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On the 14th of October 2021 Wenite STEM hosted a #ProudToBeBlackFoundersInSTEM event. The event saw 13 organisations come together with attendees from different fields. The founders on the day came together to talk about their experiences and show black students the support available to them ! “We exist, We are here to help and we are here to STAY” Being black in STEM is a journey with many twists and turns, there are numerous published articles on the difficulties and barriers black graduates face. Most recently in a BBC article, a focus on academia again ! While the STATS for black professors are disheartening, this also filters across different sectors. How do black students stay the course and climb up the career ladder feeling supported and heard? The #ProudToBeBlackFounders event was that space of showing the range of industry professionals and leaders willing to help. The companies present represented the pharmaceutical industry, academic pathways, medicine and all corners of STEM with a focus on mentorship, support and guidance. The powerful keynote speech by Dr Abdullahi Sheriff , BBBA STEM senior Leader of the year 2020, set the tone for the event: Striving for excellence on your own terms even if it means taking the “scenic route”. Why science? for Dr Sheriff he shared that, science allowed him to innovate and his scenic route involved stretching himself for the pursuit of knowledge. “There is no need to apologise or worry about how you perceived or who you are” - Dr Abdullhai Sheriff Visibility is important for anyone pursuing any career path and it is clear that REPRESENTATION MATTERS. The event centres around students feeling more empowered, informed and hopefully resulting in increased confidence to take chances and pursue the STEM field of their choice. The importance of highlighting these founders and organisations, shows the power of coming together and from the outside looking in, other organisations will value collaboration and know who to approach for different outreach activities when it comes to Black and STEM graduates. The event had a single message for organisations looking to support #BlackFounders #BlackStudents and #BlackProfessionals. “Give opportunity and we will absolutely surprise you when you ALLOW diverse talent to thrive” The #FireSideChat with the panelist produced a space for the panelist to really talk through the missions of their organisations and attendees to ask questions. The discussion of the evening, Led by Jennifer, Founder of Wenite, followed the journeys of the founders, asking what organisations could do more of ! Here are the main takeaways from the panelists, Wande, A Director at Novartis who volunteers across a number of organisations supporting diverse talents including Wenite - highlights the importance of building that confidence as a professional to put yourself in spaces you want to be seen in. She acknowledges the constant battle with imposter syndrome that many people face but to push through in times of adversity and lean into the support network you have built. Wande shares that her journey in science is motivated by helping people into and through the pharmaceutical industry and even if it's just one thing “Know your worth and pursue that excellence. As black people in white spaces, you cannot hide if you tried, so use that “ - Wande Tomi, BWIS Founder - BWIS was formed as a support network and needing a community in science. Her talk really hones in on the importance of mentorship and community”. BWIS has been a pillar of support for many and herself. Not having had a straightforward journey, the network has kept her going through a time where she just wanted to quit. Her pursuit of science is the pursuit of knowledge and just being nosy ! “Its difficult loving a field and being rejected again and again” -Tomi Kim, Co-founder of Black Pharma - Similar to bwis, the network was created to find people more like her in pharma and support each other through the industry. Her talk also highlights the importance of being seen and valued in the workplace. Her line manager took a chance on her and that had a great impact on her journey. “Everyone's dream job is in pharma and you can leverage many skill sets, with great global impact “ - Kim Dr Ajeleti, Co-founder Modern Day Medics - From a former biology teacher to becoming a medic, his talk really focuses in on the point of belonging and pursuing what you want. Modern day medics takes people through the journey of pursuing medicine but also highlighting other routes within science, STEM and healthcare in general. “I love science because WE ARE SCIENCE” - Dr Ajeleti The event ended with a networking session. Networking is difficult for many but the select few that aren’t afraid of rejection. Oftentimes students and people early in their careers find networking daunting and awkward. Another aim of the event was to get people networking, providing a bridge to making it easy to identify organisations and people to work with, connect with and seek advice from. From a student perspective, it is very difficult to know who to approach, but the event through the founders making themselves visible, who also represent the members of their groups bridges that gap on who is willing to be approached. Finally as an attendee and Q and A host, it wouldn’t be a TCIM blog post without a few tips and take homes from the event. Tips on networking and the pursuit of excellence Network across with your peers that attended the vent Network above with people in fields and positions you aspire to be Believe in yourself and aspire to wanting to be different Go for the opportunities and SHOW UP after making yourself visible Define what excellence means for you and strive for that Apply for Jobs early, you have nothing to lose and exposure to the recruitment process. Science is about helping and making a difference that doesn’t only have to be achieved through medicine. STEM is the pursuit of innovation and exploration, so write the future you want to be a part of. You can find the event playback here. For more information about the organisations and their founders, watch their highlights summary here: Speakers & Sponsors

Name :Sam Langford (He/Him) Job Title : Freelance Science Communicator & Public Engagement Consultant A levels/ equivalent :Highers in English, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Computing and Geography Graduate degrees Zoology BSc at the University of Glasgow Favourite science fact I’m currently sat in Glasgow, and that means I am closer to outer space than I am to the city of Dundee. Journey in 3 Words Convoluted, accidental, perfect Briefly describe your role I am a performing science monkey, meaning that I spend most of my time in front of a camera. Whether it’s leading training sessions, running events or presenting a show, I talk for a living. I also help university teams with their public engagement, on a consultant basis and work on the production of science events like conferences and festivals. What motivated you to pursue a career in science I’ve always been interested in the natural world, from a very young age. It’s cliche, but my grandparents were the key to it all, nurturing my love of animals and encouraging me to learn all of the time. From the age of about 5 or 6, I knew I wanted to be a zoologist, and that’s exactly what I did. What does science communication mean to you? For me, scicomm is essential. We live in a world where misinformation reigns supreme and that has never been more apparent in our handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate crisis. High quality, impactful science communication could and should be used to make the world a better place. And being part of that potential, is very exciting! Not everyone gets to experience scicomm abroad. How was your experience in the Caribbean? And what advice do you have for making the most of internship time? I spent three months in Trinidad & Tobago on a research project during my undergraduate years, and it was a hugely inspiring experience. Working alongside researchers at the University of the West Indies on projects focussed on wildlife in tropical rainforests was so much fun, and it opened my eyes to the world that is out there. The Caribbean is a beautiful place, with the kindest people I have ever met. It was also where I became exposed to science communication for the first time, whilst watching local scientists speaking to school children about bats in a cave. How do you feel the Science world has evolved throughout your career? ( what are some hard truths you have had to face?) I think the scientific community is beginning to have the hard conversations about the toxic culture that exists within its ranks. This is a welcome discussion that is opening up, but there’s still a lot of work to do in order to make science open to everyone. How have your past experiences contributed to the amazing science communicator you are today? I’ve been doing science communication for almost ten years now, so I’ve had a huge amount of experiences to draw from, reflect on and incorporate into my practice. I spent six years working in a science centre, which is by far the most formative experience in developing my skills as a science communicator. You run @globalscience show, What was the inspiration behind these and what are your long term plans for it ? Honestly? Boredom. I had been furloughed during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and was looking for things to fill my time with. Taking inspiration from other initiatives such as #MuseumFromHome I thought, wouldn’t it be fun to run a full day of STEM content on Twitter, to put a smile on people’s faces. It kinda blew up, and now it’s become part of my freelance day to day. I’m currently thinking hard about the long term plan, but for now we’ve launched a training programme, SciComm: Beyond the Basics that will give people the tools they need to make high quality scicomm outputs. What advice would you give your younger self? Be kinder to yourself and give yourself a break once in a while Do you ever see yourself transitioning back into academia? Never, I am perfectly happy in the world I’ve moulded for myself Would you have originally picked this career path if more information was available to you at the time? I never knew this was an option for me, and I ended up here by accident so I honestly don’t know if younger Sam would have made this choice. What advice would you give to people regarding salaries in your field? They are extremely varied, and jobs themselves are extremely competitive. Subscribe to the psi-comm mailing list, which only advertises jobs which include a salary range, so you can get an idea of what the market is like. Outside science how would you describe yourself? Quite introverted. I spend a lot of time on my phone, playing video games or spending time with my partner and our two dogs. Interested in more sci comm ? - connect with Sam Twitter: @GlobalSciShow or @scottishscicomm Youtube : GoingLivewithGlobalScienceShow Website: https://www.globalscienceshow.com/

