Hi everyone! My name is Maria O’Hanlon and I’m a final year Biology PhD student at the National Horizons Centre, Teesside University (UK), currently researching the roles of mitochondria in Parkinson’s disease, using fruit flies as a model system.
It’s so lovely to be asked to write a guest post, and even more so to share my scientific journey, so I hope you find it interesting. My journey to where I am now has definitely not been straight forward and has involved many lows, but hopefully it might inspire some of you to consider a career in STEM.
If I’m being honest, I didn’t really enjoy STEM at school. It wasn’t until I was studying for my GCSE exams (in the UK you take these when you’re approximately 16) and did a project in my science class where we had to research rare genetic diseases that I realised how interesting biology was. That, paired with an incredibly enthusiastic teacher who frequently spoke about STEM careers, meant that when I started looking at university courses and gaining more experience in the lab, I couldn’t deny the buzz that I felt when I was working in the lab.
So, when I was 18, I applied for an undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences at university. However, I did poorly in my A-level exams (in the UK you take these when you’re approximately 18 and these determine if you can go to university) and ended up having my application rejected. This was horrible and really damaged my confidence, I remember just sitting and sobbing on results day. However, I ended up applying again and was lucky enough to be accepted onto a 3-year Biological Sciences course at Nottingham Trent University (UK).
When I started this course, I quickly realised that I was more interested in the biomedical modules, so applied to transfer to the Biomedical Science course. I then extended my degree to a 4-year sandwich course, so that I could do a year-long industrial placement. This was an unpaid volunteer job essentially, where I worked as a trainee biomedical scientist and was therefore able to complete my Biomedical Scientist training portfolio with the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) and become a registered biomedical scientist. I worked in Histology which meant that I received a lot of hands-on experience dissecting tissues or organs that had been removed during operations/surgeries and played an integral role in disease diagnostics. However, although I enjoyed this role immensely, I always felt like I wanted to know more and I realised that I wanted to be on the side that researched the diseases, and that is when I discovered scientific research.
I think it’s worth admitting at this point, that I am not a natural at exams. I suffer quite badly with exam-related anxiety and just can’t seem to get my thoughts down onto paper. So, I did well in my coursework, but always barely scraped through in the exams. This meant that I graduated with a 2.1 degree, and although this was a brilliant mark, because of my poor exams, I always felt like a bit of a fraud moving forward, and it affected my belief in myself as a real ‘scientist’.
Following my graduation with a BSc in Biomedical Science, I began an MRes (Master of Research) in Medical and Molecular Biology at Newcastle University (UK). At this point, I was becoming increasingly interested in mitochondria (the cells in the body that convert the food we eat into chemical energy so that our organs can function properly). My Mam works for a children’s occupational therapy firm and introduced me to a young boy who had mitochondrial disease. I had never heard of the disease before but became more and more interested in it as I read more about it, becoming very aware of the importance of mitochondria in health and disease. Therefore, when I was looking to source a 6-month research project as part of my MRes, I began working in the Institute of Genetics, on a project looking at mammalian mitochondrial DNA.
This project and my knowledge of mitochondrial disease ignited a passion for mitochondrial biology, and I started applying for PhD courses. This wasn’t easy, I’m sure it doesn’t come as a shock to anyone reading this that PhD courses are incredibly competitive, and it was hard not to be discouraged when rejection after rejection flooded in. As I was applying for PhDs, I also found out that I’d failed a module in my MRes. Again, this was devastating and really damaged my confidence, but it was also difficult to be working all hours on my project, and then revise for a resit on an evening. I was exhausted and felt like I’d never get anywhere. Everyone who I knew who had gotten onto a PhD had amazing grades and loads of experience, and I felt like I’d never be good enough. All in all, I think I applied for around 17 PhDs, and was lucky enough to get the position that I currently fill at Teesside University. I remember ringing my parents and just crying down the phone when I got the position, it was a really amazing moment.
I haven’t really looked back since. Imposter syndrome and lack of self-belief is definitely part of my daily life, and I frequently feel like I’m not good enough, but I love what I do, and I try to remind myself that I can only be as good as I can be, so not to put too much pressure on myself. I’m passionate about my subject and work hard – that is more than enough.
To push myself out of my comfort zone, I started a science-based Instagram and blog, and the success of that has led to me recently setting up a podcast too, where I try to dispel the myths about working in science – and chat with guests about our own mistakes, breaking down the culture that you must be ‘perfect’ to work in science. I’ve enjoyed science communication and engagement so much that it’s actually something I’m considering as a career now, and as I’m nearing the end of my PhD, I really feel as though the sky is the limit for whatever path I choose next.
If anyone is reading this and wants to go into STEM, I can assure you that it is an amazing, interesting, and incredibly rewarding field to work in and I would absolutely encourage you to pursue a STEM career. I hope that my story has highlighted that even if you don’t get perfect grades, and fail occasionally, you can still go into STEM, and however cliché it may sound, like I said previously, the sky really is the limit. STEM courses are typically very versatile and can be applied to many careers, so you are opening yourself to a world of possibilities by choosing to study STEM.
As well, if you have any doubts or questions about the field, then reach out and try to find someone who already works or is studying in STEM – ask them some questions! If you don’t know any of these people in real life, then try and find some on social media. There are many STEM people on Instagram and Twitter, many of whom are very approachable. From personal experience I absolutely love it when students reach out to me on Twitter/Instagram and ask me about STEM, careers or even my research. Other than that, I’d just say good luck and enjoy!
