PhD candidate, Imaging Research Technician,UK
Introduce yourself in a few words
Hi everyone, my name is Anna and I come from Samos, Greece. I hold a B.Sc in Physics and M.Sc in Biophysics and Molecular life sciences. I just submitted my PhD thesis where I used super-resolution microscopy to investigate the molecular distribution of two vital membrane proteins involved in cardiac muscle contraction. At the same time I work as a Research Technician at the University of Exeter. What is the most exciting thing about your work? *I love that my research is interdisciplinary. One day I will be working with hearts, and the next I will be coding and analysing data. Meeting and working with colleagues from a plethora of different backgrounds and expertise has also helped me explore all kinds of research questions and be involved in different projects.
What is your favourite science fact?
That our hearts distribute daily ~7,200l of blood to our bodies! What inspired you to follow this career path? *I started reading the science section of a newspaper as a teenager and found myself intrigued by the biomedical sciences articles.
What is the biggest challenge that you faced in your career so far?
Moving to a new country and acquiring knowledge in a new language was tough sometimes.
What motivates your work?
My passion for research and being curious to learn more. Do you have any role models?What kind of advice would you give to your younger self just starting out?Don’t be afraid to fail, that’s the only way to succeed.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I love animals and I have two cats! My main hobbies include photography, volleyball and Argentine tango. I also enjoy cooking and exploring new dishes and cuisines.
What do you think we can do to close the gender gap and increase female visibility in STEM?
I think it starts by society, we need to challenge the traditional gender roles and educate young people to aspire to become anything they can set their mind to. There is definitely a positive change, I believe we will see more women in STEM in the decades to come.
You can follow Anna @annamel23
