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Name – Deborah Ojutalayo (She/Her) Job title –/ Graduate Research Associate I A levels– Psychology, Biology, Chemistry Graduate degrees BSc Biomedical Science, MSc Immunology Favourite science fact – It’s absolutely crazy to me that more than 80% of the ocean is unexplored! What motivated you to pursue a career in science – The idea of knowing that my contribution would somewhere and somehow, make a difference. Briefly describe your current role – I work for a Biotech company where our research is gene therapy focused. We are currently developing gene therapy vectors to treat patients with Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) Journey in 3 Words – Am I allowed to sum it up as “whew chile”? How did you decide on your MSc? and do you feel you made the right decision for your career? During my application process for my MSc, it was always between Medical Microbiology and Immunology/Infection & Immunity. I would say this was largely influenced by my final year project of my undergraduate degree as well as the modules I took the most interest in. I started to research job roles where these MSc specialities would be useful, and I ended up choosing Immunology and selecting option modules that related to Medical Microbiology so that I could ideally have the best of both worlds! Although my area of research is focused on neurodegenerative diseases, there are still many aspects of my degree that are applicable. What is a typical week/ month like in your role and which skills do you enjoy the most? ​I literally said "Wow" when I read this question because I do many varied things which I absolutely love! More recently, I have been processing a lot of Pig and Sheep samples for RNA extractions and qPCR runs in preparation for the next stages of our animal studies. I'm also involved in alot of cloning and cell work as well as developing and selecting the best AAV candidate that will deliver a Mirco RNA to target and knockdown the genes that cause ALS and FTD. We have science meetings every Monday where each member of the team presents the work they have been working on, problems and issues they faced as well as potential steps required to move the project forward. We assess the progress made and see whether we are on track for our deadlines and adjust things accordingly. I would say my favourite skills/ things to do in the lab are cell culture, qPCR and cloning, but ultimately I love the intellectual stimulation I get from everything that I do, which requires me to work with intent rather than working out of automation. What skills do you use most from your degree now in your job and are there other skills used that surprised you? Being a student meant balancing multiple deadlines, so I definitely transferred my organisational skills from university and into the workplace. My research projects at university made me realise the importance of lab note taking as everything in research must be accounted for. To get a job nowadays you need to have done the job? How did you navigate the post grad- “what next” job search and what did you do that you think was pivotal in achieving your current role? The changing point for me was when I landed my first industry-based role as a Research Assistant at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine towards the end of my MSc degree after a long drought of hearing nothing from companies. It was also the period that I had become more active on LinkedIn and connected with people who had gone through a similar educational pathway to me. I made myself open to talking with like minded people to better understand the career options that were available to me and where best my degrees could be used. What advice would you give on dealing with rejection and perseverance? Rejection can be exhausting and mentally draining and can leave you questioning your capabilities. Graduating from my first degree when the pandemic had first struck, left me feeling incredibly anxious about how things would turn out for me. My advice would be to never stand still. Job rejections do not mean that your life also goes on hold but be someone who is investing their time into things (hobbies, networking, continuous professional development, jobs with transferable skills etc) that will make them better suited candidates when the role for you comes along. PS: You’ve got this! Is there anything you noticed change in your interview approach before and after networking that landed you your role and what key tips would you have on building and nurturing online connections? ​I wouldn't say there was anything in particular that changed. For the most part, connecting with others in fields I aspired to be in provided that sense of mentorship and gave me the confidence I needed to approach interviews and job applications that would subsequently make me a stand out candidate. Engaging with your connections in a meaningful way (Eg Through LinkedIn posts and personal messages) and keeping the door open for conversation is important. If you see something that someone does or has done and you are genuinely interested in knowing more, then express that! I have met many people through ​LinkedIn who share a common ground with me such as Faith, and this also makes our connections more personal and meaningful. What other roles did you consider in your Job search and do you see yourself returning to academia for a PhD? During my job search I applied to healthcare roles such as Healthcare assistant roles and in the process landed a role as a COVID-19 Vaccinator during the initial stages of the vaccination roll-out. I also searched within the NHS for Medical Laboratory Assistant and administrative roles, however, working in a research environment was always the goal for my career prospects. As a young professional, I want to build my experience and credentials before returning to academia. However I am not ruling out the possibility of pursuing a PhD, so watch this space haha! Knowing what you know now, would you have done the same undergraduate degree and why? I would like to have seen what a degree in Pharmacology would be like, particularly as my company is built around drug development. The only thing I would have changed during my degree is to opt for the four-year option which would have given me the opportunity of a placement year; I believe this would have made my job process easier to navigate. How do you approach the “work-life” balance scale? - Do you have tools you use to maintain balance or is this something you are still learning? One thing I have always been sure of is that I would never want to work in a role that involves bringing and dragging my working responsibilities back home with me. What is done at work should stay at work. It can be tempting for instance to respond to emails outside of working hours, however when you do this, you send signals to colleagues that you are available 24/7 and this is not the case. When considering your career path, how much has your potential salary affect your decision? I have Nigerian blood in me so I would say important haha! On a serious note, I think it was important for me to understand what my career progression looked like, and this has been very transparent within the company that I work for. Salary is certainly not everything, but it plays a big role and employees deserve to be paid for what they are worth. Outside science how would you describe yourself? An absolute nutter! How have your passions and interests changed since you started thinking of careers? Was there a defining moment for you? I always thought the roles available to me were hospital-based roles or working in a role where everything was super automated, and I didn’t want that. I must have stumbled across a LinkedIn profile of someone who had completed an MSc and was working in a Research Assistant role, and I was curious to find out more on what that entailed. After some digging, I liked what I saw and started to apply for similar positions and fell in love with research when I landed my Research Assistant role. I was not confident in my lab/ scientific skills at that time, however the Principal Investigator that I worked for was so encouraging in times where I did not believe in myself and he provided a working environment where I was able to grow as a young scientist.

Name - Nonsikelelo (Ntsiki) Sackey Job Title - Founder of Siakhula Digital & Host of SciComm Chats with Ntsiki A levels - Biology, Physics, Chemistry, History Graduate degrees : BSc Molecular Biology & Biotechnology; Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing; MPhil in Science & Technology Studies Favourite science fact -Most of what releases endorphins is free, like a smile or a hug. Journey in 3 Words - Challenging; Beautiful; Blessed Briefly describe your role : As a founder of a start-up, all the roles that one would find in a typical company are held by me. So I’m involved with content creation, social media, community management, and web design. I help scientists be better science communicators through training and general consultancy on the science communication side of things. Through Siakhula Digital, I aim to showcase, celebrate and accelerate science and scientists in Africa using social media. What motivated you to pursue a career in science -: I have always been passionate about science. It is about finding a cure for HIV and just being at the cutting edge of major and possibly life-altering discoveries. What made you change paths from a direct science career to pursuing marketing? - In my final year of undergrad, I realised the lab was just not for me. I couldn’t keep quiet during Microbiology & Biochemistry practicals, so I would always contaminate my work. However, I knew that science was and will always be for me but not in the lab. So when the opportunity to do Marketing instead of an honours degree. I jumped went headfirst into the Marketing pool. What resources helped you most during your career journey : The biggest resource for me was my ability to network and create connections. My Microbiology lecturer made me realise that I could be involved in science without being in the lab. She told me about an internship that the university’s technology transfer office had. The internship showed me how the process of how scientific research ends up being a product on a shelf at a store near you. There’s a lot of science behind what we see and consume everyday. It was interesting to watch science being translated for investors, marketers, business developers, policy makers and eventually consumers to understand. Through this internship, I saw how Marketing and Science could come together. Science without marketing just ends in the lab. Marketing puts it out there. Also, networking helped me get my first job as a graduate, which was being a Recruitment and Marketing Officer for a science faculty. What advice would you give to anyone that struggles with networking and nurturing connections? Networking is not as difficult as people make it out to be. Think of it this way: everyone you know now was once a stranger to you. How did they move from stranger to friend or colleague or even partner? At a point of your meeting, one of you spoke to the other, found something interesting and moved on from there. So start there. Whenever you are at an event or wherever, speak to the person next you. I know it can be daunting to speak to ‘strangers’ sometimes but try. In terms of nurturing, well I’m still learning how to get this right because I can be a terrible communicator at times. I will be thinking about you and not call or send you a text. I’m working on it though but what I’ve realised is that because I’ve always been kind and courteous to people; they are always happy to see me, talk to me and even recommend me even if we haven’t spoken in years. So maybe try engaging people with kindness. What advice would you give on picking universities and courses that matched your goals? - Take the time to do your research. Figure out what interests and excites you and pick a course aligned with that. If you can take a gap year before commencing your studies, do that. A gap year will allow you to centre yourself and focus your thoughts. Would you have originally picked this career path if more information was available to you at the time? Yes, I’ve always enjoyed being on stage and always enjoyed science. So finding myself in the science communication space suits me perfectly. What do enjoy most about your postgraduate diploma in marketing? Which skills have you really enjoyed learning and which have been harder to acquire? - I enjoyed how marketing forced me out of structure and into creative chaos. I have enjoyed learning design skills. Photography and videography skills have been harder to acquire, but it is all a matter of practice, practice, practice. What is your biggest pet peeve about how the world perceives science - That science thinks it has all the answers. The reality is science does not have all the