Anya is a postdoctoral researcher working in the Pregnancy Health and Beyond lab under the supervision of Professor Claire Roberts. She works on the placenta and general health during pregnancy.
What led you to academia? I remember at a point during my PhD I had a thought that I wished I could just extend my scholarship indefinitely and keep working in the lab and on papers. My supervisor said she felt the same way when she realised that academia was what she wanted for her career as well. I love that no day is the same and I am constantly learning and growing.
What drew you to Flinders? When I finished my PhD I was offered a few different postdoctoral positions at different Australian universities. I chose Flinders as the place I wanted to work, as my interview left me feeling excited and motivated for the future, instead of just anxiously waiting. The more I researched about Flinders, the more I liked it. The University is great for supporting young researchers and female researchers, for encouraging collaborations with others and hierarchy doesn’t interfere with people helping each other to succeed and conduct excellent research. I have always felt encouraged.
It definitely feels like I’ve been here longer than the start of 2019! I think moving to Adelaide for this job meant that I didn’t know anyone here, so I threw myself into anything I could to meet people and get involved.
What do you value most about working at Flinders? I highly value my position at Flinders. I love the community feel among researchers here, not only eager to collaborate and elevate each other’s research, but also to form friendships. I have had an excellent experience through the College of Medicine and Public Health mentoring program and have always received guidance and support. Some of my proudest moments at Flinders would be winning the Ross Wishart Memorial Award in 2019 and receiving my recent Flinders University and Flinders Foundation Seed grants, as I have not yet completed two years since my PhD conferral.
If you weren’t working in academia / research, what else would you be doing? I think maybe teaching? I have always really loved teaching, and during my PhD taught Community Pharmacy at the TAFE in NSW. I found interacting with the students highly rewarding and have thoroughly enjoyed the few guest lectures I have given since starting at Flinders.
What were your biggest professional challenges during the pandemic? I think for me, and probably any lab-based scientist, the pandemic has certainly interrupted my lab work and our group’s tissue collections. I have also really missed the opportunities that come with being able to attend a conference in person. It has, however, been a good time for me to focus on my paper output, and I have taken the time to write some reviews and papers utilising data that I or my group had previously collected. So not a waste!
What advice would you pass on to students contemplating embarking on postgraduate study? If you are passionate about something you have studied in your undergraduate degree, I would say that postgraduate study is an excellent idea! I made the mistake of thinking that you have no choice but to continue into a vocational path after your undergraduate degree; it only took me a couple of months to miss the excitement and challenge of studying something you love. I quickly decided to return to university to continue studying biochemistry. If you feel like you are enthusiastic, whether or not you are the top of your class, I encourage anyone to look into their options for postgraduate study. The STEM researchers and programs are excellent at Flinders and the support given to students really is exceptional.
Tell us something about yourself others may not know: At the end of my PhD I completed an Ironman triathlon (albeit slowly!) to raise money for the Beyond Blue charity. I’m really passionate about supporting mental health and normalising conversations about it, especially for others in academia. If anyone ever just wants to grab a coffee and talk, or not talk, I’m always around!
What’s one thing you couldn’t live without? A good coffee… I’ve been raised a coffee snob (my Dad’s midlife crisis involved the purchase of a fancy coffee machine instead of the typical sports car) but thankfully Adelaide is abundant with excellent coffee and food!