my PhD. After that I moved to the States for a postdoc position at Yale in order to study the development of intergroup cognition. When I returned to Germany 2 years later I was excited to get this job at LMU Munich, and that’s where I am now.

SS: What do you do in your everyday work life? 

AM:

1. Reading & Writing & Thinking
2. Teaching
3. Running experiments/ Supervising students who are running experiments
4. Statistical analysis

SS: What is the most exciting aspect of your research?

AM: I love the freedom to investigate pretty much any question that I am interested in (within my field, of course). Another exciting aspect is that my research allows me to connect and collaborate with many interesting researchers from all over the world.

SS: What challenges do you encounter in science?

AM: One needs perseverance, patience and the ability to juggle multiple projects at the same time. Job insecurity is also a huge challenge.

SS: What are your most promising findings in the field?

AM: In my dissertation research I found that already 5-year-old children value group loyalty, and that they also show loyalty to their group themselves, sometimes by covering up their group members’ moral transgression.

One of my current studies shows a promising avenue to reduce children’s ingroup bias (which is a natural tendency to prefer members of the own group to members of another group): I found that the mere anticipation to collaborate with members of the outgroup is sufficient to diminish ingroup bias.

SS: What motivates you to give a talk in Soapbox science?

AM: I think that science, and understanding how science works, is important for everyone. Therefore, we scientists have to do a better job in making it understandable and accessible for the general public.

Furthermore, I would like to help to increase the visibility of non-stereotypical scientists in order to challenge a few beliefs about the world that perpetuate societal inequality. For example, when it comes to gender equality most people think that we live in an equal world because theoretically every woman has the same choices and chances as a man. But what most people don’t see is that from early on children’s desires and beliefs are shaped by the world they see and experience. And when young children see that all the powerful and smart positions are filled by people who are White and male, they will automatically start to believe that there is a deeper reason for that, such as that men might be inherently smarter than women. Research from the US shows that already 6-year-old girls think that men are smarter than women, and this belief impacts their own fledgling identity directly – girls perceive themselves as less smart compared to boys of the same age (needless to say that these beliefs are wrong). But educational and career choices are made based on the assumptions of what one perceives as achievable and suitable for oneself, and thus certain stereotypes prevent people who do not fit the stereotype from pursuing a particular career, for example in academia. I would not only like to challenge these stereotypes, but also raise awareness about the development and existence of implicit assumptions.

SS: Do you have a few words to inspire other female scientists? What can we do to attract more women to STEM fields?

AM: My advice for young women in academia (or actually in any field) would be: Don’t be intimidated by the confidence of your (male) colleagues. It does not mean that they are smarter or more knowledgeable than you, but most likely it is due to the fact that we were raised in a society that fosters boys’ and men’s confidence more than the confidence of girls and women.

Furthermore, I think women in science have to be more visible. So we should talk more about our research and our passion for research in public, as well as try to be good and approachable mentors for our students – all of them!

Chioma Vivian Ngonadi is a PhD student at the Department of Archaeology, University of Cambridge. She is a Gates Scholar and a mum to two young boys aged 3 and five years old. Her research examines how the West African Iron smelters in Lejja, Southeastern- Nigeria fed themselves and integrated the food quest among themselves in the deeper past (2,000- 3,000 B.C.).  She will be talking about “ A Human Fingerprint on an Iron working Landscape” at London Soapbox Science on the 26^th of May 2018.

SS: How did you get to your current position?

CVN: I grew up in southeastern Nigeria and graduated with a B.A. in Archaeology from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka- Nigeria and an M.A. in Archaeology from the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. On returning to Nigeria, I joined the academic staff of the Department of Archaeology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 2012. I was encouraged by my husband, Uche Ngonadi to apply for a PhD position in Cambridge which I did and I was awarded the prestigious Gates Cambridge Scholarship.  Currently, I am in the third year of my PhD with a thesis title of “Early Agricultural Communities in Lejja, Southeastern-Nigeria: An Archaeobotanical Investigation”.

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

CVN: I can say that my love for science and archaeology began when I was a secondary school student. Reading history books and watching discovery channels about ancient treasures and explorers was quite inspiring and I was highly intrigued by past human activities and ways of life.

SS: What is the fascinating aspect of your research?

