What are your main responsibilities or activities in your current position?
Executive Director: responsible for daily running and operation of the Animals in Science Policy Institute.
How does your current work relate to your graduate degree?
My graduate degree (and post doc) involved my exploration of the ethics of using animals in research, teaching and testing. The Animals in Science Policy Institute is a registered charity, founded in 2015 by myself and other UBC graduates, with the aim of building an ethical culture of science that respects animal life by promoting the reduction and replacement of animals in science.
What do you like and what do you find challenging about your current position?
I enjoy thinking about creative ways to make a social impact in the way science is taught in secondary education - our current focus is on getting non-animal alternatives to dissection adopted in BC secondary schools. The most challenging part of my job is juggling a lot of balls at the same time, and being responsible for all of them - I do everything from social media, to accounting, to the development of society policies, to conducting our research projects.
Is your current career path as you originally intended?:
Sort of - I had wanted to found a non-profit exclusively to work on issues related to the use of animals in science for many years before co-founding AiSPI and becoming ED. However, my original career plan was to become a veterinarian, which obviously didn't happen, but if I were offered the chance to go to vet school now, I'd turn it down.
What motivated you to pursue graduate work at UBC?
The Animal Welfare Program is a world leader in animal welfare science research. I visited the department twice before beginning my PhD.
What did you enjoy the most about your time as a graduate student at UBC?
I greatly enjoyed the collegiality of the Animal Welfare Program.
How did the graduate degree at UBC help you achieve your career and/or personal development goals?:
What key things did you do, or what attitudes or approaches did you have, that contributed to your success?
I asked for help when I needed it. I was lucky to work in the Animal Welfare Program - we'd have lunch together every day and were all encouraged to present our work, ideas, research problems, etc. at lunchtime talks. I was also fine to admit when I didn't know something - even now, I think it's way better to admit I don't know than to fake my way through things.
What is your best piece of advice for current graduate students preparing for their future careers?
It's ok to not have a plan and to follow your passions and see where they take you. A grad degree (especially a PhD) simply won't be possible to complete unless you are passionate about what you're doing.
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