answers. We are all learning something new every day. Outside science, how would you describe yourself ? I am fun, loving, and easy-going. I love travelling and trying new things, even if they terrify me. I enjoy meeting you people and engaging with them. You run a digital platform and science communication and consultancy “siakhuladigital “ - What motivated this and where do you see it in 5 Years? - While working as a recruitment and marketing officer, I realised that the high school students I was engaging with had a traditional view of science and what a scientist looked like. I knew the field needed a different perspective and better representation. I figured I could create a platform to showcase science and scientists, not being a scientist myself. And also help scientists be better science communicators in the process. In the next 5 years, I see Siakhula Digital being one of the biggest science communication and science multimedia platforms in Africa and collaborating with STEM organisations across the globe to showcase, celebrate and accelerate science and scientists in Africa. When considering your career path, how much has your potential salary affected your decision? Salary does not factor in much because I barely ever have just one occupation. I have always been one to have my hands in many pies, and that’s just how I function. Would I like the salaries to be higher, yes but for me it has always been about what I can learn from a certain job and how I can leave a mark in any place I work. Honestly, even with a high salary, multiple sources of income are a no-brainer. The more you earn, the higher your standard of living. So you will always need an extra income. Also I think the multiple sources of income should be as passive as possible. You do not want to burn yourself out working five jobs. You still need to take care of you. How do you stay motivated running a platform and what are some of the hard truths you’ve had to face since creating the platform? - The only way to stay motivated is to remember why I started it in the first place. It is impossible to quit when the ‘why’ is bigger than you. It’s heartbreaking to put hours into a video or post and only get a few likes and clicks. The hard truth is that numbers are not all that. Did 1 person like it at least? Yes? Then you are making huge strides in achieving what you set out to do. How have your passions and interests changed since you started thinking of careers? Was there a defining moment for you? - I wouldn’t use the word ‘change’ but rather ‘evolve’. I have always been passionate about science; there was never anything else really. So pursuing a science degree made the most sense until I didn’t like the lab. During my undergrad studies though, I was an ambassador for the university student recruitment office. I got to engage with prospective students that came to visit the campus and realised I loved it. I loved making an impact in young people’s lives. So by exploring my interests that being science, marketing and public speaking; I watched everything come together naturally. From there, I was led to this new science communication space. Everything I have done, been through and learned has brought me to this moment. Realising that there was such a field as science communication was definitely a defining moment for me. Stay up to date with x https://www.instagram.com/siakhuladigital/ https://linktr.ee/SiakhulaDigital Scicomm chats https://www.instagram.com/tv/CUNk8augu9z/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

My first conference experience was at 17, a science competition in Boston, USA . 17 year old me felt out of place; rightfully so in a room of scientists when I hadn’t even finished A- level biology. My sessions were spent collecting freebies and just soaking up a new environment and new city. Fast forward to my current experience, I’ve only ever attended online conferences and as I've understood more, I couldn't help but notice all the things I’ve gained , without leaving my house ! Conference: a formal meeting of people with a shared interest, typically one that takes place over several days. The rise of online meetings might be the best thing to happen to early career professionals finding their feet. In the academic environment knowledge has been hidden behind paywalls but the pandemic brought about a sense of urgency to share information quickly and accurately among experts, industry leaders and the general public. While conferences are a space to exchange and build upon ideas, the benefits of attending span greater than networking and knowledge exchange for the early career professional. Interview preparation The job searching process IS exhausting so being ready for an interview in advance makes it a little better and hopefully a much shorter process. Preparing for interviews shouldn't be focused on when you “need” the role. It takes time to find the perfect role at the right time so conferences are a good time to passively gain knowledge and essentially “shop around” for new roles. What do you gain and how does it help at an interview? Answering industry based interview questions: Entering a new field means your gained experience is limited but that doesn’t mean your knowledge on the field and challenges have to be gained from real life experiences. Typical interview questions include What are the challenges you expect in this field/ role ? Can you explain the process for e.g The publishing process By attending conferences these questions can be easily answered. Most likely a speaker would have outlined the challenges of a project or explained a technique, process or work-flow. Understanding progression within a company: This may apply to online “talks” rather than the typical conference format. Depending on the event , many conferences now have career panels alongside poster sessions or structured talks. Before leaving one role for another, seeing your potential growth can really help you weigh up the pros and cons of your next steps or industry. Did it take 5 years to get to the next job role? Are the employees unclear of what their next steps could be ?. Are entry level employees content and do they all come from the same background? Asking questions like this can help you answer sometimes the dreaded question of interviews like: Why did you apply for this role? Where do you see yourself in the future or how does this role tie into your long term plans? 2. How to pitch yourself Tell us about yourself ?... Whether at an interview or in person, perfecting your “elevator pitch” about yourself can be a daunting experience if you haven’t thought of what to say. For early career professionals you may feel like you don’t bring much so the anxiety of it all can also be a hindrance. Conferences and online talks are a perfect place to refine your pitch by observing panelist and hosts then essentially coming up with a combination of your favourites. All conferences have introductions. Panellists, hosts all introduce themselves and in this you can pick up words, cues and styles on how to present yourself and what skills or experiences people focus on when they talk about themselves. Pitching myself is something I personally still find quite awkward but through “borrowing” I’ve found a style that suits me. In planning an intro, the people you are introducing yourself to matter. So before you start think of a few things. What is this event about and who will be attending? What skills do I have / projects I am working on do I want to share ? What am I trying to learn and can I categorise them into fields ? E.g My name is X, I just graduated XYZ / I work at X doing ABC and I am really interested in ABC or I am working on ABC and would like some input . I have recently been doing ABC and have found something difficult/ interesting? 3. Find out about new fields / Job titles / companies The definition of a conference is: a meeting of people with a shared interest . With this we focus on the people attending and the work they do. Focusing on the attendees you can directly find out about companies and job titles but for this section its paying attention to the list of sponsors and in the more formal setting vendors. Career building is a two way street where companies are looking for talent and talent wants to be found. I think it's a good way to identify organisations that are interested in causes you are passionate about and in the sense of talks / short panel events - these are more intimate settings where you get a deeper understanding on the goals of a company and how collaborations come about. Now back to the people that attend conferences. That trusty name badge that's sometimes peeling off if its a sticker or propped up perfectly if its a pin holds valuable information. : The JOB TITLE. One thing I’ve come to learn about the world of careers after many career interviews. There are an endless range of job titles and you sometimes know what you want to do but haven’t really placed a name on the role. Keeping an eye out for titles that align with your interests can make future job searches much easier or even highlight something you were unaware of. 4. Building your presentation skills As a visual learner and with my growing interest in design. I’ve gained a greater appreciation for how things are presented and communicated. The range of talks and styles conferences expose you to can help you either find your personal style or inspire you to even greater heights on how to really get your work across. There is just something so amazing about a well put together presentation where everything is very interesting, I remain engaged but I can tell the speaker put so much detail in making it visually pleasing. Back to my “ borrowing tip” . Try new styles, paces of presentation and if you dare put more thought into the colour scheme. As an early career professional / graduate conferences set a picture of the standard of presentations required in your field and most importantly noticing how people answer or deflect questions posed to them. I think the best skills gained are those over time in a passive rather than rushed manner. What can you take from presentations? Style: What caught your eye and why? Questions asked and how they are answered Pace and tone of the speaker 5. Gain new knowledge and network Okay now we're back to familiar territory ! Gaining new knowledge I wont even keep it specific to your direct field but something that you are mildly curious about. I find these talks/ conferences the most enjoyable. Your pursuit of new information can really stop at attending, enjoying that space and passively picking things ups. My highlight was attending the WHO infodemic conference at a time when I was building my sci comm and sharing Covid-19 information. While this was a very new field to me, it gave me confidence to continue as my thoughts were in line with the experts and I was gaining knowledge of new resources to read and share in a way I had’t thought about before. The beauty is people are talking passionately about things. If you aren't familiar with a specific skill, the knowledge gained in a conference can be translated into light interview discussions as well. How can you use this knowledge ? Learning new things passively with up to date information A talking point in interviews / CV's and can help contextualise things Stay up to date in your current field Learn something new about a new field Gain access to new resources Networking the exchange of information and ideas among people with a common profession or special interest, usually in an informal social setting Now networking will always be a thing you either love or hate or just don’t know if you’re doing it right unless you are a LinkedIn pro. The pressure of getting something out of networking in your early career days and being able to offer something back is what makes it long. TCIM has two posts on networking : Networking on social media and Maintaining relationships which are good stepping stones on navigating the networking space. While the definition is the exchange of information. Online networking means you can really gain a lot of information before ever actually speaking to the person. But how do you make the most of networking in a conference setting, online or in person? I’ve found going with an aim makes the process much easier and you don't have to really feel like you have much to offer because someone will be interested in what you do based on how you pitch yourself ( go back to point 3) Networking with a plan Are you interested in understanding the work ethic and environment in a new country Want to ask about funding and Visa requirements Share more about your own work and finding people interested To end put them all together and use this approach with in person events, online events outside of conferences and the process of finding what you want naturally becomes a lot easier and less pressured. The career path is a journey that you should try and enjoy regardless of the intended destination.

