5 minutes with Hannah Rosa - International Day of Women and Girls in Science edition

Pictured: Dr Hannah Rosa (left) during her PhD studies

Why did you decide to pursue a career in science?

I knew I wanted to work in research, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted to be doing exactly. I enjoyed the practical elements, planning/designing experiments, etc., but I wasn’t sure if the academia path was for me. I took a job as a research assistant which offered me a balance of research and lab management. After a couple of years, I started to feel like the academia side of things was not the right fit for me so I looked into technical career options and realised that it was pretty much exactly what I had been looking for.

Tell us about your experiences in higher education?

I did my undergraduate degree in biomedical sciences at Newcastle University, I was interested in human health and disease but never had a particular focus so I thought biomed would give me a good introduction to lots of different fields. I also balanced my studies with playing rugby for the university which was a great way to keep fit and sociable! During my last year, I learned about mitochondrial diseases and thought they were fascinating so applied for a PhD in the Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research (also in Newcastle, I had become an honorary Geordie by that point and couldn’t bear to leave). I was encouraged to learn a lot of different lab techniques and there was always the question of “how is this going to help patients?” which really helped to motivate me. This also got me into patient and public engagement which I loved.

What has been the biggest challenge so far in your career?

More of a mental challenge really but I often felt like I was competing for a job I already had, having to prove I was deserving of all the opportunities people had given me to get as far as I had. Sadly, imposter syndrome and anxiety are not uncommon in academia but I am hopeful that this will change with the renewed emphasis on mental health and wellbeing in the college.

What advice do you have for people considering a career in research?

Don’t be afraid to leave academia if it isn’t right for you. There is a weird mindset that once you’ve got your PhD your options are academia or industry and that’s it. Very little is presented outside of that, or at least it was when I was starting out. There are so many options within science (like technical support, engagement/communications, policy) and outside of science which would really benefit from people with our qualifications and experience. So if there is something else that fits you better then just try it!