Name :Will Mountford (He/Him) Job Title: Head of Audio, Research Publishing Intl A levels/ equivalent 1 B and 3 Ds, Media Studies, German, Biology and General Studies. Through luck or generosity, I still got a Uni place for a course asking for BBC. The B was in Media studies. Undergrad and post grad degrees BSc Applied & Human Biology, Aston University (2011) MSc Science Communication at UWE Bristol, 2014 Favourite science fact: the Murchison Meteorite, a chunk of space rock recovered from Australia, contains amino acids that do not appear in any living thing on Earth. Journey in 3 Words :Casual chats, professionalised Briefly describe your role: I manage the pitching, development, recording, and release of ResearchPod episodes, in which research papers and projects get translated into accessible language summaries or interviews for boosting outreach and academic impact. Back when we could host events, I also ran the local scicomm events group Sci X Southwest. What motivated you to pursue a career in science? A friend of mine in Year 9 did a presentation in English class about how he wanted to be a midwife when he grew up, and I thought… I could do that. So started angling myself towards biology. That friend’s a photographer now. So, yknow… sliding doors. As a podcaster with vast experience in different forms of science communication how would you describe the field of communication to someone just starting? There’s so many different styles, outlets and goals of science communication, it can be a little boggling to think about where to start. And there’s just as many niches going unfilled and undiscovered. I’ve hosted comedy nights with Sci X Southwest, handled human brain tissue, interviewed OAPs about their walking group and air pollution, and got a thousand strangers to (using safety equipment) stare at the sun, all in a single year. There’s no one path to take, or goal to reach. How did you decide on your MSc? and do you feel you made the right decision for your career? Purely by chance, as i was browsing the ‘Find a Masters/Find a PhD’ directory during my final year of my BSc, I saw a banner ad for the MSc course. As soon as i started reading its contents, I thought “...why did no-one tell me this was an option before?”. And, I can’t imagine my life if i hadn’t done it. What skills from your degrees have helped you during your career journey to full time podcasting Besides being able to academically cite the reasons why my job should exist (which many old-school scientists seem morally opposed too…), an openness to new topics has been essential, considering i’ve interviewed experts in everything from quantum psychology to welding. Going into those knowing that i am not going to be the most well informed about the topic drives me to find a new line of questioning, or new way of breaking down topics, so that anyone could listen without feeling alienated or talked down to. We also spent some modules dealing specifically in media production and skills, with the transferable knowledge going from video editing to audio editing being a big time saver. No career journey is a linear path, what are some hard truths you have had to face along the way? Your time, energy, income and commitment to something are yours to know the value of. When someone, somewhere, starts asking too much of one of those without compensating another, you can wear yourself out, be it a long commute meaning you don't have as much home/leisure time, or getting paid enough for something you don’t find enriching. I’ve maintained a solid and unwavering dedication to not moving to London, no matter how ‘perfect’ a job may sound, for the exact same reason. How has volunteering steered your journey? It got me my first ‘scicomm’ job, going from an occasional volunteer at the local science museum to a full time member of staff alongside my MSc studies. I got to meet a lot of excellent people as a volunteer, and later as a staff member working with volunteers, from all walks of life, and it made for a great reminder that you never know what someone else knows. It’s all well and good delivering training around ‘Your amazing body’ and thinking your already-rusty BSc is impressive til it turns out one of the trainees is a retired doctor with over 1000 hours of volunteering under his belt. Establish a shared groundwork of understanding first, with no expectation or assumed knowledge, and build on it together. What advice would you give on dealing with rejection and perseverance? This is something I am still working on, and am lucky enough to have friends and family to offer emotional support. One particularly rough example was the winter I sent out something close to 60 job applications, with little to show for it - I don’t remember a single one of those applications now, but I definitely remember the one job I got at the end of it. Optimism can be hard to come by, but it’s a good choice when possible. Like I mentioned earlier about ‘career choices’, it’s hard to imagine what else might have been, when things have (through equal measures of effort and luck) worked out to a pretty alright place currently. Having done Media studies would you say the desire to communicate and produce content has always been there? The Media studies course was ’The fun one’ go my choices. I had a science, with a clear plan for uni and career afterwards, a language for all the benefits an expanded world view brings, and then something for myself to enjoy. Of course, after a generation of being told ‘Media studies is a waste course for laybouts and hipsters’, look at media landscape we find ourselves in. Maybe if everyone had been studying it a bit closer... To look at that with a broader idea of communication and content, I suppose there may have always been something of a performer in me. I played in bands as a kid as well, and the live performances with Science Showoff/Sci X Southwest have scratched the same itch. However, I would temper that with the (bad?) habit of being self-minimising a lot of the time. See, I’m doing it already... I have a notion that, if I’ve set up an event well, or conducted an interview properly, or produced a podcast cleanly, then no-one has to know I was there at all. Where an interview leads should be the common-sense questions on any listeners mind so they can get an answer immediately. An event should be able to run smoothly without my hand on the tiller at all times, that sort of thing. This can be a useful instinct, in terms of being totally prepared for conducting interviews or having backups/technical redundancies at events. On every other hand, not particularly advantageous. I need to work up the bravado to see my journey as inspiring, personally, but if it has that quality for anyone reading this, I’ll take it. What is your biggest pet peeve about how the world perceives science That being very well educated makes you infallible. You can be the smartest person in the room and still be wrong. Or worse, be biased. Worse still, be a dick. When considering your career path, how much has your potential salary affected your decision? Had someone tapped me on the shoulder as i browsed for masters courses and said ‘For the rest of your twenties, you will see all your friends and colleagues living far more comfortable lives than you’ It would have undoubtedly given me pause. It’s a shame to say, but the ability to live and function comfortably in society is dependent on income, and there’s large gaps between the high and low ends of the scicomm scene. But, to come back to those personal values, I have found myself in incredibly enriching jobs that pay well enough for now. I have met great people, travelled the world, and had some excellent times. Then, when that balance started tipping, it’s been time to go Seeing as i’m buying a house and have a baby on the way, I reserve the right to revisit this statement and sell out completely. Outside science how would you describe yourself. Physically, I’m a balding cis dude with a beard and glasses - Truly, i was destined to be a podcaster… Politically, I spent the last 3 years working on a run for Bristol City Council as a Green Party representative, and support their policies of inclusiveness, social/ecological justice, and prioritising wellbeing over GDP. Generally, i’m just vibing. Connect with Will and listen to his podcast -> https://twitter.com/ResearchpodHQ

Name: Fikayo Oyewale (he/him) Job: Scientific Communications Officer at African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Redeemer's University, Ede, Nigeria A levels/ equivalent: I completed my high school studies at Olivet Baptist High School, Oyo, Nigeria Undergrad and post grad degrees: Bachelor of Agriculture and Master of Science degrees in Animal Science, both from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria Favourite science fact: Science is about research, properly spelt “re-search”. That is, you continue to “search” until you find answers, which leads to another cycle of search. Journey in 3 Words: Research. Innovation. Communication. Briefly describe your role Presently, my roles include presenting genomics research activities and outputs in everyday language and disseminating these through social media, blogs, videos, policy briefs, etc. I also work with scientists who are interested in distilling their research for the public using infographics, STEAM (using the arts in STEM) and documentaries, among others. What motivated you to pursue a career in science: In a geography class during my penultimate year in high school, my teacher told us that over 60% of Nigeria’s annual tomato production gets damaged due to poor storage, transportation and processing facilities, among others. He also told us some agricultural feats recorded in the country decades ago. I was alarmed by these facts and I began to ask myself what I could do to solve some of the problems. My contemplations led to my decision to study animal science at the university. Things I got exposed to during my undergraduate and Master’s studies strengthened my resolve about solving problems through science. How have your work experiences molded your career path now? I found my current career path while doing my work as a Technical Officer of an agriculture-oriented research for development project. It was an instance of doing all you can where you are. I opened myself to going beyond my terms of reference to add value to the project. It was while on this trajectory that I got introduced to science communication. From my work experience, I recognize how scientists work hard to solve society's problems and how disconnected these efforts are from the people the solutions are meant to serve. This emphasizes the importance of science communication. While this is a thriving area in Europe and America, it seems we are yet to start in Africa. I knew that some people needed to bridge the gap here in Africa if the impact of our scientific community will be greater. Hence, I chose to be one of such. How did you know a pHd was for you? I am a scientist, and I would like to remain a scientist. Earning a PhD will position me to conduct research at the highest levels. I also believe that the training involved in obtaining a PhD will equip me to better help scientists and their organizations with science communication and public engagement. Lastly, some of the most exceptional science communication professionals (SciCommers) that I admire are PhD holders. We connected via @scicomm chat - How did you get into scicomm? I got into science communication while working as the Technical Officer of a research for development project here in Nigeria. Due to my writing skills, I became responsible for writing blogs on the project. Sometime later, my boss (the PI) asked if I would consider doing science writing. I searched online and found that it was something I'd love to do. Towards the end of the project, we desired to produce a documentary on the activities and impact of the project. We had unpleasant experiences with our previous efforts at commissioning regular journalists and media organizations to communicate our work. At this point, I was already keen about developing my SciComm skills. I looked for, found and took free online courses. Afterwards, I proposed to the management that I should write the script for the documentary while we engage a videographer to record, edit and produce it. This was accepted, and I directed the production. Going forward, I have immersed myself in developing my scicomm skills. Despite planning my PhD in science, I see myself focusing on practicing and promoting science communication for the next foreseeable part of my career. I registered a company (Alpha Innovation Studio) with the goal of providing professional science communication and public engagement service to scientists, projects and institutions in Africa. I currently work as a Scientific Communications Officer at the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases (ACEGID), Redeemer's University, Ede, Nigeria. It was quite difficult getting science communication training on the African continent. My former project was going to sponsor me for