Name : Miss Sandra Ukah Job Title: Physician Associate A levels/ equivalent : Italian A levels equivalent “Diploma di Maturità” - Maths, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, History of Art, History, Philosophy, Italian literature, Latin and Latin literature, English and English literature, PE. Undergrad and postgrad degrees: BSc Medical Physiology (UoL), MSc in Physician Associate Practice (Uclan). Favourite science fact: “In physics, work is the energy which is transferred to and from an object via the application of force along a displacement”. I just love this concept because I believe it can be transposed to real life, where without the consumption of energy no work is done, nothing moves! Everything requires some sort of energy to work, or just be! Journey in 3 Words: Bold, unconventional, intentional. Briefly describe your role: Physician Associates are generalist medical practitioners who are fully qualified to be part of any clinical team in both primary and secondary care. They undergo two years of intense medical training to be able to examine, manage and diagnose patients. This is, providing that they completed a degree in medical sciences and have some clinical experience prior to starting the course. Currently we cannot prescribe medications and ionising radiation procedures, but this is going to change once the General Medical Council (GMC) hopefully gives us permission to do so around the end of 2023. What motivated you to pursue a career in science? Early on in my studies, I realised that people can be helped greatly through scientific knowledge and innovation. Scientific knowledge when applied can, ultimately, be used to help people. This is why I was mostly fascinated by human biology. I loved the idea that I could learn all about how things are and should be in nature, to then speculate on what could be causing things to go wrong. I was seeking something that would flexibly and fairly quickly allow me to work both in clinics/wards, academia and medical innovation How did you decide on your Msc? and do you feel you made the right decision for your career? At the end of my first degree I realised I wanted to work in medicine but was not sure I wanted to become a doctor. I was seeking something that would flexibly and fairly quickly allow me to work both in clinics/wards, academia and medical innovation. When I came across the Physician Associate role I realised it ticked all my boxes: lateral mobility, the opportunity to shape my career the way I wanted to due to the role being fairly new in the UK and the possibility to gain medical knowledge to support the pressures in healthcare Although it has been a challenging journey, I have not for once regretted my decision. Since I qualified in November 2021, I have been able to work in clinics and in education, as well as having the opportunity to partner with organisations that set up study apps and mock exams for upcoming physician associates. What did you enjoy the most about your masters course? Were there things that surprised you? Everything about the PA course was surprising: the intensity of the programme, the depth of the content which had to be covered in a short amount of time, the degree of autonomy that the course demands and the lack of holidays! We probably only had 5 weeks off across two years!! However, I enjoyed the fact that it constantly put me outside of my comfort zone. If I wanted to get opportunities to learn new skills, see surgical procedures, assess patients or just take a medical history for my portfolio, I had to constantly put myself out there. I had to ask questions even when they sounded silly and act with confidence even when I had very little of it. The course surely strengthened my character. I am certainly more assertive and, more importantly, I am more keen to seek feedback recognising that mistakes bring about positive growth that can improve my practice. What is a typical day like for you and which skills do you enjoy using the most and which ones have you needed to learn and work on to suit the role? I normally start my clinics around 9 am and finish at 5 pm. Before I start I take 5 minutes to myself to have a look at the patients that are on my list, and I decide who I am going to ring first depending on the complaint presented to the receptionists. Currently in GP most consultations start on the phone, then, if the concern requires it, I could invite the patient to come to the practice for a face-to-face appointment. Every week I get a morning off, and two afternoons for training. I really enjoy managing sexual health and gynaecology cases and performing speculum exams. I say this because although the skill is sensitive, when handled well, it can enable a rapport of trust with the patient resulting in better care outcomes. I definitely needed, and still need, to learn how to document consultations concisely. And, with patients coming in with multiple complaints, I have had to learn to prioritise tasks in a way that does not make the patient feel neglected. What resources helped you most during your career journey? - How did attending events help you to where you are now? Are there any you would recommend? Apps and websites designed to support medical students with question banks, notes and webinars were my lifesaver during my time as a student and even now that I am working! Most especially, attending online webinars has helped me to network with people and gain more understanding of the career path I chose. If you are a physician associate student or medical student I definitely recommend platforms such as PassMedicine, BiteMedicine and MatrixEducation. As a Physician Associate working in the NHS, how do you maintain a good work-life balance? Working in general practice allows me to have a fairly good work-life balance. I generally have time every evening for the gym, or other hobbies and I have the weekends off to recharge, complete extra training and just nap. What advice would you give on dealing with rejection and perseverance? Your chair at the table of your opportunity is just waiting for you to sit on it! Sometimes rejection is a great tool that can be used to reflect on the path that is being taken and the decisions that have been made. Rejection is a hard pill to swallow, but it can be necessary for us to understand why we are pursuing a specific career and can be used positively to drive us to do more and better. Outside science how would you describe yourself? I am a very curious and inquisitive person, any subject I know nothing about becomes immediately interesting to me! Lately I have had the chance to work as part of a team for a finance start-up focusing on helping people to understand money more and gain financial freedom. It’s been fun to meet new people and to learn more about something I did not study in school. Otherwise, I love to travel with my childhood friendship group, even when we are not too far from home it’s an adventure! What are your views on mentorship and how has this played a role in your journey? For anyone that wants a flourishing career mentorship is key. No one is perfect and it is always important to give yourself time to reflect on your practice whatever job you do. Mentorship is an opportunity for you to reflect and actively work on yourself to be a better colleague, practitioner and person. I have to admit that sometimes it can be tough because it entails someone criticising your job or your attitude to it, but it is still essential for growth to take place. In my first year of the PA course I failed my OSCE exam. I was devastated, but that experience was key for me to understand that I was not just absorbing knowledge, I was learning to become a safe and approachable clinician. And this realisation only came after I had an hour long conversation with my educational supervisor. After that encounter the way I studied and the way I approached clinical placements changed. From then on I would seize every opportunity to receive feedback from people who were once where I was and had more experience than I did. As a result I noticed that my performance improved and I grew more confident in my skill set. When considering your career path, how much has your potential salary affected your decision? Everyone wants financial stability, and if you get to do what you like without having to worry about money then that is a plus. For this reason I would say my potential salary was one of the major factors which led me to go down this career path. What is your biggest pet peeve about how the world perceives science ? I think my biggest pet peeve about how the world perceives science is the fact that people literally would take random posts from social media platforms and consider them to be the sacred truth without critically questioning the facts. When I read scientific information I like to know where the evidence comes from, who put it out there, with what intent and if there were any studies done to justify the thesis. Nowadays, any information is real information and I find it very misleading, especially when it comes down to medicine and healthcare as seen during the Covid-19 pandemic. How have your passions and interests changed since you started thinking of careers? Was there a defining moment for you? My passion and interest in being of help within a community have not changed since I started thinking of my career, rather, they have found a purpose. On my first general practice placement in my first year as a PA student, I diagnosed a patient with postnatal psychosis. That was my defining moment: I might now have literally saved a life but I certainly brought about clarity and hope at one’s most weakest times in their life. As said earlier, all I wanted to do is help and with that experience I simply made a decision that I was going to do it by being the best PA that I can possibly be..

