Thank you for the warm welcome! It has been an inspiring week following other researchers. I'm looking forward to sharing my journey. https://twitter.com/mentorshipzim/status/1321563330339868672

From Form 2 we were made to start thinking about our interests, and what types of careers would suit our personalities. At that age one can’t and shouldn’t commit to a career but it’s important to learn self-awareness and how to work towards personal goals, even as they shift.

There’s debate about whether committing to arts or sciences at A level is too much pressure. But I think AS levels buy them time; many colleges accept O levels; and there are bridging courses at universities. There is always an option for people that change their minds.

I was always passionate about science and medicine, but career guidance played an important role in me aspiring to specifically be a biotechnologist from about the age of 15. So my A level subject choices, maths, bio, and chem were an easy choice.

I did my undergrad and honours in Biotechnology at the University of the Western Cape. Biotechnologists are trained in fields such as microbiology, virology, DNA forensics, genetic engineering. A degree in biotech opens up careers in the life sciences, and outside science.

As an undergrad aspiring to a research career, don’t just focus on grades. Network, and make yourself known to lecturers. Go to consultations, and offer to work in their labs/offices during vac. Don't leave without knowing someone who can write you a personal reference.

There are two lecturers that changed my life, and still open doors for me. The first didn’t know me from a bar of soap but I was one of the top students in his exam so he “adopted” me. That was over 10 years ago but I can still email to ask for help.

The second one, my friends and I asked for a holiday job. I was a shadow to a PhD candidate, and the experience was rewarding (but phew the hours ). When it came to Honours projects it was a given I could go to that lab, and wouldn’t have had to apply.

My Hons project was in nanotechnology & targeted drug delivery. Adverse side effects are caused by drugs binding to healthy organs as they move around the body. With targeted drug delivery, the drugs are encapsulated in nanoparticles, which only release the drug where it’s needed

It’s an exciting area of research, and the future of medicine. I still think about my Hons project, and wonder what became of it. Maybe one day when I have my biotech company I will carry on with similar work.

An Hons degree gave me a glimpse of what research feels like. Critical thinking skills are honed in undergrad, but Hons lays the foundation for further research-based degrees. It also sets you apart for jobs that require undergrad degrees should you enter the job market instead

I need to start my day so I'll stop here for now. I'll be back in a couple of hours.

I’ll now speak about how to apply to research-based MSc and PhD programs. Different countries have different systems, as do universities. So do your research.

One way is cold calling. Research the professor with projects that interest you, and send an email expressing your interest. You need to sell yourself by highlighting what you have achieved that is relevant to the work they are doing. And say what it is you want to do.

Be professional, so no first names until they sign off on it. Show an interest in what the research group has done. Cite their publications that you found interesting. Or mention any conferences where they presented. I personally mention if someone important referred me to them.

This is also the time to tell them you are an intl student so that they know immediately if they need to find funding for you, or for them to direct you to where you can apply for it. Not all funding information is easily available.

Some graduate programs (esp in Europe) have structured applications & guaranteed funding. All candidates for a faculty use the same form, and then people are assigned to projects later. These are quite competitive, and it helps if you have a publication or two under your belt.

As a Zimbabwean funding is going to be your major stumbling block so apply early. I’ve curated this list of scholarships and fellowships Zimbabweans qualify for. I did it for STEM but other disciplines are included. I’ll update it. https://www.nyenyedzibio.com/scholarships/ 

P.S. Find a supervisor for your MSc/PhD that cares about what you want out of life and your degree. They must want to help you get where you want to go. I especially loved my MSc because the project was especially designed for me, and it aligned with what I wanted. Big win.

For my MSc, I worked on vaccine design for an animal virus as a computational structural biologist/biophysicist. I built models of virus structures and, conducted simulations of how they would behave. I then predicted which parts of the virus might be used to design a vaccine.

I would highly recommend applying for a job or internship at any gvt research council applicable to you because your work will be well funded, and you gain access to influential people you ordinarily wouldn’t in a conventionally academic space as a student

I travelled to several international conferences, which was invaluable for me. I was often the only MSc student or Black person in the room. It was an incredibly affirming experience being told I was doing a great job by people working at places like the CDC

Presenting at international conferences is important in research. Be proactive about applying. Your supervisor won’t hand you conferences on a platter. Submit abstracts early to qualify for student and “minority” funding. Also check the travel grants your university offers.

Diversify your skills set, and use people as a resource. Most people love imparting knowledge. I waited forever for my dissertation to be read. During that time I learnt from my peers how to analyse their types of data, and it’s something I can now list as a skill on LinkedIn.

Before I move onto my PhD story, I want to remind you it's okay to take detours along the way. I have taken long breaks between my degrees. I was a full time DJ for 3 years between my Hons and MSc. I was in Zim making jewellery and sewing clothes between my MSc and PhD.

I see a lot of people (some in their late 20s even) asking if they are too old to be starting degrees. I have been in labs with people registering for PhDs in their late 50s. There is always someone willing to give you a chance. Don't write yourself off.

For my PhD I wanted to continue doing computational work, but I wanted to learn a very specific set of skills. But not many groups in SA offered projects that inspired me. It felt like I was getting nowhere until a prof that couldn’t fund me forwarded my CV to another prof

The odds were against me. I was an international student, and the project was for a postdoc. But my skills convinced them, so it was changed to a PhD project. If my MSc hadn’t been set up for what I wanted, I might still be doing random projects I wasn’t passionate about.

My PhD (Med) is in Trichology, and I'm based at Groote Schuur Hospital/UCT. Trichology is the study of hair, its structure, mechanics, physics, & biochemistry. Trichologists are dermatologists, materials scientists, mathematicians, biochemists etc. Many paths can lead one here.

Trichology is applied in the cosmetic industry, but my interest is medical. Hair may be used to retrospectively monitor for drugs, and other compounds in hair. Scientists can monitor compliance to ARVs, alcohol abuse, the progression of type II diabetes, and even chronic stress.

One amazing application is testing the hair of newborns to retrospectively investigate their health during foetal development because hair starts growing early. Could go on for days. All this is at different stages of being reliably applied in the clinic.

My time is almost up. I know the theme is research week but I'll finish off by reminding people that lecturing, academia or working in the lab are not the only career options for science graduates. Critical thinking skills are in demand across disciplines.

People with MSc's have ended up as consultants and as middle management in financial institutions. One can venture into policy making, or even patent law. The world is your oyster with a postgraduate science degree. Signing off @ellabellableu