trainings outside Nigeria but I could not secure visas needed for the travels. I have had to leverage every possible resource to learn the skills that I have, and I am actively learning more as well as looking for people whom I can share with. With your unique experience of scicomm in Nigeria, how do you see the field growing and what advice would you give to people interested in the field? Please permit me to extend my response to Africa. Except for South Africa and some parts of East Africa, SciComm is in its infancy in most of Africa, including Nigeria. While a measure of science journalism occurs in some quarters across the continent, active and direct SciComm from scientists and their institutions looks very minimal. Recent events (particularly the Covid-19 pandemic) have shown the necessity for active science communication from scientists and scicomm professionals working with them. I know that Africa needs many more science communicators, and I want to contribute actively to the discovery, development and growth of these. Just yesterday, knowing that I am into science communication, a younger friend who had his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the same departments as I did was asking me about the potential of agricultural communication. I was quick to tell him that the demand is high, much higher than the current supply. I would advise people interested in scicomm not to limit themselves. Look out for learning opportunities (there are many free ones out there), develop your skills and START something, no matter how seemingly small it is. Build your profile by doing scicomm, even if it is free at first. Keep records of your scicomm activities and outputs (preferably online) so that you can readily reference them for opportunities in the future. Also, do not rest on your oars. Keep pushing yourself to know more about scicomm and what others are doing. Then, you will be on your way to becoming a high-value scicomm professional. Connect with professionals in the field. Reach out to people if you need guidance. From my observation, scicommers are generally very open to sharing with others and encouraging them. I am happy to connect and collaborate with anyone on scicomm, especially as it relates to Africa. What resources helped you most during your career journey? The SciDev.net's Science Communication Skills for Journalists (free) course and STEAM Summer School (moderately priced) were very influential in developing my perception and skills in science communication. These days, I follow and interact with SciComm professionals online (primarily Twitter). This is an almost endless resource as many of them share links to different platforms and opportunities. What advice would you give on dealing with rejection and perseverance? Every rejection you experience is a sign that you can get better; it is an opportunity for you to get some more refining. Without being condescending and without having a pity party, search out what you can improve upon in yourself or your project. Work on improving such and try again. Your chances of getting accepted increases with your level of refining. When considering your career path, how much has your potential salary affected your decision? I am not driven by my potential salary. I want to make an impact where it greatly matters. That was why I chose to study animal science earlier, and that is why I am at my present position. I belong to mailing lists where I receive several adverts for science communication positions in Europe and other parts of the world every week. These are positions for which I am a potentially strong candidate, which would pay me multiples of what I currently earn. I chose to stay at ACEGID (Nigeria) because the Centre is doing meaningful research, and I am able to contribute directly to its effort at changing the narratives about science from Africa. And you know, narratives are all about communication. Outside science how would you describe yourself I am a people person who loves making things happen (arranging things, organizing events, just making things happen). Please Link any public scicomm work you have done below . SAMPLES OF MY WRITING AND PRODUCTION A. Articles published for ACEGID Four Takeaways from Our Recent Paper on Tuberculosis in Nigeria: https://acegid.org/2021/09/08/four-takeaways-from-our-recent-paper-on-tuberculosis-in-nigeria/ ACEGID Genomics Centre: Better Space for Scientific Research available at https://acegid.org/2020/09/22/acegid-genomics-centre-better-space-for-creating-science/ ACEGID named as a Continental Reference Laboratory by WHO and Africa CDC available at: https://acegid.org/2020/09/14/who-africacdc-name-acegid-as-continental-reference-laboratory/ B. Videos recorded, edited and produced for ACEGID Do it Afraid available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LR3kcE6V83c 2020 at ACEGID available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iikwDufBjeQ ACEGID Stories available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSk0ovste2M C. ACGG-NG contents published online Hobby to Business Documentary series available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a97Oi0obKdE&list=PL9nPfxxVaaI4IjRDcjARHoQCou-z9Q5yw&index=4 ACGG Nigeria participates in Ife City Trade Expo 2016 available at: https://africacgg.net/2017/01/05/ife-trade-expo-2016/ ACGG–Nigeria deploys innovative village poultry vaccination model accessible at: https://africacgg.net/2017/02/10/nigeria-innovative-vaccination-model/ Fourth national innovation platform meeting in Nigeria lays ground for a functional forum accessible at: https://africacgg.net/2017/02/24/nigeria_nip4/ science poem titled Diversity Stays Back Home newly published in the 6th issue of Consilience Journal. Connect with Fikayo LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fikayooyewale/ Twitter: @fikayooyewale Facebook: @fikayooyewale

Three years of blogging leading to 60+ interviews I can FINALLY say I have an idea of what I can do with my degree! So here I am sharing and answering the question: What do LIFE SCIENCE GRADUATES DO? This blog post will be updated regularly as TCIM builds more profiles. The term “Life science” is used to describe a broad range of scientific study of life. You can say it falls under Biology and can be further subdivided into: Botany, Zoology, Genetics and Medicine. These subcategories are even further divided into specialist fields with the expectation to study topics ranging from cell biology, genetics, molecular biology, botany, microbiology, zoology, evolution, ecology, physiology and more. The life science field is incredibly broad and tcim- this blog started to document fields closest to the medicine branch. You often find people wanting to study medicine but not understanding that this is an entire world and not confined to the boundaries of becoming a practicing medical doctor. This is no fault of the naive 16year old positioned to make a huge life decision . This blog post has been written to break down the different fields you can pursue using real world examples of people interviewed on this blog. For regular career profile updates subscribe to the newsletter here So Let’s begin. You pursue a life science degree with the aim to use it for years and years. While that isn’t always the case, there are many successful examples of people that have been able to utilise the skills from these degrees for 20+ years. This includes changing fields, taking second and even third degrees. Before we get started let’s understand the difference between a career and a job. A job is a means to an end and what you are currently doing to either make ends meet or the current thing taking up most of your time. A career : this encompasses all the “jobs” you’ve had, all the experiences that at a time didn't seem relevant form this intertwining branch of good an bad experiences. A career is built on intentional choices to get you from A to Z rather than just A to B. Why do people choose science? I love asking this question, because each response is personal. Ranging from a feeling, to a teacher seeing potential, reading a book or seeing a family member experience a disease and wanting to help. For whatever reason you choose science its an opportunity to learn more about what you are passionate about. Senior Roles Senior roles in the life science field often involve utilising a range of skill over the years. After interviewing a few people, these roles are suited for people that don’t shy away from leadership. If you want to create long lasting change and impact a wide range of people while actively using your degree the questionable salaries along the way shouldn’t deter you from what is a very rewarding path. Common Job titles : Senior researcher, Molecular scientist chief executive, Post doctoral researcher ,CEO, Professor , Head of Communications,etc Minimum requirement : An undergraduate degree. A majority will also have a second degree or relevant qualifications for the particular field backed with years of experience. Salary Range: £35,000-£100,000 TCIM Career Profiles Postdoctoral Fellow and Author Chief Researcher Principal Investigator Chief Executive PHD A PhD just seems like the obvious step for someone wanting to stay in academia. It is definitely a pre-requisite for becoming a professor. It is also an oversold route making competition for places incredibly high. They common misconception is that the ONLY path after is to become a professor and if you don’t want that you shouldn’t do it. This isn't the case anymore, whether this is a result of the crazy job market or the final realisation of what skills phds possess ( its the realisation of the market understanding the value of a Phd outside academia btw). Gaining a phd is not something the many that have thought through their decision regret. What do they involve: 3-4 years ( full time) of research and becoming an expert in a niche field. Minimum requirement : Bsc degree Salary Range: Stipend in the uk £15,000-£30,000. Stipend refers to the money given to you. It is tax free unlike regular “jobs”. Should I do a Phd ? Now for the burning question… how do you know its for you? Like anything, something that pushes your curiosity and lights a sparkle in your eyes should be pursued. In a money controlled world, it probably isn't the best path if you want to earn loads immediately, it is a slow burner and really earning potential is what you make of it post PhD . I have interviewed many people while everyone has amazing motivational stories of why a PhD felt like the right step, every person will attest to the fact you SHOULDN'T DO ONE JUST BECAUSE ! Take the break and explore the other interests if you aren't sure, there are many rewarding pathways that don’t involve the sheer stress a PhD will put you through. TCIM Career profiles Cardiovascular science Cancer biology and Medicine Immunology Bioinformatics:Sequencing the genome of malaria Biological science Neurobiology Health science and physics Biology and Policy Molecular and Cellular Biology The working world: A common misconception with life science degrees that fall under the umbrella of medicine is the need for multiple degrees and the Bsc is never enough. While it is true a masters as a requirement is becoming more and more common, they are not essential all the time. There are some routes that offer more of a training pathway to the second degree, some where just knowledge of science is enough and then the beautiful space in between. Of everyone that I have interviewed the people that fit into this section always highlight a new job title that leads me down a rabbit whole of much more. These profiles just show the endless possibilities with your degree. When positioning yourself in the working world, you really have to pick apart your skills and not be shy of what you have achieved or want to achieve. Break down your direct degree skills, the things you liked and disliked. A life science degree can be broken down into different bits. The Core: the modules about the science that you learn. The pathways, the diseases etc.. The Assessments: the projects ( presentation, group