Name: Deyl Djama (he/him) Job Title : PhD Neuroscience A levels/ equivalent: French Baccalaureate - Scientific Stream Undergrad and post grad degrees BSc Biomedical Science - King’s College London MSc Translational Neuroscience - Imperial College London Favourite science fact : One neuron may receive up to 7,000 inputs on average. Journey in 3 Words: Rewarding, Challenging, Stimulating. What motivated you to pursue a career in science? One of the main reasons I decided to pursue a career in science was the exciting nature of the scientific process and discovery. I’ve always been fascinated in how the brain works and science was one of the best career options that allowed me to fulfil that child-like curiosity! Briefly describe your PhD research: My PhD research revolves around understanding how a novel Huntington’s Disease gene therapy impacts the functional and structural characteristics of a particular class of neurons. This mainly involves developing functional assays to quantify changes in functional & structural connectivity. What were your perceptions of being a scientist before you started your Bsc and how did your Bsc experience contribute to the scientist you are today? "Before my BSc my main perception of being a scientist was from films & cartoons - which usually portrayed them as villains hungry for world domination! It was only during my BSc I was able to formulate a more accurate picture of what it means to be a scientist. Luckily, my BSc final year project was very fruitful as I started to feel like a mini-scientist contributing to a project the lab was working on. This got me hands-on experience working on a live project (preprint was recently released!) and showed me what it's like to work in research. The rapport I built with my BSc final year project supervisor enabled me to land a PhD a year later! This showed me the importance of genuinely enjoying research and building genuine connections as they can change your life! This also showed me the importance of having great mentors and supervisors, as the lab culture and student-supervisor dynamics played a major role in how I enjoyed & perceived research, which further increased my passion for science. It was very inclusive in the sense I felt part of the team making a real contribution, as opposed to being seen as the stereotypical clumsy undergraduate student who needs constant supervision. This also had a massive impact in building my confidence and independence as a researcher, which was crucial going into my Master's program." How impactful was your internship to your career journey? And what advice would you give to finding internships I carried out a short internship during the summer between my 2nd and 3rd year. It was impactful in the sense that it allowed me to learn a range of techniques which made me more comfortable working in the lab more efficiently, and it started to get me thinking about how to formulate research questions and test hypotheses which I found very beneficial for my BSc project the following year. If you want to carry out an internship in academia it’s really important to reach out to potential supervisors individually and familiarise yourself with some of the work they do by reading their papers. They’re often able to put together some funding or would direct you to other groups. Reaching out to lecturers in your department might be a good place to start as I completed my internship with my Neuroscience module lead! You’re obviously not expected to know it all, but it’s important to show motivation and genuine curiosity and most of the time they’ll help you progress down the line with references and lab recommendations. Are there any regrets from your masters? Not really! But one thing I would’ve done differently is focus more on developing stronger computational skills and coding languages. How did you know a Phd/ research was for you? Doing a PhD fitted into my “5 year plan” when I started my MSc because I knew I eventually wanted to do research, and a PhD is crucial for such a career. My interest in research was based on my general curiosity about the brain and how it worked so carrying on further research seemed like the obvious path to go down!. What are the best and worst parts of doing a phd Best part of the PhD is having the academic freedom to research different areas that you’re interested in and contribute to our understanding of how the world works. Also having the opportunity to teach, motivate & mentor undergraduate and master’s students is very rewarding. The worst part about the PhD is trying to maintain hobbies outside of the lab because your schedule may wildly vary depending on the experiments you’re running, so it’s quite difficult to have a “fixed” schedule. Also having “too much” academic freedom may be an issue in some cases because you may lose track of the aim of your thesis! So keeping that balance is quite important. A PhD is often described as a marathon… not a sprint, How do you stay motivated ? This is very true. As I’m almost two years deep into the PhD, I find it important to reflect on what you’ve done so far and the progress you’ve made and the mistakes you’ve learnt from. Because it can be overwhelming looking towards the future. So, I try to focus on what’s within my control and do my best. I also find meeting up with friends every now and then is crucial for general well-being. Because, most of the time, all you need is a good laugh with friends! With the current academic climate …Where do you see yourself in 5 years? This is quite a difficult question as I now find myself at a crossroads. The PhD opens up many pathways within academia & industry, and you can also carve out unique niches. So I’m still trying to understand what I think would be the best path to go down, but definitely something research related. Outside science how would you describe yourself Outside of science I find myself on the introverted side of the ambivert spectrum. Although I enjoy going out with friends, some of my main hobbies include getting lost in museums & learning about world history & philosophy. When considering your career path, how much has your potential salary affected your decision? It has slightly affected it, but for me it has always been about the work itself and if I find it enjoyable or not. Salary is obviously important, as well as knowing the worth of your skillset, but if you’re not happy with the work itself, I’d find it difficult remaining in such a role. How do you navigate mentoring and networking within your space? Do you have a mentor and are there things you have learnt along the way? I don’t have official mentors, but my supervisors across the years have given me great advice and guidance when considering different career paths. They really helped me expand my network of scientists and some of the cool stuff other groups are doing. I also found having more senior PhD students in your network that you can personally relate to is very beneficial as they have a wealth of experience and are able to give you the big picture. One of the main things I’ve learnt from both groups in my network is the importance of being constructively honest. There’s a lot of things we don’t know in research and as we embark on a journey to answer those questions, it’s important to be able to have a safe environment to have discussions and back and forths about the project. If you don’t have that safe environment where people can share ideas and constructively challenge ideas, lab members may feel like the environment is hostile and they’re being undermined. This stifles progress and creates unnecessary tension and discord, which may drive people away from research and harm their wellbeing. What is your biggest pet peeve about how the world perceives science? People usually want to see the end product and are not aware of the time and effort that goes into science & research. So at times people may be a bit too impatient when it comes to why we haven’t found a cure for disease X for example. And in order to find a cure, we need to understand the basic biology & mechanism first etc… so I think by helping people understand what goes on behind the scenes may help manage the public’s expectations. How have your passions and interests changed since you started thinking of careers? Was there a defining moment for you? I’ve definitely started to focus more on outreach within my career plan and trying to give back to my community in any way I can. There hasn’t been any drastic changes to my interests and the career options I’d consider, but I have started exploring niches within my interests which has opened new and interesting pathways.

The phenomenon of replacing organs began from understanding that blood can be exchanged. The first blood transfusion occurred in the early 1800’s and ever since, science and medicine has evolved to the transplantation of organs . The first kidney transplant took place in 1954 and first heart transplant in 1963. The idea of replacing a human organ with another human organ is easier to wrap your head around than replacing human organs with animals. Oftentimes the use of animals in research is considered a necessary step in understanding mechanisms of disease but with that comes limitations. Animals in science are also linked to the spread of disease and the closer we get in similarity to the animal used e.g chimpanzees it is inhumane to even begin thinking about it. So why are scientists and doctors so keen on getting pig hearts working for humans? Human organ donation is still in a heavy deficit, therefore the possibilities of having other sources is truly life changing. This month many news outlets covered the death of the first man to receive a heart transplant from a pig. - Guardian, BBC news, Sky News. The articles summarise what is considered a breakthrough in science and medicine. The first ever pig to human heart transplant patient died after surviving a precious two months. In that time he was given an extended life. In opting for the treatment he gave scientists and future patients an immense amount of hope. Revolutionary science comes at a time where there are limited options for the patient that chose something of such high risk. In the guardian article his son makes a statement “We hope this story can be the beginning of hope and not the end.” - David Bennet Jr A New chapter in the story of Xenotransplantation. The transplantation of the pig heart into the first human is the beginning of a new chapter in the story of Xenotransplantation. Xenotransplantation is the transplantation of living cells, tissues or organs from one species to another. Focusing on pigs and the heart as an organ. There is a story of many decades to tell. In a 1968 article, researchers mapped out the similarities and differences between human and pig hearts by looking at the gross structure. The heart is a simple and essential organ. Its singular role is to pump blood through it to provide oxygen to our cells that keep us functioning. A main difference between a pig and human heart in the papers published were how their anatomy differed due to the stance positions of the pig vs human and hence placement in the body. A fun fact for the non anatomy enthusiast is that the pig heart most resembles the “valentine” heart we all know and use.A 2014 article further highlights the similarities and differences with the pig going into further detail on circulation and ethical issues around its use. It is evident the pig has been a key focus for cardiovascular researchers for many years and that will continue on. Pig Xenografts : The past, present and future The main challenges for replacement organs are rejections. The Pig-human heart transplant accounted for this as the heart used was genetically engineered to replace some pig genes with human genes in order to account for a more suitable match. Pigs are a cornerstone to cardiovascular research development.Their hearts have been integrated into modern medicine and proven to be successful. Heart disease can present in many forms and not only through the commonly known heart attack. The heart is an organ that allows blood to actively and passively flow through. There are valves in the heart that prevent the backflow of blood to different regions of the heart. A faulty valve is a common phenomenon and while some patients can have them repaired, valve replacement surgeries are another alternative. The replacement material can either be mechanical or biological. Pig valves are one of the biological materials used and once implanted can last from 10-17 years.Science isn’t a one size fits all and treatment is always based on the clinical picture of the patient. Whole pig hearts as a replacement is going to continue to be a focus for future research, other avenues such as regenerative medicine are also making strides in filling the organ donation gap. The main scientific goal is solving the growing need for donor organs in a world that lacks donors. The more treatment options out there whether human, pig or organs grown in the lab will only lead to better patient outcomes in the future. The ethical considerations and general acceptance is one scientist will have to work hard on explaining. Acceptance of new therapies! Heart disease is the number one killer in the western world and with that the discussions around heart health, donations and acceptance of this new therapy will need to be had more often. When is a good time to start discussing public acceptance? The future of pig hearts as a possibility for regular donor transplantation is one of the future. However, the discussion needs to happen now. The pandemic has shown science on speed mode. We potentially get to watch this new chapter evolve at a much slower pace which is very exciting. My personal opinion as a scientist is excitement and hope, as someone that communicates science is putting across this isn't a simple task and will most likely only be available to the minority and as a very complex topic, I hope people will seek out the answers and the science community will be readily available to fill in the gaps they know. If you have pressing questions such as How did they do it? Why did they do it? Will there be clinical trials? What are the potential disease implications? and more read this: Animal-Human Organ transplants Pig-kidney-heart history. Every science article is written to fit a narrative. Create your own story and learn more by clicking on some of the articles below :) References / Extra Reading Science News: Animal - human organ transplants Anatomy of the pig heart: comparisons with normal cardiac structure A comparative Anatomic Physiologic Overview of the Porcine Heart Nature: First pig-to-human heart transplant : what can scientist learn? NHS: History of donation, transfusion and transplantation Ethical issues in xenotransplantation: The first Pig to Human Heart Transplant The potential of genetically engineered pig heart transplantation in infants with complex congenital heart disease.

