Having featured among most popular Facebook posts with her recent article in The Conversation, Dr Intifar Chowdhury does much more than lecture on Government at Flinders. She writes about issues that concern young people – and there are wedding plans on the horizon.

What does your work focus on?

I’m a Lecturer in Government at the College of Business, Government and Law, and my work focuses on comparative politics and public opinion, with an emphasis on youth politics. I like to call myself a youth researcher, because I take much pleasure in representing my cohort in political research.

What journey brought you to this point in your career?

I did nine years of post-school education, from which I have a Bachelor’s degree in Genetics and International Relations (Hons), after which I straight dived into a PhD. I did dip my toe in the corporate world for three months, but quickly realised that I wanted academic freedom. I want to do research in a way that never constrains my free-thinking. I completed by PhD last year, and moved to Adelaide a month ago from Canberra. Flinders has offered me my first full-time academic job.

What do you love most about your work?

I’m a curious person, so I love the thrill I get from knowing things. What enthrals me is the journey of discovery. I live for the anticipation, the adrenaline rush and the ahh-moments. I strive to make some impact in the little corner of the world that I occupy, which I do by writing on issues that concern young people and about youth political representation. It brings me great joy to advocate for young people using evidence from my own research.

What is something you would like people to know about your role?

I get to travel a lot for work because of the type of research I do, and I learn far more while travelling than reading books.

What is something you are most proud of?

Recently, I’ve been prioritising my mental and physical wellbeing. While doing my PhD, I had a tendency to overwork, to prove myself at the expense of my wellbeing. This year I’ve been practicing better time management, especially to tensure time to relax, reflect and recalibrate.

What does a normal day look like for you?

Coffee, work, coffee, exercise, coffee, wedding planning, decaf coffee and then sleep. I haven’t had a bad coffee in Adelaide – and I’m a passionate LesMills bodypump/bodycombat instructor, so after work each day you’ll find me instructing group fitness classes at the gym. It’s such a great way to decompress while doing some community service.

My fiancé (who currently is in Washington for work) and I are planning to get married end of this year. When I’m not occupied by my research or teaching responsibilities, we are busy planning our wedding. It’s much more difficult to plan a long-distance wedding, struggling with our 16-hour time difference, than to write a PhD.

How do you like to relax or spend your spare time?

I like writing poetry. I’m no poet but it really makes me feel relaxed. It’s like writing for myself and no-one else. It scratches my creative itch as well.