work, articles written) -> do you like organising stuff, do you like explaining things, do you like seeing a project through. Do you just like keeping up with knowledge but don't actually want to generate any ? Are you awful in the lab? Do you like being alone, do you need to talk to people? The things you hate : What absolutely made you roll your eyes, stay away from that stuff ! TCIM Career Profiles Biomedical scientist - Microbiology Research assistant : Biochem Research Technician: Cardiovascular Scientific officer Lab Technician Student recruitment Education officer Science teacher -Biology Quality assurance facilitator Molecular Scientist Science Writer Freelance Science writer Lawyer to Freelance science writer Pharmacovigilance and business consultant Clinical research associate to chief of staff Research Project Manager Widening Partcicipation Marketing Lead Science strategy lead Biomedical Scientist -operations Lead Scientific communications officer Head of Audio and Research Publishing Lawyer Should I do a masters? Just like a Phd “Don’t do a masters to just pass time”. You may be reading this and ignore that statement or wish you had read this earlier and saved yourself an incredibly difficult year. A masters is a year to “master” a specific field, this involves a lot more self motivation than you would think. Take the decision to do one seriously and if you are unsure it’s best not to do one. You want to enjoy the experience and don't want your tank on empty. I wrote a blog post after my masters - academia is the ghetto, so just imagine what I thought of my experience. In life science some people go onto do masters in the same field as their undergrad to get a better chance at developing a research idea or continuing one on from their undergrad. Masters are very popularly used to change direction either within the life science field or completely switch to a different field. A very unique career profile also shows how you can use a masters to build upon interests in different fields . Not popular within life science but some course have a broad range of modules that you can essentially build your own masters course ! Minimum requirement : Bsc degree Salary Range: N/A TCIM PROFILES : For detailed profiles, visit Msc section on the website Physicians associate Psychology conversion Law conversion Education MA Tropical disease biology Medical Ultrasound Advanced Biological Science Cancer Biology Global Health and Development Biomed with molecular science and business Radiation Therapist- Msc Public Health Bioinformatics Environmental Science Medical Student and Visiting Scientist Agriculture Bsc Where to even begin. You know you like biology and don’t know where to go with that information. An undergraduate degree is a great start and the truth is a lot are the same content just under fancy names. A lot of universities have a common first year to combat the problem of people falling into a speciality they may not actually like. For example choosing biochemistry because you love biology and chemistry but then realise it is nothing like the combined love you had for these subjects at A level. You then fall in love with microbiology or start to realise you don’t want to study plant science. The broadest courses are biology and biological science. Biology courses as previously described cover a wide range of topics including plants and animals. Biological science and biomedicine have a closer link to medicine. In the biological science, you can find courses that focus on animals such as zoology. Biomedical science is the closest general and by far one of the most popular degrees that people tend to choose. As tcim is heavily skewed towards the medicine branch of biology , other courses that have the prefix “medical” or “clinical” are also suitable for people that want to study the broad term that is “medicine”. TCIM PROFILES : For detailed profiles, visit Bsc section on the website here Neuroscience Biology Medicine Biomedical science Pharmacy BiotechnologyHuman biology Medical physiology biochemistry, Microbiology Medical biochemistry Clinical Science Biotechnology Agricultural science Zoology Biological science with a Yr in Industry premed-> PHD Laboratory science Radiation therapy Medical Biochemistry with a Year In industry If you scrolled this far, might as well subscribe to the newsletter ! -> here

Name :Lori Palen (she/her) Job title:Owner & Principal Consultant at Data Soapbox, a research communication firm A levels/ equivalent :N/A Undergrad and post grad degrees : Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, The College of William & Mary Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University Favourite science fact: For a woman who has had biological children, her children’s DNA can be found in her body even decades after their birth -> read more Journey in 3 Words :Practitioner, scientist, communicator Briefly describe yourself ? I’m a trained social scientist. Including graduate school, I spent 17 years as an adolescent health researcher, studying the prevention of risk behaviors like substance abuse, sexual risk behavior, and relationship violence. As my career progressed, I got more and more interested in the back end of the research process, when findings are shared with people who can use them. I eventually decided to pursue research communication full time. I couldn’t find an existing opportunity that worked for me, so I made my own! In early 2021, I started Data Soapbox, a research communication firm. We design products like reports, presentations, and infographics for clients in the research, education, and human service spaces. How did you know a PhD was for you? Honestly, I wasn’t initially sure! I had worked in substance abuse treatment for a couple of years and knew I wanted to go back to school to learn about preventing risk behaviors before they start. I found out that I could pay to go to a master’s degree program, or I could get paid (through a graduate assistantship) to get a PhD. I figured that graduating without student loans (and being “Dr. Palen”!) was worth a few additional years of school. My program ended up being a good fit, I learned a lot, and it positioned me well for the work I do now. As a social scientist, What is your biggest pet peeve about how the world perceives your field ? I get irked that social science, either explicitly or by omission, sometimes gets framed as being “less” than the natural sciences, like biology, chemistry, and physics. (You can read my comprehensive rant about this issue here.) As the COVID-19 pandemic has shown us, biochemical vaccine research tells us nothing about how to get people to show up for the shots. Questions about human behavior (including how to predict and change it) are critical to our health and well-being, and brilliant people are attempting to answer those questions in rigorous ways. " Communication was the area in which I got to shine, and when you shine in something that you also enjoy, it’s pretty appealing to make that your specialty. " How did academia treat you and what motivated the transition to communication ? (I wasn’t really in academia after graduate school; I worked at a non-profit research institute.) At the research institute where I worked, I was (understandably, and completely logically) expected to “do research,” which meant engaging in the whole process of study design, execution, and reporting. I worked with a lot of talented researchers who could run circles around me when it came to theory, study design, and data analysis. Communication was the area in which I got to shine, and when you shine in something that you also enjoy, it’s pretty appealing to make that your specialty. Starting a business in a pandemic isn’t easy, how do you manage Work- Life Balance as the word transitions into this “new normal”? Starting a business in the midst of a pandemic was tough! I originally planned to launch Data Soapbox in summer 2020, but all of my bandwidth was taken up with physical, emotional, and economic survival. By the end of 2020, it felt like things had settled down enough that leaving my stable, well-paying job wouldn’t be a complete disaster. I have two sons, ages 6 and 9, one with major health and education challenges. By necessity, my default work-family balance leans heavily family, so for me the challenge is carving out dedicated time to work. Having my own business gives me maximum flexibility in when, where, and how I do my job. I can be available for parent-teacher conferences and doctor’s appointments and lunch with my parents, and I can do focused communication work when my kids are sleeping or in someone else’s care. What experiences had the most impact on your current career trajectory? And specifically internships? I attended an Edward Tufte workshop in 2007, and it was the first time I’d ever heard someone present alternatives to traditional academic/scientific communication. Over the years, I soaked up books and internet resources about effective communication, including content from Stephanie Evergreen, Nancy Duarte, Garr Reynolds, Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic, and Randy Olson. When I started planning to start my business, I took community college classes in graphic design and journalism to further build my skills. What transferrable skills do you use from your degrees now in your current role? Lots of them! My university education taught me how to digest scientific literature, interpret statistics, think critically, and write clearly and logically. And then, even though I’m no longer active in conducting research, that part of my training helps me better understand my clients’ goals, resources, and constraints. Which resources helped you most during your career journey? I’d previously mentioned the big names in the field who helped me make the pivot from research to research communication. Unfortunately, I didn’t get much exposure to science communication best practices and careers when I was in school. Now I see all sorts of interesting student opportunities, which make me excited for the next generation of science communicators. "rejection is the price we pay for taking chances " What advice would you give on dealing with rejection and perseverance? I love this question! In this age of seeing everyone’s highlight reels on social media, we need to be talking more about rejection and failure. In graduate school alone, I was rejected for the first conference I ever applied to, multiple journal manuscripts, my first two dissertation proposals, my NIH dissertation grant proposal, my first predoctoral fellowship proposal, and all but two jobs I applied to. I also got rejected by (counting on my fingers) at least half a dozen guys. And there are some times when rejection really hurts...when it’s something that you expected to get, when it’s something you really wanted to have, when it’s something that everyone you know got. But, rejection is the price we pay for taking chances. There are a few things that help me cope with rejection. Taking some time to sulk about it. (Things usually look better with some time and distance.) Using the rejection as motivation to kick ass at the next thing I try. Filling my life with people and things I love, so that post-rejection life is still pretty great. But, I’ve never stopped taking chances, even if I have to assess whether I should try for something different next time. When considering your career path, how much has your potential salary affected your decision For the most part, potential salary hasn’t had much impact on my career decisions. However, there are a couple of exceptions. I worked in human services for two years after undergrad, and part of what pushed me back to graduate school was the realization that I wanted to make more than $11.35 an hour. And then, when I worked as a researcher, the good salary made it harder to decide to venture into the unknowns of entrepreneurship. Outside science how would you describe yourself? I’m a mom, wife, daughter, and sister. I’m also an avid reader and an arts-and-crafts enthusiast. I can be serious when I need to, but I’d rather be laughing.