Name: Chibby Ebhogiaye ( she/her) Job title: Managing Director, Clinical Solutions and Interim Head of International Inclusion and Health Equity at Real Chemistry (Global Health Innovation Company) A levels / equivalent :Biology, Chemistry, Spanish Graduate degrees: Biochemistry and Chemistry Dual Honours Favourite science fact : There is enough DNA in the average person’s body to stretch from the sun to Pluto and back — 17 times Journey in three words: 1. Intentional, 2. Determined, 3. Agile Briefly describe your current role I am a strategic leader and subject matter expert for Clinical Trial and Health Equity related solutions. I lead the teams that deliver Clinical Trial and/or Health Equity solutions to our clients (biopharmaceutical companies) and orchestrate/oversee the progress of implemented solutions. I’m also a key member of cross-functional client leadership teams. I provide guidance, research, problem solving, analysis and strategy on Clinical Trial and Health Equity solutions based on client priorities and internal capabilities. I also serve as a Business Owner for design of solutions, and I manage other business owners in workstreams, to oversee a full suite of services. I’m accountable to my manager for the continued growth of solutions in expansion of offerings or creation of new offerings depending on the industry landscape and analysis of client pain points. I am an industry Thought Leader on Clinical Trial and Health Equity related topics. What motivated you to pursue a career in science? I have always enjoyed science and intellectual challenges of research and analysis, right from early school years. I also enjoyed the fact that science is global, it’s a global language which can essentially take you anywhere. Lastly and probably the most relevant motivation for my career path, is that there is no health without science, and I had a fascination with how health evolves as science and technology evolves. It’s integral to our daily lives. Although I studied Biochemistry and Chemistry, during my studies I definitely enjoyed the Biomedical Science and Medicinal Chemistry modules the most. I had the most passion and excitement for modules that explored diseases, medicines, bodily mechanisms and formulae and other health-related aspects of science. You decided not to pursue academic research. How did you find the world of clinical operations? As much as I loved studying biomedical and health related sciences the most, I passionately disliked the labs. I knew I needed a career that allowed me to interact with people as I am definitely a people person and a collaborator, I knew I wanted to be in job that was integral if not related to health and health research,and finally I knew I wanted to be in a field where there were a variety of options for career progression (and of course a job that paid well). I didn’t know much about pharmaceutical research at university. In fact the extent of my knowledge was laboratory testing on animals. I managed to secure a short internship at a Global Pharmaceutical company the summer after my second year at University in Clinical Operations and I loved it. I loved the intersection of science and business management. I discovered the opportunity to be in a world where you are still integral to health research and bringing novel treatments working in cross-functional collaborative teams, while developing business leadership skills and most importantly to me at the time, I would never have to enter a lab. How did you go about finding your internship and what advice would you give young graduates in that sense? Did you do an internship because it was just the thing to do or was it a thought our decision? I mentioned pharmaceutical research to my mum when she was pressuring me about what I was going to do after university, and so she asked within her network what I could do. Neither my mum or I knew it would turn out to be so pivotal. I always advise people to seek these opportunities and see what support their university can offer to help them get a foot in the door (internships, work experience and placement years). I also encourage people to just message people on LinkedIn and build a network. People will always know people, who can help connect you with the right people or show you where to apply. Lastly lots of the larger pharmaceutical companies are seeking ways to help students and provide schemes - I encourage people to research that too. Why was doing an internship important for you and how has it helped steer your career journey? For me, the internship was critical as it allowed me to discover a world beyond the bench when it came to science. I honestly had no clue what I was going to do after my degree, and I knew that I didn’t want to apply to medicine or dentistry. The internship also prompted me to research Pharmaceutical Research and Development roles beyond Clinical Operations as I engaged with different stakeholders. What do you enjoy the most about your role and what are some of the harder truths about the role? The most enjoyable part of my current role is being client-facing, I get exposure to a broad spectrum of clinical operations activity happening in different companies from smaller biotechs to big pharma, and across all therapy areas too. Working with different companies to formulate innovative solutions and solve problems puts me at the centre of innovation and allows me at the forefront of industry trends, which allows me to influence how these companies operate but also learn about the inner workings of different biopharmaceutical companies. The harder truth about my role is that while progressing healthcare is exciting, the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry can often be ‘behind-the-times’ which is mostly due to the industry being so tightly regulated (with good reason). So sometimes I have to remind myself to balance my thirst for innovation with pragmatism, and I also have to be patient about realising change, especially when we get pushback from clients. Which direct and transferable skills have you used from your degree throughout your career journey? Data analysis and critical thinking skills. Also my understanding of scientific terms and processes helps me to understand clinical study protocols and procedures with ease. Where do you see yourself in 5 years ? Being at the forefront of leading and driving phenomenal industry transformation with innovative solutions (tech and data driven) and a recognised influential leader in Clinical R&D and Health Equity Solutions. Continued senior leadership roles. I am very agile as I navigate my career, I like to challenge myself and learn as I go, so I cannot say I will be doing ‘X’ role with ‘X’ title, but I know I follow the path of innovation and leadership. You highlight the importance of mentorship and support. How have mentors supported you and how does someone even get started? If it wasn’t for the mentors I’ve met along the way, I know I would not be where I am today. As a Black woman in a corporate setting, I’ve had to navigate barriers related to my race and gender every step of the way. Support from people who have seen me, and given me their time and energy to help me work out where to go next, helping me to make connections and grow my network, advice on how to acquire certain skills, and guidance on how to elevate myself and realise my full potential, as well as just a space to just vent and be completely honest as and when I need to, all of the this has helped me to overcome challenges or approach them appropriately. I do accredit my mentors for my acceleration in my career. It’s why I also am a mentor now and love giving my time to mentor people who are just starting or early on in their career. Outside science how would you describe yourself Outside of science I am a sociable and outgoing person who enjoys networking and meeting new people but would describe myself as an ambivert. I’m also a natural leader who enjoys coaching and mentoring people. I like learning new things and I’m an analytical thinker - I always have a lot of questions about everything! How do you feel careers in your field have evolved / where are they heading to? Careers in my field are always diversifying. Pharmaceutical Research and Development continues to expand which means that there is literally something for everyone, and you really can follow your passion. Now more than ever, I’m seeing people leave functional disciplines for an entirely new adventure. People will work in the Clinical Operations for years and then move into R&D tech to work on clinical technologies to support the Clinical Operations businesses. Healthcare data and tech companies are change agents, so people from life science disciplines are stepping into data and tech roles and thriving. Focus on Clinical trial diversity and health equity has driven many organisations to create teams that focus on this work, so if your passion is to ensure equitable healthcare for all, there’s something for you too. I have friends and colleagues that have left clinical and gone to work in the commercial setting on branded products. In the past, I think people used to stick to their disciplines a lot more, but now there’s such an appetite and acceptance for people trying anything and everything. "As a young and naive graduate, I had pound signs in my eyes when I saw what a career that linked science and business management had to offer. " When considering your career path, how much has your potential salary affected your decision? I am completely honest, at the start of my career potential salary was a significant driver for my decision to go down the Clinical Operations route. As a young and naive graduate, I had pound signs in my eyes when I saw what a career that linked science and business management had to offer. However, as I have taken on more senior roles I evaluate multiple components to determine my decision. I put a lot of emphasis on work-life balance, company culture and values, company benefits (not just financial related ones, but things they offer to their employees for their well-being). For example, during the pandemic I noticed a lot of companies started offering discounts, or 6 to 8 free sessions of mental health services and I thought that was incredible. I also am now quite confident about asking about the diversity of their staff and support available for employees from diverse backgrounds. Of course, salary is still important. I’m intentional with calculating that my remuneration is reflective of my level of seniority, what I am expected to deliver, and how I value my skills and expertise, in coordination with what the market is saying for similar positions. What advice would you tell your younger self ? To my younger self whose Nigerian parents really wanted me to study medicine and be a doctor, and to my university self who was really anxious about what to do next, I’d advise them to base your career research on your interests, passions and what you’re good at. Seek mentorship early, create a Linkedin early and start following and engaging with content that interests you, which will lead you to making connections with the right people. Also, do not limit yourself. You can connect with Chibby on different platforms Instagram @tocareistocure LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chibby-ebhogiaye-15a6b057/

Name : Josephine (Josie) Mensah-Kane - she/her Job Title : Data Scientist A levels : Chemistry,Biology, Economics, French Undergrad and postgrad degrees : BSc Biochemistry MSc Bioinformatics Favourite science fact: Human stomach acid is strong enough to dissolve stainless steel! Journey in 3 Words : Evolving, Challenging, and Fulfilling Briefly describe your role : My role mainly consists of developing and implementing algorithms to aid in the quick diagnosis of rapidly spreading bacterial and viral infections. I also manage the statistical analysis of clinical trials, for performance evaluations of diagnostic devices (e.g., COVID tests), and diagnostic devices for neglected and tropical diseases, such as malaria and yellow fever. What motivated you to pursue a career in science: The intellectual challenge it brings, and how rapidly evolving and important science is in our everyday lives. What do/ did you enjoy the most about your masters course? Our 3 month group project, which consisted of designing and coding a bioinformatics software app from scratch. It was interesting learning new coding languages and seeing how quickly everyone on the course was able to pick up the skill (as most of us came from non-coding backgrounds) You published a paper from your Msc dissertation, what advice would you give someone wanting/ currently pursuing a masters degree?: Be as interactive as possible with your lecturers/PhD demonstrators and don’t hold back from asking questions you may think are ‘silly’. When it comes to your dissertation, schedule frequent meetings with your supervisor and start writing up your draft as early as possible, update it on a weekly basis and consistently ask for feedback, as opposed to leaving it to the last few weeks. Most importantly, engage with your course mates – our course had a large group chat, which was really helpful in discussing all things from coursework, to job, or PhD opportunities. How was the transition from Biochemistry to Bioinformatics and how did you land on choosing your Msc? It was a fairly smooth transition, as my bioinformatics course (at QMUL) was catered towards people from non-coding backgrounds. It was a very fast paced, intense and challenging year, however, the lecturers and PhD demonstrators were extremely helpful. There are also many resources online (e.g. Stack Overflow) which are very useful in helping you tackle problems in many different ways. I chose to pursue a masters in bioinformatics, based on a recommendation made by one of my undergrad lecturers, who explained how much of a rapidly growing and interesting industry it was. How have internships played a part in your journey? My first internship with ‘Hire STEM Women’ introduced me to many women working in the STEM industry, which motivated me to pursue a career in tech. My second internship, with ‘Code First Girls’, got me into coding/software engineering and cemented how interesting and easy of a skill coding is to pick up, with enough motivation. Although both internships were not directly related to my degree at the time (as I had not yet started my bioinformatics masters), they introduced me to the many different career opportunities that I could explore by brushing up my coding skills. How do you feel careers in your field have evolved / where are they heading to? The bioinformatics field has grown exponentially since the Human Genome Project was completed in 2003. In the future, I predict even more collaboration with other scientists from different fields, medical doctors, and even looking at ways to improve individual health outcomes through the use of personalised medicine. Knowing what you know, are there any bits of your journey you would change or advice you wish you were given earlier? I wouldn’t change any part of my journey, but I wish I knew to start looking for work experience earlier on during my undergrad years. No career journey is a linear path, What are some hard truths you have had to face along the way? It is difficult to secure job in a particular field without relevant work experience, no matter how good your academic track record is. When considering your career path, how much has your potential salary affected your decision? Significantly, however, my decision was also mainly based on choosing a career where there’s plenty of room for growth, not only in salary, but in skills and responsibility as well. Outside science how would you describe yourself? I’m an animal lover, I’m really interested in the history of music, especially jazz and blues and even have a blog centring that. I’m also really interested in video games!

