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May
2006
 Job title and general description
Post Doctoral Fellowship in the
Ethics of Health Research and Policy , CIHR
Training Program
My research is focused on the treatment of animals in our
society. I am looking at the relationship between people and
animals with a specific interest in how we govern the way
animals are treated. I also look at how both animals and human
subjects are treated in research. I am reviewing these issues
from many perspectives including whether people’s attitudes
toward animal use in research changes depending on the type
of animal involved. For example, would it make a difference
to people if the subjects were nematodes, pigs, dogs, or primates?
My work involves developing surveys and interviewing a wide
range of people to gather information.
I spend a lot of
my time reviewing information or writing papers on the computer.
Some of my work is in collaboration with a group at the University
of Manitoba so we often have team meetings via teleconference.
What
specific skills and qualities are needed to do your job?
To do research in
a setting like mine you need to be highly motivated and independent.
Much of my work is done on my own so I need to be able to
keep myself organized and focused on the task at hand. My
job requires very good communication skills, as I need to
gather as much information as I can from the people that participate
in my work. I also need to be very clear and efficient with
my written communications in working with collaborators as
well as writing papers and grant applications.
What
do you like most about your work?
I enjoy the work
environment while doing research in an academic setting. The
atmosphere is relatively relaxed and my co-workers include
a wide range of very interesting people. I am also very happy
that I can do research that will have an impact on the way
animals are treated in our society.
What
don’t you like about your job?
One aspect of my
job that I’m not thrilled with is the constant need
to publish. In an academic setting you must publish many papers
and as a Post-Doc working to establish a career there is a
lot of pressure to demonstrate the value of the research you
have done. The job market is very competitive so everything
you publish is part of your portfolio. To prepare a paper
for publication you need to write, edit, write and re-write
to get things just the way you want them.
Where
do you see your career going from here?
I would eventually
like to be a professor. In my line of studies with animal
welfare I would also be interested in working with government
and policy making agencies. The non-profit organizations have
roles for researchers as well.
What
is the range in salary that comes with your job?
For a Post-Doc the
salary ranges between $35-45,000. A research associate makes
around $50,000 but you can also make more doing consulting
jobs.
When
did you know you wanted to work in sciences?
I have always been
interested in animals. My family did a lot of outdoor activities
so I naturally developed a love for nature and an interest
in conservation. As a teenager I lived in East Africa where
I became even more inspired to work with animals. My concern
for animal welfare and the impact of humans on our natural
world, has lead me to the research I am doing right now.
What
is your educational background? Degrees? Specific courses?
I did my BSc in
Zoology at the Universitys of Ottawa and Guelph. Then I went
to the University of Alberta where I completed my Masters
Degree doing research on Animal Behavioral Ecology. For my
PhD I came to UBC to study Animal Welfare.
What
was your favorite course(s) and why?
I really enjoyed
several of my classes. Some of my favorites included Evolution
and Socio-Biology. While I was at Guelph I took a course in
Wildlife Nutrition with a great prof who was very inspiring.
What
other hobbies and interests do you have?
I own a horse so
a lot of my time is spent looking after her. I love the outdoors
and I enjoy cycling and walking. I also like to read fiction.
Someday I hope to write a fiction novel.
Do
you have any advice for young people thinking about getting
into your line of work?
You’ve got
to make things happen. Knock on doors and make connections.
Don’t wait for opportunities to come up…create
the opportunities. Most things don’t just drop onto
your lap.
Volunteer with different groups. Try things out and get your
foot in the door.
Listen to your feelings
and follow your interests. Find what you like and don’t
like
Find individuals
and groups that you feel you can work well with. The team
around you will have a big impact on your enjoyment of work
and your productivity.
For more information about the CIHR Training Program, please click here to visit their site.
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