CVN: I work on seeds, potsherds, pollens and in archaeology, these three proxies can help to reconstruct the plant food exploited, vegetation, climate, and human-landscape relationship in the deeper past.  I find it fascinating that these archaeological materials can reveal so much about what happened thousands of years ago and can help us link the past to the future.

SS: What attracted you to Soapbox Science?

CVN: I enjoy taking part in science outreach events and talking to people about my research.  I have done so in different ways in Cambridge and Nigeria. For me, Soapbox offers a new platform to discuss and inform the public about Archaeology and the various methods of understanding the past.

SS: Sum up in your word your expectation of the day

CVN: Excitement!!!

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

CVN: I would like researchers to look beyond their disciplines and experience what is happening in other fields. There should be more scientific communications between scientist, and the public.

SS: What would you recommend for a woman studying for a PhD?

CVN: PhD journey can be quite overwhelming, but you should be kind to yourself and take a step at a time. Try and use your current position to create space for others along the way and build bridges through your subject.

Emma Cascant-Lopez (@EmCascant), NIAB-EMR, will be taking part in Soapbox Science Canterbury 2018 on 23rd June, giving a talk entitled “The circadian clock: How pathogens know when is the best time for infection”

SS: How did you get to your current position?

ECL: My name is Emma Cascant. After finishing my Biology degree in Valencia (Spain), I came to England to gain work experience through a Leonardo Studentship. I worked during 6 months at the genetics department of NIAB EMR, looking at the science behind the rootstock-scion interaction in crop plants. At the end of the placement I was convinced I wanted to do a PhD, and I was offered a PhD position at the same institute. My research focused in the study of the circadian clock of an important plant-pathogen that causes devastating loses to the horticultural industry. The aim was to elucidate time-specific pathogenic responses that could allow the development of highly precise control measures of the plant-pathogen. Currently, I just started a PostDoc at NIAB EMR to understand the lifecycle of the fungal plant-pathogen Verticillium dahliae and regulation by environmental signals such as light and temperature, with the intention to come up with novel effective management strategies.

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

ECL: During high-school I was inspired by my Biology teacher. She made me love and admire the subject, and I was always amazed by how molecularly complicated but perfect life is. That is the reason why I studied Biology at the University, and despite being more inclined towards molecular biology, I enjoyed every subject very much due to the enthusiasm of my professors.

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

ECL: Studying the circadian clock is very fascinating. This molecular mechanism allows organisms to track time, which increases the efficiency of many metabolic, behavioural and physiologic processes, i.e. sleep and hormone production. The desynchronization of the circadian clock is the cause of jet lag, and can be the cause of several illnesses in rotational shift workers. The clock also exists in plants and fungi. It is exciting to think that the control of fungal plant-diseases could be more successful by applying the treatment in a specific time-of-day. Not only it would allow an increase in efficiency, but it could reduce the amount of treatment needed. Win-win!

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

ECL: I wish more people would want to become a scientist. Showing not only how important for our society is, but how exciting it can be may inspire young generations to pursue a career in science. I hope that the Soapbox Science event turns out being very productive in engaging young (and not so young) girls in science. I am also very attracted to meet other woman in STEM, and hopefully create networks for future collaboration or public engagement events.

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

ECL: Fun

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

ECL: The way of informing and communicating our research to the public. Scientists usually feel more comfortable to communicate their research to other members of the scientific community. However, more efforts should be made to reach a wider public and empower people to have critical thinking. In my opinion, some people could change their mind about topics such as GMOs if there were more information about the biology and methodology behind them. However, the public is bombarded with all kind of pseudoscientific information. Furthermore, public engagement needs to be a two-way process, where public could express their concerns on different topics. As an example, plant-pathologists should work and engage with growers and industry to share knowledge and come up with feasible strategies for crop management.

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

ECL: I would tell them to be perseverant and always believe in their potential. To get involved in a wide range of University or public engagement events and to build their network and collaborate with other researchers.

Erin McCloskey (@ER_IN_RESEARCH), Canterbury Christ Church University, will be taking part in Soapbox Science Canterbury 2018 on 23rd June, giving a talk entitled “Being an expert in not being an expert: How peer support programs help mend broken hearts”

SS: Erin, how did you get to your current position?