Name : Chude Obuaya Job Title: Pharmacovigilance Specialist A levels/ equivalent :Biology & Psychology (A level), chemistry, English lit & Lang, BTEC Science (AS level) Graduate degrees Bsc Biology Biomedical Science (PGDip) Biomedical Blood Science (MSc) Favourite science fact Induced pluripotent stem cells have been reprogrammed to behave like embryonic pluripotent cells, enabling the development of an unlimited source of any type of human cell for treatment Journey in 3 Words Long but rewarding Briefly describe your role I manage pharmacovigilance (drug safety) cases through intake, documentation, case processing and submission. I determine the seriousness, expectedness and causality of each case and perform follow-up if required. What motivated you to pursue a career in science I want each individual to be able to receive and access the best healthcare possible Given your Msc the "lab " would be the expected route , how did you end up in pharmacovigilance ? In my masters, we didn’t just focus on lab/clinical based skills we also branched into ethics, project management and case studies. The role I’m in found me, as I actually applied to a different role. But in this role I get to see how medicine impacts people and the way in which we can work alongside different healthcare industries to ensure patient safety. I didn’t enjoy it, so I decided not to pursue it. How did you decide “the lab” wasn’t for you? I didn’t enjoy it, so I decided not to pursue it. -whilst every part of science is important and impactful, I think some of the frustration when it comes to science/healthcare innovation can be the lack of public input. I enjoy interacting with people and I want to be in a role that allows me to interact with patients and clients to ensure that healthcare/science innovation is driven by the real needs people have. Also I believe that your work should be enjoyable and quite frankly, I find the lab boring. How has your perception of “healthcare” changed over the course of your career? So much bureaucracy. It’s clear that people aren’t always at the forefront of healthcare. What advice would you give on picking universities A Russell Group is nice on paper but it might not necessarily be the best place for you to go. Ensure the university degree suits the requirements you need to enter the world of work or apply for a PhD. For example, questions to ask may be is the course IBMS accredited, do I do research project or a dissertation in my final year. How do you maintain a healthy Work- Life Balance? I don’t allow my work define me. Work is what I do, it’s not who I am. I’m a Christian, so I believe God defines and gives me my worth. I live life more freely as a result. Given the lack of adequate career advice, what advice would you give someone wanting to follow the same path ? Use the platforms that are available to you e.g. Twitter, IG etc. don’t be afraid to reach out to those of us who’ve gone before you. If you don’t ask you don’t get. How have internships helped you navigate your career path I did a consulting internship in my undergrad and it reaffirmed my love for research and people-facing roles. No career journey is a linear path, What are some hard truths you have had to face along the way? There’s always someone with more experience and when applying for jobs there’s a lot of no’s before you get that yes. Sometimes you have to do a job you don’t like in the industry to get where you want to go. What is your biggest pet peeve about how the world perceives science That anyone can understand it to a professional degree. The world of science is large, with many different disciplines. There are niches that people dedicate their lives to. Reading a couple of blogs doesn’t mean you know what you’re talking about. When considering your career path, how much has your potential salary affected your decision? Job security and satisfaction are more important to me than pay, but I want to get paid my worth. But if the opportunity is good and progression is clear, then I can consider taking a bit of cut temporarily Outside science how would you describe yourself Funny, sporty and easy-going

Name: Fatima Ann Sulaiman (she/her) Job Title :Previously Head of Research at Blood Cancer UK, currently Consultant at Sulaiman Solutions A levels/ equivalent : Biology, Chemistry, Psychology (AS level only) and Math [Gosh, that took me back!] Graduate degrees Human Genetics BSc, PhD in Developmental Genetics Journey in 3 Words Unexpected, evolving, and curiosity Briefly describe your role So currently, I’ve just soft launched myself into self-employment. I’m setting up as a consultant for medical research charities and researchers. I provide insight into research grant portfolios, links with industry, how to develop research strategies that are patient focused, and how to utilise research for fundraising. For researchers, I’m going to launch a set of training guides on how to best communicate your research for different types of audiences, including what makes a great powerpoint presentation. Previously, I’ve held senior roles in a number of medical research charities where I did exactly that! What motivated you to pursue a career in science? My parents are both medical doctors and they really wanted me to follow in those footsteps. I’m not a huge fan of hospitals so medicine didn’t really interest me that much. A pretty common question that you would hear from me around that time was, ‘why?’ and I asked it a lot in my A-level biology classes (which I’m sure drove my teachers crazy). A career in science seemed like a good opportunity to answer my own questions, so I chose to do Human Genetics for my undergrad. How did you know a PhD was for you and how would you describe that period? I have to admit, I was a lot more naive about PhDs than a lot of people going into them now. It felt like the right next step in my quest to get answers. One of my modules at university was on Hox genes and developmental biology, and that really appealed to me. I didn’t apply for a lot of PhD programmes, just three that seemed like they had really interesting research labs. I did a lot of reading on PubMed and came out of that reading with more questions - that curiosity really drove the tone of my PhD interviews, which were a lot less intense than they seem to be now. I really wanted to do a PhD and I think it was because I wanted to know if I could satisfy my own curiosity. In the end, that curiosity was the thing that kept me going. Something people may not talk about as much is how draining and demoralising a PhD can be. Nothing sapped my self esteem and confidence in my intelligence than my PhD - there are inevitable setbacks, there’s a whole new world of academic competition that you have to get used to, and with all that there is the realisation that *you* are the expert in your subject matter. Which, when you’ve come from university and school settings, is very scary. In the end, the only thing that kept me going was the need to know what the next experiment would tell me. Having said all that, I really value my doctorate. Nothing in my life since my PhD, not the career changes or having to learn new ways of working, has been as challenging as my PhD. I say this with full emphasis for everyone working in scientific research who is feeling low but knows they want to stay in scientific research - once you’ve done this, you can do ANYTHING. So, my PhD was tough All journeys come to an end, after your post doc you decided to transition out of academia. What motivated this decision and looking back what advice would you give yourself going through a negative experience? So, my PhD was tough, but I left it feeling confident about the next step in my research career which was a postdoc in Florida. That was much much tougher. It wasn’t a healthy environment (the word ‘toxic’ is very apt) and I developed anxiety, which wasn’t something I’d had to deal with before. For me, the breaking point came when I was in the lab at 1 am trying to troubleshoot an experiment that I knew would not work. It was Halloween and I’d turned down a few invitations to go out. My friends were texting me, telling me how much they missed me and I was stuck in this lab at the dead of night. I remember just staring at the gilson in my hand and thinking very clearly ‘I don’t want to do this anymore’. I could have handled my exit strategy a lot better, but I was still quite young and trying to figure it out without any support. There wasn’t a lot of advice for people if they decided to leave academia (the general undercurrent being ‘why would you want to unless you’re a failure’, which has taken me a lot of time to actually exorcise from my self-view.) The advice that I would give is to think very carefully about your exit strategy when you’ve made the decision. What do you ideally want in 6 months time and how would you get there, without burning bridges if you can (unless you’re leaving because of abuse or other unacceptable behaviour, in which case, burn it all down). As an aside, there is a fantastic essay by the author Brandon Taylor (he was shortlisted for the Booker prize last year) about why he left science. https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/brandontaylor/i-dont-miss-being-a-scientist-except-when-i-do Why was your internship important to you and did it play a major role in your current trajectory? My internship was important in the sense that it was the first step in my career change. I had never worked in an office environment before and the internship felt like a good way to test the experience out. I wasn’t sure if I was cut out for office life, having spent most of my working life either behind a cash register or at the lab bench. I would say that it probably