Name - Nidhi Parekh (she/her) Current role - Life sciences content creator and strategist at The Shared Microscope A levels/ equivalent -- I did the International Baccalaureate. Undergrad and postgrad degrees - BSc in Biomedicine (from the University of East Anglia, Norwich) and a Graduate Diploma in Law (from BPP University, London) Favourite science fact - We don’t all see colours in the exact same way! [whaaaat] Journey in 3 Words - Convoluted. Hopeful. Exciting. What motivated you to pursue a career in science - I always thought I wanted to positively impact people’s lives through studying medicine. I haven’t got to live that dream (yet) but definitely have had the chance to change lives with what I do now. Briefly describe your role I am a freelance website content creator and strategist for the life sciences and health niche. My role involves writing life sciences content that many people rely on to make important decisions about their health and wellbeing. You recently worked in law and have now gone back to science, what was your role like previously and what inspired the change? I really enjoyed my role in the field of law, but it didn’t seem to be making the impact I was hoping for. While I was working in law, I found some lumps on my breast (it took me forever to get them checked -- all turned out okay). I wrote more about this experience here. While working in law, I also periodically came across clients that had limited health literacy and had trouble understanding the harmful effects of smoking, or how to manage their blood sugar, for example. Together, these experiences showed me that there was a real requirement to create accessible and impactful health content to get people to understand health and medicine, and more particularly, take preventive measures to protect from certain health conditions. How have internships impacted your career journey ? I think internships were a great way for me to understand what it is that I like. I did an internship at the John Innes Center that was funded by the Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine. I learnt through that internship that I did not particularly enjoy laboratory work. I also did an internship at a law firm in London, which I enjoyed, but through it I was able to learn the areas of law that I did enjoy - intellectual property, occupational disease, family law, etc. What transferable skills have you found most valuable from your degree ? My most transferable skill from the sciences has been to be able to conduct research and distinguish between good sources and bad sources. The law degree really helped hone my communication skills. What advice would you give anyone wanting to follow your career path You can consume as much information you want from books and courses, but none of them will teach you what real life experiences will! Just begin this “dream job” of yours and learn on the go! A little bit each day really goes a long way. What advice would you give on networking and putting yourself out there on social media? I definitely think networking on social media is worth it. It can help you get clients and also help build your circle - whether that be for SciComm, freelancing, or something else. You can quickly find your people on social media. If you are looking to network with people within SciComm, definitely come and drop in to our #SciCommChat sessions every Wednesday at 6pm GMT. The community is super friendly, approachable and helpful. Learn more about how you can join #SciCommChat here. You run two platforms @thesharedscope (@thesharedmicroscope on Instagram) and @scicomm.club. What was the inspiration behind these and what are your long term plans for these projects? I started @thesharedscope as part of my blog for improving health literacy. This has now become a business and my main source of income - I write impactful and accessible health content for biotech and health companies, and other industries within the life sciences. The inspiration for The Shared Microscope came from my own breast cancer scare and recognizing a gap in what doctors knew and what patients understood. The long-term plan with TSM is to continue to create a place for accurate and reliable health information either for the TSM blog or for blogs of clients. I hope to do this on a larger scale, with larger health/biotech companies as well as start-up companies looking to make a positive difference. I started @SciComm.Club to fill another need in the market - a need that science and health communicators have had for a while but has been particularly highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. We need more science communicators! And we need them all to talk with each other and others to improve our communication with each other and the general public. I started @SciComm.Club to create a space for science communicators and others interested in science communication to talk and learn from each other to collectively hone our skills and make our communications more effective. Where do you see yourself in 5 years I’d like to be working with top clients in the field while helping start-ups get to the top. I would also like to “give back” to the community by opening a free clinic for preventive health. Through this, I hope to educate people about the effect of food on our health, family planning and safe sex, and also work with a period charity to empower women to make their own period products and sell these products to help them make money. Outside science how would you describe yourself I’m quite a chatty person who is always looking to make a positive difference in the world.

