If you knew what you were doing, it wouldn't be research
On Monday 23rd February, The APS Femwork celebrated their second event with Professor Yvonne Buckley from Trinity College Dublin. In a live Q&A-style, we found out all about Yvonne’s career and her opinions on controversial subjects such as gender bias in academia. The event was a massive success and we’ve had so many kind messages from members of the audience - we’re especially proud that such a diverse set of undergraduate students, PhD and masters students, as well as established academics, found Yvonne’s words helpful and inspiring!
After growing up in rural Ireland in a house which contained more wildlife than outside, Yvonne decided it was time to explore the world, and boy has she done that! Her main area of expertise is in comparative plant population dynamics and invasive plant management, which she began to become interested in whilst studying for her undergraduate degree at Oxford University.
Her choice to study statistics and modelling after her degree is down to her contrary nature, she was headstrong after her tutor told her she wasn’t up to scratch - “Determination is key”. Since then, she has spent 20 years working in the UK and Australia, with field work in various places, from Turkey to New Zealand.
When asked about how she manages her work-life balance, Yvonne was full of advice. After suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome which restricted the amount of time she could spend at a computer, she realised that the prioritisation of mental and physical health is critical. She always takes weekends off - something that having children helps you to stick to, as well as the other benefits that come with having kids. “We should all have small people installed within the workplace to give hugs”.
She shares the majority of people’s nervousness when posed with the challenge of networking at conferences or social events - her tips are to find another person standing by themselves, and work from there. Always talk to the person in front and behind you in the coffee queue!
This was followed with Yvonne highlighting the issue of ‘Imposters Syndrome’, which affects more people than often admitted. Feelings of inadequacy are often analogous with academia, and unfortunately can lead down the slippery slope to mental health issues. Yvonne recognises the importance of sharing these feelings and realising that a career in research should make you feel stupid - if you’re not challenged, then there is no novelty to your work! These words were met with great appreciation amongst our audience and left us thinking about the importance of sharing within a support network. One lasting quote that stuck with us - and others - "If you knew what you were doing, it wouldn't be research".
For tips on managing stress, you can see the blog post recommended by Yvonne here.