did play a major role - my internship at Cancer Research UK was for 3 months, and when that came to an end I was offered a full time temp role as a programme coordinator. Having that internal role allowed me to apply for a couple of other internal roles, which then set off my trajectory. I think that what was key was the experience the internship gave me which allowed me to be offered that follow on role. It’s important to go into a sector with eyes open, and the truth is that the charity sector still has a lot of work to do What information do you think is necessary to know before embarking on a career within the charity sector? What were your perceptions and did they change with experience? There is a perception that the charity sector is a little bit soft and perhaps unprofessional. However, that is really far from the truth - some of the most relentless and brutal people work in the charity sector. Large charities tend to attract people from industry and the management consultant sector, there were a lot of financial tech people there and former consultants from ‘the Big 3’ of consulting companies. Learning from people like that helped to change my skill sets in a dramatic way. You learn about pitching to different audiences, the importance of strategy vs planning, stakeholder management, meeting chairing, etc. One of my perceptions was that it would be a less cut throat environment than academia, however that unfortunately is not true. It’s important to go into a sector with eyes open, and the truth is that the charity sector still has a lot of work to do. Charity So White is a non profit group that does a lot of work to hold the sector to account, and ACEVO published a report last year on the institutionalised racism in the sector. Personally, I have experienced a fair amount of this in the charity sector, but to be honest, I also experienced this in academia. It was incredibly disappointing to find that the charity sector was no different. No career journey is linear, what advice would you give starting with your younger self and people that may be motivated by your journey? Well, exactly that! No career journey is linear - you may make sideways moves or take steps down, but these are all valid to your journey. People can sometimes make it sound like they knew what they were doing at all stages, but I don’t personally believe that’s true. Everyone’s journey is different, and I would say you should be led by what motivates you. For me, it was curiosity and wanting to learn new things. When I graduated from university, I thought that I was set on a very linear path. My journey has definitely not been straightforward and it’s very much littered with more failure than success. It’s been stressful, mentally exhausting but it’s also been kind of fun. I wouldn’t say that I wouldn’t change anything, there are different choices that I’d make if I was to do it again (mainly to see what would happen) but I definitely don’t regret anything. I would also add that all motivation is valid. If curiosity motivates you, then go with that. If money and financial security motivate you, then go with that. The only motivators that are bad are the ones that cause harm to other people, everything else is totally valid. Do you ever see yourself transitioning back into academia? It’s very unlikely, I’ve been out of academia for too long and my motivations no longer lie in that direction. I do sometimes miss doing the odd experiment, but that feeling quickly passes! Mentorship and networking has had a huge impact on your journey… How does someone build a network with meaningful connections? Could you give an example of a cold email or how you put yourself “outthere” . Absolutely, my mentors and my network have been critical. No person is an island unto themselves, (don’t believe anyone who tells you they got to where they are with no help, it’s a lie). A network doesn’t have to be 100% full of people you talk to on the regular, it can include people you’ve had contact with once. A good network will be a mix of meaningful connections, and there will be people who you’ve met once. A good network also expands your view and understanding of your chosen field and beyond, which is why a mix is important. I think we shouldn’t be afraid of the ‘cold approach’ - if you send 10 cold emails and only get one response, that’s a huge huge success! That’s one more person in your network, who will then hopefully bring in more people! With cold emails, it’s important that you do your research on the person you’re emailing. You need to be clear about what you’re asking them (and why you’re emailing them) - ideally it’s for 5 minutes of their time just to talk about their career or the sector they work in. I have found that people are generally very willing to share their hard won insights. You could ask someone for a job or internship, but that kind of approach doesn’t really work most of the time. Put yourself in their shoes - think of their role and how busy they might be. It’s not nice to receive emails from people who haven’t done their research on you and seem to just want a job from you. People like to talk about themselves (case in point here with this interview!) and so it’s important to allow them that space to do so. Worst case scenario, you don’t learn anything useful. Best case scenario, you hit it off and they connect you to another person. Another practical tip is keep it short and sweet. A couple of lines, maybe three or four. They’ll most likely be reading your email on their phone, and no one really wants to read a novel on that small screen. With the growth of social media, do you have a preferred platform to network on ? and how have you managed to balance “professionalism” and being yourself? It’s a good question. I’m a complete newbie with social media so I might not be the best person to ask. I like twitter as you get to see more of someone’s personality. Obviously there is LinkedIn - if you haven’t already then I strongly recommend that you create a LinkedIn profile. It’s good for keeping track of your network and adding people to your network. Balancing professionalism and being myself feels like an ongoing battle - for the longest time, I was professional to a robotic fault. This comes from the knowledge that you have to work three times as hard as cis white people to be seen as on the same level, and it can feel like any mistakes you make will put you under way more scrutiny. So I was on the other end of the scale when it came to professionalism. I came to realise though that not only was I unhappy not being able to be myself, but that it was also creating a barrier between me and other people. As I’ve gotten older I’ve tried to be more myself but that hasn’t been easy. The reality is that we are judged harder than white people and that’s something that I experienced as I tried to be more myself (and allow myself to make mistakes). However, one of the commitments I’ve made is to not shrug off or stay silent on issues of inequality and injustice so in a way, allowing myself to be truer to who I am is also helping how I deal with racism and inequality (if that makes sense). It’s an ongoing battle, one that’s especially fraught for minoritised communities. A mentor or support group can help you through it and ‘have your back’. My support group and mentors have been crucial in my journey and I want to pay it back. So if you’re from a minoritised community and you’d like to reach out for a virtual coffee or a chat, please do. We’ll figure a way out through it together, whether it’s chatting about careers, interview practice or CVs review. When considering your career path, how much has your potential salary affected your decision? Salary hasn’t been the biggest motivator (I mean, I got into academia which isn’t exactly known for the big bucks). As I’ve gone through my career, salary became really important to me because it felt like an indicator of my value. And also, as a brown muslim woman, I know there are several instances where I was being paid less than I should have been. So salary was a big decision factor. I have to say that it is less so now - it’s been a lot of work, but I’m a lot better at not letting it determine my value. Now it’s more about what is the income I need to secure a comfortable life for myself and my family - which feels like a mindset more suited for my personality. I hate the ‘I f***ing love science’ brigade. Like, honestly, really, really, hate it. What is your biggest pet peeve about how the world perceives science? I hate the ‘I f***ing love science’ brigade. Like, honestly, really, really, hate it. Science isn’t pithy little tidbits of information, it’s years of hard work and failure. It’s thousands of failed experiments, millions of recalibrated hypotheses and absolute months of staring hard at data that makes no sense. It’s entire communities that have mobilised during a pandemic, working around the clock to prevent deaths happening on a vast global scale. It’s resilience and self-led determination, late nights and lost weekends, and hours spent lying in bed staring at the ceiling wondering what you’re doing with your life. That’s science. People who say, ‘I f***ing love science’ don’t really love science. They just like looking at pretty pictures of it on Instagram. Outside of science, how would you describe yourself? That’s always a tough question! I care a lot about social justice, so I’m always trying to educate myself on issues in a way that means I can be the best ally and support I can be. I also have a bunch of weird interests - like a very specific one in the evolution of the mississippi delta blues. Other than that, someone who cares about her friends and family, and just generally living a good life.