Name: Mishumo Nemathaga Course :Masters of Science in Agriculture candidate A levels/ equivalent :National Senior Certificate (Life Science, Physical Science, Geography, Mathematics and English) Graduate degrees: Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences (Microbiology and Zoology stream) Honours in Life Sciences (Microbiology stream) Favourite science fact: Microbes are 10 times more than the number of human cells in a living human. Journey in 3 Words : Purposeful, Inspirational, maturing Briefly describe your role or course I am currently a Masters candidate at the University of South Africa focusing on Animal sciences. My research is on Ascaridia galli parasitic roundworms that cause fatal diseases in chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus). My research work will help provide healthy food to rural communities that rely on poultry for their livelihood, and furthermore contribute to the global goal of combating hunger in Africa. What motivated you to pursue a career in science? My primary education really shaped me and introduced me to subjects that opened my young mind. My love for science started when I was in primary school (Grade 6). I really enjoyed the lessons and mini-projects that I had to do during my Life Science and Technology classes. I started to have a greater interest in Life Science as a subject. The mini-projects that the teacher gave of mammals, reptiles and the ecosystem gave me a reason to find myself searching the internet looking for the meaning of life sciences. Internet Explorer gave me a definition that changed my future goal, dreams and desires forever. The explanation spoke of living things and even gave examples of animals and small organisms. I continued to search until I saw the word “biologist” and the definition fascinated me so much. I decided then and there that when I am grown up, I want to become a biologist. I went home that day and told my mom about my ambition. The reason why I pursued an academic journey in microbiology, zoology and even agriculture was due to my 12 year-old self!T I stepped out in faith and walked into the unknown, my courage, ambition and drive for something challenging brought me this far and I hope that my story will give a young girl child the ability to see a scientist in herself because it is possible. What advice would you give someone wanting to study the same degree? I have come across so many challenges and also found myself in situations that would force me to question my academic choices but I always told myself “fail but never fail to try again”. Take the journey with an open mind and willingness to learn from your mistakes. It is also important to know that challenges are there to make you stronger. Believe in yourself and your abilities. Set goals, aspirations, interests and values and follow them. In the STEM world we learn from those who pursued it before us, they are the best mentors. Also remember that we make academic choices on a daily basis so don’t be afraid to aim for greater heights (don’t limit yourself). What do you enjoy the most about your masters course ? I am conducting research that will contribute positively to the global goal of combating hunger and my research will impact rural areas and empower farmers. I enjoy the fact that my research is not only for my gain, but for a global contribution. I have a passion to make a difference in Africa through research and more research, and I believe that success doesn't compare to making a generational difference. What advice would you give on dealing with rejection and perseverance? I have personally learnt that rejections don't define you, self-growth does. With every rejection redefine yourself, redefine your surroundings and learn that you are stronger. We all know that perseverance is the mother of success. Furthermore the reason why it is a virtue is because perseverance is a strength within courage followed by bravery, honesty, and zest. Believe in yourself and your abilities and GO FOR IT (zest), remember that you are intelligent and a force to be reckoned with (bravery) work hard and never be afraid to ask questions, you can never live long enough to know everything (honesty) and most importantly always remember that in the STEM world we learn from those who pursued it before us they are the greatest mentors so “persevere’. What is your biggest pet peeve about how the world perceives science ? That science is for nerds. I have personally experienced the nerd stigma throughout my academic journey. It's very interesting how people actually think that as a scientist you should know everything under the sun. Outside science how would you describe yourself ? I'm a very spiritual person, I come from a Christian family. I describe myself outside of Science as a worshipper and a very loving person. I mostly put others before me, I love the feeling of seeing people around me happy. I am an introvert which is sometimes shocking to other people because I'm very outspoken, but I prefer peace and quiet and my own space. You run a STEM facebook page, what motivated that and how has that impacted your science career? Motivation has come from my journey as a scientist, the challenging moments and days that made me feel like giving up motivated me. I am a Fellow of an organization called Black Women in Science that aims to expose female emerging researchers to research opportunities and science platforms and when I joined the fellowship I wanted to find myself in stimulating environments that had women that walked a similar journey as mine. An environment that would recognize me as a scientist and also provide me with opportunities This organization has given me a better perspective of the STEM world and how unequal it is when it comes to black women. From this journey I have become inspired to create a “let’s have a moment of science” platform that will encourage and impart an interest of the science world to a rural learner. Free Science aspires to deliver mentorship that will encourage great passion for science and break down misconceptions and barriers that surround science. The impact that my page has in my science career is very positive as I find myself assisting undergraduates and senior phase learners through similar challenges that I faced throughout my journey. I don't try to fix everything but I try to show them that I have overcome the same obstacle, and it is possible. a resilient scientist that's dedicated her research journey to contributing to the solidification of solutions that can impact agricultural diversity and continue to improve the lives of people equally. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? In the next 5 years I see myself as Dr Mishumo Nemathaga, a resilient scientist that's dedicated her research journey to contributing to the solidification of solutions that can impact agricultural diversity and continue to improve the lives of people equally. I also see myself furthering my academic journey into pathology as my passion also lies in contributing to detection of diseases and conducting research that can prevent the spread of deadly diseases. I furthermore believe that success doesn't compare to making a generational difference, so I would also like to inspire the next generation and become a mentor that will encourage conceptual thinkers that believe in their abilities. I want to see myself seen by others as proof that your aspirations, dreams and goals are valid. Feel free to reach out to Mishumo on socials. Social media handles Instagram:n_mish22 Facebook page link https://www.facebook.com/mishumo.nemathaga Facebook page Free Science https://www.facebook.com/FreeScience101 LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/mishumo-nemathaga-05b5a11ba

Name ( pronouns): Danielle Nadin (she/her/elle) Course/ job:Science Strategy Lead, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) - Institute of Gender and Health A levels/ equivalent :Don’t have A-levels in Canada Undergrad and postgrad degrees BSc in Neuroscience, McGill University MSc in Neuroscience, McGill University Favourite science fact Octopuses have 9 brains, 3 hearts and sometimes punch fish in the face. Journey in 3 Words : Brains, Interdisciplinary, Advocacy Briefly describe your current role and Msc During my MSc, I studied brain networks to better understand recovery trajectories for patients with severe brain injuries. During my MSc, I was also involved in science communication and advocacy initiatives outside the lab, which helped me discover my interests not only in doing science, but also in communicating it and ensuring the research environment is an equitable, inclusive and accessible space for all. In my current role at the CIHR Institute of Gender and Health, I help embed sex- and gender-based analysis in Canadian health research. This involves keeping up with the most recent science in the area and developing materials like fact sheets, training modules and presentations to help equip researchers to apply these methods in their own work. What motivated you to pursue a career in science Growing up, I was always really curious about the natural world and how things worked. Throughout my life, I’ve wanted to be a geologist, an oceanographer, a marine biologist, and many other types of scientist. I’m also a very artistic person, and wanted to be an animation artist, an author, and a journalist. I struggled throughout my studies with feelings that I had to choose between science and art (which ended up being totally untrue and a false dichotomy). In high school, I began taking science courses and was really motivated by how much there was to learn. My teachers at the time encouraged me to pursue further education in science, and once I got an opportunity to be involved in research as an undergraduate student, I was hooked. I realized that science and creativity go hand in hand. I knew I wanted science to be part of my career, because it meant I would get to continuously learn new things and come up with creative solutions to find answers to difficult questions. I definitely would not have applied to grad school if it wasn’t for my undergraduate research experience. How did your undergraduate experience as a research assistant shape your application to grad school? I definitely would not have applied to grad school if it wasn’t for my undergraduate research experience. I didn’t even know what grad school entailed when I started university. During my RAship, I got to do research with patients. This was the first time I really experienced first hand how what I was studying - the brain - could have an impact on real peoples’ lives. My supervisor at the time gave me a lot of responsibility as an undergraduate student, and I was able to help shape our research questions and analysis. By the end of my undergraduate degree, I wanted to continue this type of work, so I decided that grad school was the right choice for me. How did you cope with completing a degree during the pandemic and how did you stay motivated? The start of the pandemic was challenging because things began to shut down right when I was beginning data collection for one of my thesis projects. After over a year of designing the study and getting ethics approval to conduct it, the whole project had to be shut down overnight in order to keep patients and participants safe. I had to rethink the angle of my thesis. Luckily, I had a supportive advisor who helped me navigate this big change. During the majority of the pandemic, I was lucky to be able to work from home because a lot of my research was computational. At the same time, this was challenging because I felt isolated. What helped a lot was connecting virtually with friends and labmates. This was also the time during which Black In Neuro was founded. My Black In Neuro family was really a saving grace for me in terms of connecting to other grad students and focussing my energy on a new project. What’s important for me is that I’m able to catch myself when I’m out of balance and not taking time for myself How do you maintain a work life balance with many extra projects you are involved with such as ( scicomm collective and Black in neuro) I won’t lie, it’s not always a balance! Sometimes I have long nights and work on the weekends. What’s important for me is that I’m able to catch myself when I’m out of balance and not taking time for myself. I’ve learnt to step back from things and say no when I have too much on my plate. I also try to block off times where I do not schedule any meetings and focus on a specific task. I also am a big fan of planners and to-do lists; when I’m struggling to prioritize tasks, I’ll write