Catherine Twomey
Product Manager and Senior Instructional Designer at Learning Science LtdAs a young student, I had dreams of combining my passion for art with my interest in science.
As a young student, I had dreams of combining my passion for art with my interest in science.
Working in a private Sector that provides value to the world by connecting people is very rewarding.
Don’t be put off if you are not sure what you want to do and take opportunities if they present themselves.
There are so many opportunities out there. Planning every step carefully is crucial, taking the next step in a timely manner is essential.
Don’t be concerned about leaving academia; there are many opportunities outside of academia which offer the same challenges but with greater rewards.
I wish I had known how many other people leave academia and are happy with their decision.
Having a PhD does not necessarily tie you to jobs in your field of study; on the contrary, it opens doors to many opportunities.
Keep an open mind and don’t be averse to taking the leap. There’s a saying in Hindi, “Udaan bharne ke liye, chalang lanaga zaroori hain”, which loosely translates to if you want to learn how to fly/soar, you have to first jump!
On reflection, I’m not sure my aim was ever to remain in academia!
Working with such an amazing collection and with world experts. Being able to combine my interests in science, Egyptology, and heritage.
I felt it offered a perfect way to combine my skills – science and writing. Translating complex topics into clear, compelling storytelling really appealed to me as it had been how I approached writing my thesis.
I had heard that industrial science can be quite restrictive, that you don’t have the freedom to follow interesting science as you do in academia. It may be that I have been lucky in my role, but I have had quite a lot of freedom to investigate what I believe may be interesting biology.