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May
2006
 Job
title and description
I am a Research
Assistant for the Genome
BC Treenomix Conifer Forest Health project and work at
UBC. While this project is predominantly science based, with
people doing genomics research in the lab, my job in this
project is to conduct qualitative research as part of the
GE3LS team (Genomics: Ethics, Environment, Economics, Law
and Society). This involves conducting interviews, focus groups,
and consensus processes to better understand what the public
thinks about genomics research and its applications in forestry,
and in particular, the use of genomically-selected trees to
help meet the challenges of climate change.
What
specific skills and qualities are needed to do your job?
In order to conduct
interviews with the public and plan consultation events, it
is essential to have excellent communication and organizational
skills. As well, it is important to be able to work on my
own and with others as my job not only involves interacting
with the public, but also planning, analyzing data, and writing
papers. In my current role it is very useful to have a good
understanding of both the scientific aspects and the ethical
aspects of the issues we are dealing with.
What
do you like most about your work?
This job is very
new to me after working in a genetics lab for two years. Part
of the reason I decided to work in this area is because I
feel that it is important for the public to be aware of the
type of scientific (and in this case genomic) research that
is happening. So the thing I like most about my job is that
I am contributing by helping the public gain a better understanding
of the research and am providing a way for the public’s
voice to be heard and hopefully contribute to policy development.
What
don’t you like about your job?
So far this job
is great, and I really like the atmosphere of working at the
university. I suppose one thing would be that since my previous
job was working as a technician in a lab alongside other technicians,
it was quite social. With this job, I am in an office and
work predominantly by myself, so one of the challenges I’ve
found is adjusting to this different work environment.
Where
do you see your career going from here?
I am fascinated
by the social and ethical elements of scientific research,
and I hope that I will be able to continue working in this
field. Since I just made a career move out of the lab and
into qualitative research, I plan to stay focused and learn
more about this new area of research for the time being.
What
is the range of salary?
Research positions
at UBC range considerably depending on education and experience,
but for my position, the range is $39,000 – 56,000.
When
did you know you wanted to work in the sciences?
High school biology
was when I first really became interested in the sciences.
I loved learning about how everything was connected through
pathways and on so many levels, plus, I’ve always liked
getting to the bottom of things and seeing how they’re
organized, which is probably why I decided to study genetics.
What is your educational background?
I have a B.Sc. in
Biology (Co-op Program with a minor in Microbiology) from
UVIC and a M.Sc. in Forest Genetics from UBC. I have also
taken some courses at the Centre for Applied Ethics at UBC.
What
were your favourite courses and why?
My favourite courses
were English Literature, developmental biology, and molecular
genetics and epidemiology. I loved learning about what life
was like in different times and cultures (plus it was a good
way to improve my writing skills) and I found it especially
interesting to learn about how life and also diseases develop
and how this shapes populations and society.
What
other hobbies and interests do you have?
I enjoy reading,
music, yoga, and am especially interested in interior design
and architecture.
Do
you have any advice for young people getting into your line
of work?
I think that to
really work effectively and succeed in science and research
requires a high level of passion and motivation. So, I guess,
based on that, I would suggest that young people should be
realistic about what kind of jobs their education will lead
to and if they will be happy doing them. After all, we end
up spending a lot of time working, so it’s really important
to enjoy it!
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