1. What three words would you use to describe yourself?<\/strong><\/p>\nEasygoing, creative, inquisitive<\/p>\n
2. What inspires you in your work?<\/strong><\/p>\nThe enthusiasm of students and colleagues as well as the possibility to make or understand something completely new.<\/p>\n
3. When did you first realise your interest\/passion in functional materials?<\/strong><\/p>\nProbably when I was a child \u2013 I\u2019ve always been interested in understanding how things work.\u00a0 More recently, during the third year of my undergraduate studies I did a year abroad at Purdue University in the USA and undertook an extended research project.\u00a0 About half way through, my supervisor asked me<\/em> what I<\/em> thought we should try next and something just clicked.\u00a0 I suddenly understood why I had been studying chemistry \u2013 it had given me the tools to design experiments to probe these fascinating materials in new and exciting ways.<\/p>\n4. What would you say was your greatest achievement in your research?<\/strong><\/p>\nI\u2019m proud of a paper from my first Postdoc position that demonstrated an entirely new application for spin crossover materials as actuator devices.\u00a0 (DOI:10.1038\/ncomms3607).\u00a0 It was the first time I had really taken control and designed an entire project myself and I was very pleased that it worked so well and that people are now developing the ideas further.\u00a0 Setting up my own group has also been very rewarding; my first PhD student is due to finish next year and I\u2019m looking forward to supervising many more in the future.<\/p>\n
5. What areas would you like to see progress in research for the School of Physical Sciences?<\/strong><\/p>\nWe have a really unique environment in SPS where chemists, physicists and forensic scientists have the opportunity to work together on interdisciplinary research topics.\u00a0 I personally would like to see a development of research at the interface between molecular chemistry and physics.<\/p>\n
6. Why did you choose to teach at the University of Kent?<\/strong><\/p>\nThe University of Kent offers great opportunity for staff development in both teaching and research.\u00a0 SPS has some world-class research facilities and a lot of enthusiastic undergraduates!<\/p>\n
7. What has been a personal highlight for you in teaching?<\/strong><\/p>\nSeeing students build their confidence and knowledge.<\/p>\n
8. Which other areas of research would you personally like to study?<\/strong><\/p>\nMechanical engineering.<\/p>\n
9. What is your proudest achievement outside of your work?<\/strong><\/p>\nHaving travelled extensively, exploring new places and meeting new people \u2013 Guatemala and Vietnam are recent highlights that I would recommend to anyone.<\/p>\n
10. What has been your greatest challenge?<\/strong><\/p>\nLearning to enjoy public speaking<\/p>\n
11. What do you like most about Canterbury?<\/strong><\/p>\nIt is a very pretty city with lots of cafes, restaurants and pubs to visit.\u00a0 The theatre is also very good and there are plenty of small festivals and events going on.<\/p>\n
12. If you could pick anyone – male or female throughout history, to discuss their research in physical sciences, who would it be and why?<\/strong><\/p>\nDorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin. She is my \u2018academic grandmother\u2019, but sadly I never got the opportunity to meet her.\u00a0 However, I have long heard many inspiring tales of her incredible scientific achievements and passion for research.\u00a0 My office as a PhD student was full of models of molecules that she had made by hand to demonstrate their three dimensional structure.\u00a0 My favourites were the models of insulin, which took her 35 years to determine and vitamin B12, for which she won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1964.\u00a0 I\u2019d love to ask her how she stayed so passionate about a research question that took so long to answer!\u00a0 In addition to her scientific legacy she was also very politically active, and I would absolutely love to discuss this with her too.<\/p>\n
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EXTRA QUESTIONS IN LIGHT OF INTERNATIONAL WOMEN\u2019S DAY:<\/strong><\/p>\n13. Have you ever felt that being a woman in STEM has affected your career path or choices you\u2019ve made regarding your career or personal life?<\/strong><\/p>\nIt is incredibly difficult to say.\u00a0 There are all types of people in science and I have had many wonderful and supportive colleagues and collaborators over the years.\u00a0 While I\u2019m sure most women in STEM can point to instances of being treated differently than male colleagues, it is very difficult to know if this has had a knock on effect on my career path.<\/p>\n
14. What do you think are the biggest barriers for getting women into STEM \u2013 or do you seen none?<\/strong><\/p>\nAt undergraduate level the numbers of men and women studying chemistry are more or less even in many universities, so I don\u2019t think there is necessarily any fundamental problem from schools.\u00a0 The disparity becomes more pronounced at higher levels of study and employment \u2013 the so-called \u2018leaky pipeline\u2019.\u00a0 It is an incredibly complex issue with many contributing factors, but I am glad people are trying to address these issues now.<\/p>\n
15. Do you think there are any advantages to being a woman in STEM \u2013 or do you feel there is no difference?<\/strong><\/p>\nThere is a very supportive network of women in science who are able and willing to offer advice to younger colleagues.<\/p>\n
16. Do you think we need more women in STEM?<\/strong><\/p>\nI think any subset of society should be representative of that society in terms of gender, ethnic background, sexual orientation etc.<\/p>\n
17. If so, how would you go about getting more women involved in STEM?<\/strong><\/p>\nI don\u2019t think there is a single answer, again it is a complex challenge for the community, but one that is being actively addressed.<\/p>\n
18. Do you think that SPS\/ the university helps to create an all-inclusive environment and has in any way helped you overcome challenges associated with being a woman in STEM?<\/strong><\/p>\nThere are many training courses available to all staff that help them to develop academic careers and overcome all sorts of challenges.<\/p>\n
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Thank you Helena for taking the time to answer our questions!<\/p>\n
If you\u2019d like to take on our questions and share a little insight, please contact\u00a0spsmarketing@kent.ac.uk<\/strong>. We are always happy to share the achievements and successes of our staff, students and alumni, so please do get in touch.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
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