A career in science is “priceless but costly,” says Flinders University medical researcher Dr Marta Gabryelska.

In a soon-to-published essay in Molecular Biology of the Cell, the Polish postdoctoral researcher in Circular RNA in Associate Professor Simon Conn’s cancer research laboratory has a fascinating tale to tell of her early scientific career.

“Working as a researcher is very satisfying. However, it comes with a price,” her article says.

“This is a story about growing up as a scientist in the field of molecular biology.

“After going through a divorce, single parenting, immigration, and being scooped (in research), I became a scientist who finally understands but not succumbs to the difficulties in science.

“This is my monument to resilience.”

Dr  Gabryelska says her recent “scientific awakening” has seen her  fully acknowledge the “rules of the game: to write, to publish, to patent, to apply”.

She says growing up in various countries after leaving Poland before migrating to Australia has added to her resilience.

Now her dedication to the field has seen her prepare to launch a not-for-profit organisation STEMcognito, all in her spare time on weekends and evenings.

Partnering with colleagues in five countries, the platform for STEM video aims to promote researchers’ output – to increase their visibility and improve public engagement skills.

“We suggest preparing talks with different levels of difficulty, either for scientists or for the general public, even children, and so on,” Dr Gabryelska says.

“We aim to give researchers the opportunity to deposit/save their presentations, which otherwise are forgotten after their initial seminar. This way it can reach bigger audience.

“It has no limitations as per country/continent or institution.

“I think it will be very beneficial for Australian researchers, especially that we are geographically isolated (which means the time zones are preventing us to see eWebinars and talks from, for example, US, which are happening when we sleep).”

Dr Gabryelska says the platform will also introduce the option to restrict some content under password protection, to relieve the worries of posting unpublished information but still share with colleagues and others close to the research.

“They can later make it public when they publish. We aim really big, and we are in the middle of registering it as a ‘Ltd’ non-profit company in Australia.”

The STEMcognito team hope to fully launch the website on 1 March 2021.

Dr Gabryelska has also started a Temporary Visa Academic Alliance support group.

Footnote: Members of the Flinders University academic, professional staff and student community are invited to take part in acknowledging International Women’s Day (8 March) and the #IWD 2021 theme #ChoosetoChallenge by sharing their stories online and taking part in the IWD Bedford Park activities on 9 March. See more https://www.internationalwomensday.com/