• Question: How did you get to where you are now, as in what did you do after university and how did you find the job?

    Asked by 284sysb44 to Steph, Carmen, Daniel, Laura, Noel on 12 Mar 2015. This question was also asked by 268sysb44, 352sysb44.
    • Photo: Carmen Denman

      Carmen Denman answered on 12 Mar 2015:

      Hi 284sysb44,

      Great question. It is good to think ahead for yourself, and I always think it is interesting to ask people ‘how they got where they are’ because you will find so many different paths to the same end point.

      I always said when I was growing up I wanted to be a doctor. Then I did pre-medicine at Uni in the USA and started doing research projects on the side to ‘boost my resume’ for medical school applications. Then, I got so interested in the research projects I applied for a undergraduate research grant of my own while at Uni. It was so addictive doing research, I didn’t want to stop to go back to do more school so I decided a PhD was for me! I was always fascinated by infectious diseases, so I figured microbiology was the best fit. But I tried everything from virology, neuroscience, behavioral science, zoology, oceanography, before I settled in the area I am in now.

      Cheers!
      Carmen

    • Photo: Noel Carter

      Noel Carter answered on 12 Mar 2015:

      I was very lucky. After my first degree in Leeds I came up to Newcastle to do my PhD. A PhD is a degree by research, instead of being taught you work in a lab as a scientist and it is kind of like a science apprenticeship. After my PhD I took up research jobs in two laboratories in Newcastle doing research. After that I was lucky enough to get a permanent lectureship at the University of Sunderland where I have been since 2002

    • Photo: Laura Garcia Ibanez

      Laura Garcia Ibanez answered on 12 Mar 2015:

      Hi! Thank you for your question!
      I have always been very interested in science and biology in general, but specially I wanted to see the new part of it and how it is linked to the research and industry. That’s why I chose biotechnology for my undergraduate. During that time I started to be very interested in biomedicine, what it is called “the red branch of the biotechnology” so I decided to undertake a masters in molecular biomedicine. During my masters thesis I had to work in a lab and I loved the experience so after 8 month I decided I wanted more and continued with my research career doing a PhD. Where to do the PhD was a difficult decision, but I decided to go abroad because that would increase my chances after it. So now, here I am at the University of Birmingham doing my PhD and I don’t regret it any single moment! Cheers!

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