Name :Marie Nugent (she/her) Job Title :Public Engagement Manager, Attenborough Arts Centre, University of Leicester A levels/ equivalent : Biology, Chemistry, English Literature (French AS Level) Graduate degrees BSc: KCL Biomedical Sciences with Genetics PhD: Leicester in Behavioural Genetics and Neuroscience with a dash of Electrophysiology Briefly describe your role It’s my job to broker collaborative partnerships between researchers and others who can contribute to research engagement Favourite science fact It would take over 90 years to read your entire genome letter by letter (yet your cells are doing it in minutes all the time!) Journey in 3 Words Come full circle In many ways, going to university meant I had to distort myself a bit and I was confronted with what I now understand to be my class difference. I’ve reconnected with my younger self to understand myself now and I’m glad I no longer feel I need to be like the others in order to be taken seriously. What motivated you to pursue a career in science I’m naturally a very curious person, nosy if you will. I like to observe things, look for patterns and spot how things work and inter-relate. THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN ME Your biology teacher had a huge impact on you attending university, What would you tell Mrs Beevor and younger Marie? I’ve thought about getting in touch with Mrs Beevor but I have no way of finding how to, sadly, if I could I would say THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN ME. She could have given up and let me slip behind in my grades but instead she *metaphorically* grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and told me to sort myself out at a time I really needed to hear that. To my younger self, I would say to never forget that what makes you different makes you special. What resources helped you most during your direct transition from BSc to PhD. In hindsight would you still recommend this direct path? I had absolutely no idea what I was getting into if I’m honest and hindsight is a funny thing! I had literally no resources that I used other than findaphd.com to find the opportunities I could apply for. PHD Comics were always a great source of laughter, I’m pretty sure I had some printed out at my desk! I don’t regret anything I’ve done to this point as it’s got me to where I am now, however, looking back I wish I’d known the power I really had as a student in terms of making sure I was getting the training and support I needed to get the skills and experience I required for the next step in my career. I instead felt I needed to keep that on the side and the first priority was delivering my research project, which is of course important but shouldn’t be the be all and end all. How did you know a pHd was for you? And how did you realise it was no longer fulfilling its initial purpose? I hadn’t even heard of a PhD before the end of my 2nd year of my BSc when I was looking for summer lab projects to get more experience in the lab alongside my degree. I realised that I would need to get straight into a fully-funded PhD to continue my studies as I couldn’t afford to do an MSc in between. I worked hard to get interviews and got accepted at Leicester which was such a relief! It was then just over the half-way point that I realised I loved the outreach and engagement work I was doing alongside my lab project and started looking specifically at developing my experience so I could work in Science Communications and Engagement after completing my PhD. What transferable skills do you use from your degree now in your job ? I’m a fast learner so picking up key words and terms in new areas of work is a great skill to have when you are working across such a range of specialisms. It reassures people that you understand their work and needs which makes new working relationships easier. Studying genetics I suppose enabled me to look for logical patterns and processes, understand relationships and have a general wonder at how complex life is which in a philosophical way is something I absolutely bring into my professional work now. You work in Higher Education engagement What was the hardest thing about transitioning into this space from academia and research -> Academia vs Corporate culture I went from Academia - Corporate - Academia and transitioning between these two worlds takes some adjustment! The working culture is rather different in many ways, for example you rarely get praise in Academia so when you get lashings of praise in a Corporate setting for something minor it can feel like it’s a bit overkill and left me feeling a bit awkward sometimes. Mentorship isn’t something spoken about much in the science field. How did your mentor help shape your journey and what advice would you give someone seeking a mentor? I’ve benefited from a range of mentors but someone who supported me to get the skills and experience needed to get my first full time professional role after my PhD was an academic in the Genetics Dept called Dr Cas Kramer. He saw I enjoyed the work and I was good at it so took the time to help me get enough experience in a range of settings to give me enough to talk about alongside my PhD project in job interviews. Best advice I could give others is to look for someone you respect and just put yourself out there and ask for their help, if you don’t ask you will never know. What advice would you give anyone wanting to follow your career path and are there ways to work in this field without a Phd? Yes, there are absolutely plenty of paths to the job I have and you do not need to have a PhD or have even been to university to work in my profession. Sadly, the culture is such that often people are drawn to those who have been to university or worked in HE before despite it not being a requirement. This is quite frustrating at times. However, demonstrating you can work to tight deadlines, you can build effective working partnerships and you can think strategically are important skills which you can draw in from a variety of places so if you think you have these skills then maybe a role in engagement is for you. Look at a range of sci comm and engagement professionals out there on LinkedIn, Twitter and other social media and follow the networks and accounts they are linked to in order to start building your own awareness of what opportunities there are in these spaces. How have your experiences motivated your career path (current and future) and what impact has this had on your current role. My experiences and career to date only motivate me further to develop opportunities for a broader range of people to have a say in how HE and research enriches our world. It’s easy to forget sometimes how much we still don’t know because we are so saturated with information, the next big challenge is working out how we best use what we know to create a more equitable, sustainable way of living. Science is a verb, not a noun. What is your biggest pet peeve about how the world perceives science ? Science is a verb, not a noun. People find it really hard to accept that yes, science can simultaneously reveal truth and yet be limited in that truth. In other words, science is only stating with as much certainty as humanly possible what can be observed and measured within a set of conditions, so it is always subject to change and is not the only way of knowing. When considering your career path, how much has your potential salary affected your decision? Honestly, not at all. Maybe I should have thought about this more! Outside of science, how do you describe yourself? I’m not sure how I describe myself is any different in or out of science. I am open, honest and try to be kind. I’m observant and I look for the fun and joy in life. I have high expectations of myself and I’m driven by my values to make positive change. I am no better or no worse than any other person and I believe that every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.

Name : Jade Hall (She/her) Job title: Senior Science Policy Officer – Royal Society of Biology (RSB) A levels: Biology, ICT, General Studies Graduate degrees: BSc Biology with an industrial placement MSc Ecology, Evolution and Conservation PhD in Biomechanics and Animal Welfare Science Favourite science fact: A naked mole rat’s lower incisors can move independently and even work together like fingers or chopsticks. Journey in 3 Words: Exhilarating, Overwhelming, Intriguing Briefly describe your role: I am responsible for providing input and delivering a portfolio of activities focusing on policies linked to scientists. This includes research funding, research integrity and research publication. Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) has also become a large part of my role, I support RSB’s Diversity and Inclusion Working Group and Diversity and Inclusion Network. By working with RSB’s board of trustees, committees and staff members, I assist with planning and implementing a programme of work to pro-actively promote and embed EDI into our current organisational policies, practices and behaviours. Finally, I also focus on disseminating policy news of interest to our membership. What motivated you to pursue a career in science? Since I was a kid, I have always been fascinated by animals and why they behave differently. My favourite characters in books and TV shows or toys were always animals, and my world exploded once I discovered nature documentaries. I was driven by a passion to explore the natural environment and was frequently found at my local ecology centre or the natural history museum. Your BSc included a placement year, looking back how did this experience play a role in your current career path? During my placement year, I worked for a biotechnology company investigating the enzymes used in glucose biosensors. I wanted to explore if working in a lab was for me. Developing my wet lab skills helped to secure my degree, but the interpersonal skills gained were irreplaceable. I was lucky enough to work and learn something from different team members, enhancing my communication skills by succinctly presenting my findings during lab meetings. Although I had a great experience, it helped me whittle down my career possibilities and provide direction as I then knew working in the biotech industry wasn’t for me. What advice would you give someone wanting to do a placement year? If the opportunity arises, do it! It is a fantastic chance to immerse yourself in an industry and see if there are elements you like or dislike. It is also advantageous as you get paid for a year, and it can increase your job prospects after graduation. There are always skills to be gained from each experience along your career journey. How did you decide on your MSc? and do you feel you made the right decision for your career? During my undergrad, animal and plant-related modules received the highest scores, indicating I could flourish learning more during post-graduate education. It was definitely the right decision, as I learnt from experts in a field, I was passionate about. Additionally, I always dreamed of working with the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), where I carried out my final 6-month project placement. My eyes were opened to exciting conservation programmes, working in the charity sector, and impactful outreach initiatives such as Soapbox Science. How did you know a PhD was for you? Sometimes when you tell people you have a PhD, “you must be really smart” is a common comment, “I am really persistent and stubborn” is often my response. A PhD can have many ups and downs and is a marathon, not a sprint, which can be hard to grasp before you start. Although there were times when things never went to plan, I enjoyed talking to people about my project. To date, I still get excited about new developments in connected fields. A professor once told me that if you would spend your last pound finding the answer to your investigative question, you know a PhD is for you. What advice would you give someone wanting to apply for a PhD? Spend a significant amount of time on your personal statement and get another person to review it. Connecting with current PhD students to hear about their experiences can also be beneficial. Don’t be afraid to take non-traditional routes. I acquired my PhD via an interdisciplinary doctoral training programme that included an internship and opportunities to develop a variety of additional skills. After your PhD, you transitioned “outside” of academia what helped you make this choice? Vocalising my thoughts and fears with the people I trusted was crucial. Academia was my life, and I didn’t know what else was out there. So, I treated my impending future career as one of my study projects and researched! Tools such as LinkedIn are fantastic to investigate career paths, and blogs such as The Catalyst in Me are influential in highlighting the range of routes available. To date, I still have one foot in academia as I work with academics and support policy activities that apply to an academic context. What do you enjoy most about your current role and which “transferrable skills” have been most valuable through your journey? I enjoy connecting people that are working on inspiring EDI initiatives with learned societies. In the policy world, you have to be a sponge absorbing lots of evidence. Along my journey, I have learnt to take large amounts of information and disseminate findings in understandable, digestible formats covering various life science disciplines. Furthermore, I have continued to stay inquisitive and maintain my passion for science. I still get excited when learning about a ground-breaking discovery or a fun science pub-quiz fact. When considering your career path, how much has your potential salary affected your decision? The older I have become, a salary has more significance and is frequently tied to my career choices. With each future endeavour it is vital to recognise your worth. How would you describe yourself outside of science? Pre-pandemic, I was a Cuban salsa fanatic. I loved travelling to salsa congresses around the world or going to local classes. Post-pandemic, I have developed a love for arts and crafts (it is just a coincidence that all of my art pieces characterise animals).