out everything that I have to get done and spend some time organizing things into a realistic schedule. Did you ever feel like you weren’t “focused” when pursuing things outside of the direct academic route and do you think you will go down the Phd route in the future? Throughout my undergraduate and graduate degrees, I did feel a little confused about where I was heading and how all the things I was interested and involved in would converge into a career. I wouldn’t say that I didn’t feel focussed, because each of the things I was involved in was meaningful to me, and I tried to give it my 100%. But I definitely had moments of worry that all my seemingly disparate interests wouldn’t come together into a clear path. In the end, the experiences I gained outside of the lab and the classroom really complemented my scientific training. I think having both was helpful when I started applying for jobs. In terms of a PhD, I’m not yet sure what the future holds! I definitely enjoy research and would love to do more neuroscience research in the future. That may be through a PhD, but could also be something I do in another capacity. When considering your career path, how much has your potential salary affected your decision? It was definitely a factor, because as graduate students we are often underpaid. I was privileged to receive fellowships to support my MSc, but when exploring careers I prioritized options that would offer more financial stability then the student stipends I received during my studies. Beyond that, since this was my first job post-grad school, I focussed primarily on whether my role would allow me to learn, grow and gain experience. I recognize that being able to prioritize that is a privilege. - a quiet storm Outside science how would you describe yourself I think someone on the Black In Neuro team has referred to me as a quiet storm before. I’m a relatively quiet and reserved person, but I can also be quite opinionated and outspoken about things I’m passionate about. In terms of hobbies, I love plants (and have an ever-growing houseplant collection), science fiction and fantasy novels, painting and drawing. Keep up with Danielle Social media : Twitter @DanielleSipsTea BlackInNeuro: https://www.blackinneuro.com/ ScicommCollective: https://twitter.com/SciCommArt

Name: Bamidele Farinre Course/ job: Senior Biomedical Scientist (Operations Lead) A levels/ equivalent : A Levels Chemistry, Biology, AVCE Science Undergrad and postgrad degrees: HND Applied Biology, BSc.Biomedical Science, MSc.Clinical Microbiology Favourite science fact: It can rain diamonds on other planets (This is a fantasy that makes me think, if that’s the case we will be veeeery rich scientists!!!) Journey in 3 Words: Challenging, Rewarding, Satisfying What motivated you to pursue a career in science: My fascination with science started from a young age owing to the fact that my mum was an auxiliary nurse and my aunty was a qualified doctor in Nigeria. We have pharmacists in the family too. I have always had an inquisitive mind about how science helps people to live a better life, I remember being taken along to graduation ceremonies by my grandmother, she was not educated but made up her mind that her children and grandchildren will accomplish what she couldn’t. She encouraged that I should aspire to succeed in my academics and that I can be whatever I want to be as long as I put my heart to it. I aspired to be a pharmacist but did not get the grades I required to study pharmacy at my chosen University. I went through clearing to apply to another University for a different course and I was advised to do an access course to give me a boost and prepare me for the main degree hence why I studied HND applied Biology. Whilst waiting for my clearing results I had a call from one of the universities I had applied, to come and study pharmacy, I accepted but only studied for a week and realised that was not a good career option for me due to the maths content, hence my career path as a Biomedical scientist. Briefly describe your current role: Operational Lead: I’m responsible for smooth operations of the lab. I manage the work of staff in the lab and support the General Manager in developing a culture in which members of staff are continuously improving the delivery of high-quality services. I achieve this by monitoring the allocation of staffing levels to meet the workload requirements of the sections and maximise staff and equipment resources. I ensure the development and acceptance of challenging but realistic objectives for staff, and through leadership, motivation and systematic performance management, achieve the required results. I am involved in day-to-day service staffing issues and in planning the departmental service rotas together with the Senior BMS in formulation and implementation of departmental policies affecting service delivery, ensuring Infection Sciences fulfils its obligations to both its internal and external users with respect to turn around times and quality control issues. Proactively facilitate the review of documents and maintain all laboratory procedures e.g., SOPs and policies in an acceptable form for accreditation. I resolve staffing issues in conjunction with the senior BMS to manage situations which may result in a service delivery failure. I participate in the clinical authorisation of highly complex results where necessary; working closely with clinical and scientific staff in the interpretation, notification and follow-up of clinically significant results and assume responsibility for the troubleshooting of analyser/assay failures as required. Participates in the recruitment and selection of appropriate staff in conjunction with the technical and operations Managers; facilitated the induction, education, training and professional development of appropriate staff. I ensured that appropriate standard operating procedures (SOPs) are developed and implemented. I facilitated continual development and compliance of internal and external audits by monitoring all non-compliances. It was challenging and demanding at the time because I was working full time as a mother, wife and was also pregnant but it was rewarding. You completed your Msc in 2013, What advice would you give someone wanting to follow a similar path? I would encourage such individuals to follow through. It was challenging and demanding at the time because I was working full time as a mother, wife and was also pregnant but it was rewarding. I studied Clinical Microbiology which allowed an easy transition for me as a registered early career Biomedical scientist to be able to apply the knowledge gained from my studies to clinical diagnostic practice. At times you may want to give up due to the stress involved but know that at the end of your studies, you are equipping yourself to be the best in your profession, applying knowledge based on clinically proven evidence and striving to provide your patients with the best possible care. Furthermore, it is professionally and personally rewarding. How do you feel the Science world has evolved throughout your career? ( what are some hard truths you have had to face?) Science has evolved greatly since I embarked on my professional journey as a Biomedical scientist. I missed the days where it was back to basics, for someone from a virology background, I had the privilege to do things the old fashioned way… by this I mean the days of cell culture to diagnose respiratory infections, Electron microscopy in diagnosing enteric infections. For viral disease diagnosis, we now have newer technologies and large automation platforms that provide results for the diagnosis of infectious diseases in minutes to hours; aiding in the effective management of viral diseases. The developments in science will continue in the foreseeable future with new researches, discoveries and inventions which inform evidence based practice. How do maintain or strive for a “good” Work- Life Balance? Maintaining a work-life balance prevents burnout. So I ensure I live a healthy work-life balance by taking things in its strides and knowing when to take a step back. I really enjoy spending time with my family and friends, and use music as my therapy, I compose gospel songs and love singing. I have a very positive outlook on life. I believe that every experience, positive or negative, is a learning curve, and no experience is ever a waste. Volunteering is something you do very often, how has this changed your perspective on things and what advice would you give someone wanting to volunteer more? It is a known fact that mentorship/volunteering is vitally important to the personal and professional development of an individual. As a woman in a STEM career there were a lot of obstacles and having the advice of someone who has already “been there, done that” can vastly improve the ability of those new to or rising up within their fields to stay the course and see that success is possible. There is a deficit of female black mentors during my undergrad years, and even if there were some available, I wasn’t aware of them. Until 2012 when I was doing my Specialist diploma studies in Virology, I went to a lot of conferences and seminars and was opportune to meet a lot of female mentors who have inspired me till date and so I can say that volunteering/networking is indispensable. I would encourage people to keep believing in their abilities, they should volunteer their time and expertise if the opportunity presents itself. They can achieve whatever they put their mind to do, with the right resources /information, positive attitude and perseverance. Don’t be afraid to ask questions even if they sound stupid to you (you can only acquire knowledge when you seek it). Aim high and don’t allow any outdated norms to navigate you off course. When considering your career path, how much has your potential salary affected your decision? Salary negotiations are a major part of career decisions and I highly recommend it when the opportunity presents itself. However, I have found that the most important factor in my career decision is my passion for what I do and believe in. This is where the satisfaction and joy is derived, salary comes as a bonus and much deserved luxury (I have been in a high paying job before but without the personal and professional satisfaction I craved). As a mentor with a lot of outreach experience, what advice would you give your younger self ? I’ll say to young Bami ‘Be yourself and believe in your abilities, strive for excellence, reach for the stars and you might just reach the moon. This has been my motto so much that when difficult situations arise, I have this playing in my head like music and I just persevere regardless of the outcome. It has taught me to always get back up when life throws itself at me; because my success is in rising up above difficulties when knocked down. Outside science how would you describe yourself? Easy going, involved in my community, a mother, wife and gospel artist. Connect with Bami on socials. Insta: @bamimusic Twitter : @bamiprecious LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bamidele-farinre-352b1191/