EM: In 2015, I came to the UK to study a MSc in global mental health at King’s College London and London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Originally, I came to study women’s addiction, but was surprised to find I had developed a strong interest for stillbirth bereavement. I knew I wanted to continue my career in academia, so I spent time looking for an institution that would be the right fit for my PhD. I interviewed for a PhD studentship at Canterbury Christ Church University in 2017, and was delighted to receive an offer for a fully funded scholarship and stipend. I began my program in February 2018. Currently, I’m in the process of developing my final proposal where I plan on researching how bereaved parents of stillbirth participate in peer support programs and how participating in these groups impact their grief journeys.

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

EM: As a child, I wasn’t encouraged to pursue science since it wasn’t a strong area in my studies.  My mother was chronically ill which meant that I was preoccupied with tending to her and worrying about her health, that I couldn’t concentrate on my school subjects.  Never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would become a doctoral student! Fortunately, my grandmother encouraged me to enroll first in a community college and then a four-year university. Later, I received academic support from my female professors. Patricia Jensen JD, was a consistent form of support throughout my MA at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. The most valuable lesson she taught me was to show up. “The world is run by people who show up. You don’t have to be the best, you don’t have to be the most, but you do need to show up”. As simple as this advice may sound, it’s much harder to follow through with it on a day-to-day basis. However, it is now a guiding principle in my life.

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

EM: Although my subject area is heavy and very sensitive, I love the fact that I can work directly with bereaved parents and with charities. A lot of the work I’m doing currently involve meeting with people and hearing their experiences of losing a child and perspective of mental health care after their loss in the UK. These parent’s experiences are the fuel for my research. I enjoy developing a project that will impact programming and support for families who experience baby loss.

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

EM: I’m an avid believer in women supporting women, and Soapbox Science serves as a vehicle for scientists to meet each other outside formal settings. In addition, I love that this event brings the public and researchers together to break down societal silos.

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

 EM: Luminosity.

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

EM: The glamorization of the ‘imposter syndrome’ is something I actively want to change on my campus. It’s so common for novice researchers to feel inadequate to others in their field, and to internalize their fears as fuel to do their work. It’s normal to hear fellow doctoral students to devalue their skillset and to belittle their own work! If they couldn’t succeed, they wouldn’t have been selected to do a PhD program. I would love to see self-confidence grow on campus and gain a presence to counteract the inadequacy of the imposter syndrome.

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

EM: No one else can do the work you can do.  There is plenty of room at the table for you, and the work you want to do. Your interests are important, and your perspective is needed. Finally, choose the institution with the most support rather than choosing the institution’s brand and reputation.

Dr Michelle Hulin (@michhulin), NIAB EMR, will be taking part in Soapbox Science Canterbury 2018 on 23rd June, giving a talk entitled “Hop, skip, jump: How bacteria evolve to infect new plant species”

SS: How did you get to your current position?

MH: I am currently a postdoctoral researcher. To get here, I first did a BSc degree in Biology at the University of Bath. I had the opportunity to undertake a summer research placement in the university molecular biology labs during my second year working on molecular detection of spoilage yeast. In my third year I transferred these skills to work on detection of Fusarium wilt oil palm disease for my dissertation. These experiences and the supervisors convinced me that I would really like to continue working in science, so I applied for a PhD at the University of Reading/NIAB EMR, supervised by Prof Robert Jackson, Prof John Mansfield and Dr Richard Harrison. This was looking at the evolution of pathogenicity and host specificity of bacteria on cherry trees. I aimed to understand what genes allowed the bacteria to cause disease. In my final year of my PhD I helped write a research grant to continue my current research. I am employed as a post-doctoral researcher at NIAB EMR working on this grant. My main interests are bacterial genetics and evolution, combining molecular biology with bioinformatic analysis. I’d like to apply these skills to other important bacterial plant diseases.

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

MH: I really enjoyed studying biology at school and university. Science is a very rewarding and interesting career path as you can put your all into trying to understand the world around you. During university, I enjoyed microbiology courses and studying the interactions between microbes and higher organisms such as plants and animals. I was interested in what drives some microorganisms to become pathogenic. I also enjoyed plant science modules, so brought the two interests together to study plant pathology in my PhD.

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

MH: The part of my work that I find most fascinating is how bacteria can rapidly evolve to adapt to their environmental conditions and how they interact with plants. These interactions are often called an arms-race where the pathogen and plant species are constantly evolving to overcome the other. Our work on cherry pathogens, has shown that these bacteria have gained and lost multiple pathogenicity genes during their evolution and that this has helped them adapt to cause disease towards this particular host plant. Some of these important genes have been gained on plasmids which are small circular pieces of DNA that bacteria can transfer to each other, whilst another important gene has been gained within a bacteriophage sequence (a bacteria-infecting virus).

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

MH: I really want to engage more with the public about science, I think it is important to share our findings and improve trust in science. I’d like to inspire young biologists to study plant pathology as this is an area of key importance for future food security and we do not want there to be a generational gap in experts in this area. You can study fundamental questions about evolution and ecology using plant-microbe systems making them just as interesting as human and animal pathogens!

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

MH: Rewarding

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

MH: I would like to improve the way science is communicated to the public. There is a lot of mistrust in science such as fears of genetically modified food and doubts about climate change. Science is often misconstrued and over-hyped by the media and it seems that every food item can cause or prevent cancer leading to a lot of confusion! I would really like there to be more training on scientific communication from schools upwards.

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

MH: Don’t be afraid of failure, science doesn’t always answer your questions straight away and often experiments will not work. Do the science that you enjoy doing and present it to others with pride!

Dr Heather Ferguson (@hethstar81), University of Kent, will be taking part in Soapbox Science Canterbury 2018 on 23rd June, giving a talk entitled “Me, myself and I: your social brain in old age”

SS: How did you get to your current position?

HF: I always wanted to be a vet, but during my A’levels discovered that I wasn’t smart enough to get in! Back then, A’level options were relatively limited, but I got my first sneak peak of psychology in my English Language lectures where I learnt about child language acquisition, and I was hooked! I studied for my undergraduate degree in Psychology at the University of Glasgow for 4 years. My ambition then was to become a clinical psychologist, which would have involved another 3 years of specialised training, but this was hugely competitive. After a meeting with a clinical psychologist I realised that I would have a better chance of getting onto the clinical training if I had a clinically-relevant PhD, so I applied for funding, and was lucky enough to be awarded money to fund my masters and PhD at the University of Glasgow. Before that first year was up, I knew I’d found my home in research, and wouldn’t be going back to clinical! After my PhD I took up a 2 year postdoctoral position in Linguistics at University College London (following a chance meeting and job offer at a conference), then joined the University of Kent as a Lecturer in Psychology in 2009.

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

HF: Probably my A’level chemistry teacher, Mr Jeal. I was terrible at chemistry (ironic since my identical twin sister is a pharmacist, and all round chemistry genius!), and I didn’t really the subject. But then, in the second year of the A’level course we had to complete an independent research study- formulate a hypothesis, design an experiment, run it, analyse the data and write it up. I LOVED it, and for the first time in two years on that course, I excelled. Mr Jeal was incredibly encouraging, helped me apply that energy to understanding other aspects of the course, and even awarded me a certificate for best project!

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

HF: Generally, my favourite thing about being a researcher is coming up with a question, designing an experiment to answer it, analysing the data and (hopefully) discovering the answer at the end- it’s a very satisfying cycle. Specifically related to my own research I think the most fascinating thing is that I study social communication: how people interact and understand each other, especially how they infer meanings, intentions etc that might otherwise be hidden. I think it’s fascinating because social interaction is central to almost everything we do- we do it all the time, in hugely complex ways, usually without much effort- and yet it can go catastrophically wrong! I want to find out why.

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

HF: I already participate in quite a lot of events to share science with the public (e.g. Pub talks, University of the 3rd age links, etc), and I find those events extremely rewarding and interesting. I’m also a firm believer that as researchers we have a duty to communicate what we’re doing to the public- after all what we’re doing SHOULD be relevant to them, and their opinion on it should matter, even more so when our research has been supported by large grant funding or involves members of the public as participants (as my research does!). The format of Soapbox science is very unusual, so I’m interested to see how that works.

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

HF: Busy!

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

HF: More transparent

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

HF: Don’t be afraid to dream BIG, take risks, and talk to people (including being nice to admin staff, make friends with fellow PhD students, keep up to date with academics in your dept, and don’t be afraid to approach senior acads at conferences, by email etc).