Name: Miss Rosemary Ichaba Course/ job: Quality Assurance (QA) Facilitator & CEO of Financial Support 4 Students (FSS-UK) A levels/ equivalent :Chemistry, Maths ,History Undergrad and post grad degrees: Bsc Chemistry and MSc in Drug Discovery and Pharma Management Journey in 3 Words : Challenging, Rewarding, Growth Briefly describe your role As a QA Facilitator I organise and manage the audits, regulatory and training of the clinical research team within Imperial College.As the CEO of FSS-UK I manage the day-2-day activities of the organisation which includes managing a team, presenting workshops and providing 1-2-1 sessions for students/parents who require the assistance of applying for Non-repayable grants. FSS in the UK : Twitter @fssinuk What motivated you to pursue a career in science? Wanting to make a difference within the pharmaceutical industry and also develop in areas that would have inhibited me from coming out of my comfort zone. How have internships played a role in your career progression? Completing an Internship allowed me to narrow my search of areas that I would like to work in that best fitted my character and personality. It gave me a step into the lingo of the industry and understanding the different areas that make up clinical research, clinical trials and the pharmaceutical industry. What did you enjoy the most about your masters course and looking back what lessons would you give someone wanting to pursue a masters degree? I enjoyed the networking of my class members and with the lecturers. The network I built from my masters allowed me to have a better understanding of how networking can enhance my career choices and decisions. I also enjoyed understanding the science of drug discovery and the business of the pharma industry as it allowed me to pick out roles that I could explore as part of my career development plan. It’s important to manage your time effectively whilst studying a masters and also include time for extra reading to help magnify understanding of each topics. Don’t be afraid to network with all the lecturers that participate within your course, it will be handy when trying to find a role and need advice. Enjoy your masters, knowing that it will be taking you one step forward into the career progression you desire. What advice would you give someone wanting to follow a similar career path? Be open to taking on further responsibilities within a task delegated to you - exploring it further will open you up to more conversations that will give you better knowledge and experience; that can benefit you in the long run. How do you feel careers in your field have evolved / where are they heading to? Due to the effects of Covid-19, we have had to adapt to remote settings of work which has not be easy but have been evolving. Work- Life Balance I try and have working hours that I have set myself to allow for me to have down time from work. I schedule events in advance to ensure that I stick to all my deadlines so there are no interferences with my out of work hours. When considering your career path, how much has your potential salary affected your decision? As I made a shift from Project Management (PM) into Quality Assurance (QA) Auditing, I had to bare in mind that I was starting a role with limited experience and a major room to grow and develop. I had to accept the margin of salary with the intent of growth and promotion within my role and salary. Outside science how would you describe yourself A Gamer - I love playing games, PS games, card games, games Motivator - I love cheering my friends and family to succeed and grow Host - I love cooking and hosting my friends To keep up with Rosemary follow her on socials Instagram: _iamroseefavour Twitter: RoseeVFavour

Lets take you on a journey as I rekindle my love for genetics, genomics and everything in between. This post explores what the human genome is, why it is important and why the African genome project is massive for science and medical research. KEY WORDS DNA: Letter code of instructions. Gene: Genes are made up of DNA. Genome: If your DNA was read out letter by letter, this is what makes up the genome. Allele: is a different form of a gene . Our DNA is what makes us who we are. It predicts our futures but also remembers our past.My first ever scicomm post was on genetics. I was tasked to write about the importance of DNA. I then found “The out of Africa” theory. In that post, I highlight how our DNA can be used to trace back our origins and show how humans migrated across the globe from Africa. The great human road trip. I wrote that in my first year of university. Since then my understanding of science has grown and so have developments in genomic studies. A huge breakthrough in genomic studies was the completion of the human genome project. The human genome project started in October 1990 and ended in April 2003. The aim of this was to map out the genes. An amazing 15 year project led by scientists across the globe. It set out to completely write out all the letters and codes that make humans, humans. From that, further build and identify points that can help advance medical treatments and more. Human genome project ( HGP) researchers deciphered the human genome in three major ways: determining the order, or "sequence," of all the bases in our genome's DNA; making maps that show the locations of genes for major sections of all our chromosomes; and producing what are called linkage maps, through which inherited traits (such as those for genetic disease) can be tracked over generations. - HGP website What I hadn’t known before, your findings are only as good as your data set.The human genome project, an amazing task was not representative of African populations and for that reason the benefits would be skewed towards the “West” as with a lot of scientific advancements. Since the start of that project, there has been a rise of African researchers, finding and fixing holes in research. This article focuses on two points: Understanding migration within Africa using genomic studies Medical applications and the future of medicine with genomics Understanding migration within Africa Understanding our origins as Africans comes from piecing together migration patterns in early human development. Migration and human origins is a field already heavily studied by historians that can only further be supported by science. With a western lens, we focus on migration patterns leaving Africa, as of course that is relevant human origin for Europeans. For many Africans, migration within the continent is already studied by historians and archaeologists looking past borders created by slavery. The addition of science to history is beautiful to me as there isn’t a world or complete picture where disciplines don't intersect. Bantu migration The Bantu migration is a defining moment in human migration patterns. Historians have already mapped out through linguistics and archaeological studies theories on how this migration has occurred. Genomics and genome data analysis has been able to add to the findings. In my first article about human migration, I explain how our DNA can be used to trace back our origins, specifically our mitochondrial DNA- that is only passed down maternally. In a study bringing together linguistics and genomics to understand Bantu migration, the findings support a “late” theory of migration pattern. In their study they use this method of mitochondrial analysis to try and understand migration patterns. Their findings indicate that migration and dispersal of bantu languages were due to the physical movement of people. This is known as demic diffusion. To support demic diffusion, the genetic data would not have a lot of diversity, ie it would be easier to trace back to a single point. The authors state in their analysis “ lower genetic distances among Bantu populations when compared with those between Bantu and all the other major ethnolinguistic groups, as well as by the reduction of mitochondrial DNA and Y-chromosomal diversity proportional to the distance from the Bantu homeland. Furthermore, we found strong correlations between genetic and linguistic (as well as geographical) distances as additional evidence of a demic diffusion. “ - Bringing together linguistic and genetic evidence to test the Bantu expansion Even with growing scientific evidence to support the diffusion Bantu migration theory of movement of people, there is still debate on the true nature of migration. Perfectly analysed in this review paper: Molecular Perspectives on the Bantu Expansion: A Synthesis . The authors breakdown the complexities in understanding migration patterns using DNA. Mitochondrial DNA is passed down maternally and therefore affected by maternal migration and mixing which will not directly reflect movement of certain populations as earlier generations and cultures adopt paternal languages. In the field, the alternative method for looking back using Y-chromosomal DNA. Y-chromosmal DNA represents paternal lineages. When Y-chromosomal DNA has been used, conflicting evidence of the mass movement of groups have been observed. The review paper highlights the conflicting evidence in the literature and gaps that need to be filled. Such gaps are complex and involve removing biases to confirm physical movement of people, understanding that data is limited and the findings as mentioned are only as good as the sources. Finally the assumption that pre-historical landscape is the same to what we have now can be a hindrance to interpretation of the findings. Moving on from historical analysis, the run-off effects of such analysis and studies go deeper than looking back in time. As DNA can be used to infer timing of movements it can also be used to identify certain traits belonging to groups and regions. The ability of genomic analysis to do this is where its play into medical advancements becomes imperative. A few relatable finding from : High depth African genomes informs human migration and health are: Protection against severe malaria:Eleven single-nucleotide polymorphisms in G6PD associated with protection against severe malaria in heterozygotic female participants Higher frequency of sickle cell mutation where malaria is prevalent: prevalent in East and West africa but nearly absent in South Africa. Using sickle cell disease specific mutations rs334; HbS; MIM 603903) was found at typically high allele frequencies in malaria-endemic west and east African populations. Protection against parasitic infection but increased chance of being susceptible to a different parasite. For example APOL1 G1 and G2 provide protection against Trypanosoma brucei gambiense infection but also increase susceptibility to nephropathy in non-trypanosomiasis endemic areas, especially in the presence of HIV infection and were highest in west African populations. Hypersensitivity to anti retroviral drug Abacavir found in other groups outside the Maasai of Kenya. Previously, the Maasai in Kinyawa, Kenya were the only African population noted to have an appreciable frequency of HLA-B*5701, which mediates hypersensitivity to the antiretroviral drug abacavir. In the expanded dataset, the allele was absent from west African populations, but observed at frequencies typically observed in populations of European or Asian ancestry. Findings like this can help streamline and focus the advancements in science and medicine . The authors of the paper above looked at understudied populations from all the regions within Africa. They looked at gene flow within the groups. Where more differences meant more gene flow . Using points where the genes diverge can give you timestamps as to when populations became their own. Although susceptibility to a disease is not entirely genetic and some cases not at all, as environmental and socieconomic factors have a huge role in health and expression and progression of disease. They were able to confirm and extend risk to disease using sickle cell, HIV, sleeping sickness. Comparing disease susceptibility or adverse reactions based on different populations. Adverse drug reactions are a huge area of research within the pharmaceutical industry as science moves away from generalised medicine and into personalised medicine. There won't always be variations in humans based on genetics but where there are, this can go into making better medicines for certain populations or focusing on most susceptible regions when it comes to certain treatments. To wrap this up, genomics is an ever expanding field with the possibilities endless. It is the work of researchers that want to make a difference that makes this work exciting. Looking back at the article that sparked this blog post: Sequence three million genomes across Africa. In this article researcher Ambroise Wonkam highlightshe gaps in the human genome project (HGP) and how H3Africa aims to extend the work by the (HGP). The importance of a more representative genome wide study comes with complications. With many African countries not having covered the basics when it comes to healthcare, genomics doesn’t seem as important. Governments may be blind to the potential benefits but their is overwhelming evidence of the gains that genomic medicine and scientific research will have on the continent. The use of developing scientific studies brings to the forefront new advancements and technologies and better access to healthcare services that are usually found elsewhere. The paper further highlights that, on bringing these studies, you give people access to better care that they wouldn't otherwise receive. Medical advancements and daily care go hand in hand. there is still much to do to ensure that genomics works for the global public good. The focus on populations from high-income countries has come at the cost of understanding health and disease that might benefit the world. - Ambroise Wonkam References National Geographic - Africa:Human Geography Bringing together linguistic and genetic evidence to test the Bantu expansion Molecular Perspectives on the Bantu Expansion: A Synthesis High depth African genomes informs human migration and health Extra reading Tracing the peopling of the world through genomics