Different Pathways in Science:

 Two Interesting Lives After BSc Degrees

 

Jennifer Seabrook

 

An essay topic set by Dr Jo O’Neil in third year pharmacology set me on a career path that has been both stimulating and rewarding. Until I had completed a comparison of drug evaluation and marketing practices in Australia, the US and the UK, I didn’t even know that there was a pharmaceutical industry in Australia. However, on completion of an honours degree in Pharmacology, and, having decided not to accept a PhD scholarship at the University of Sydney, the pharmaceutical industry offered itself as an obvious choice.

 

In Melbourne in the early 1980’s there were four major pharmaceutical companies and most positions were in sales. Not my forte I thought, but a stepping stone to clinical research – my ultimate goal. In this regard, my third year research was not as in-depth as it should have been or I would have realised that there were precious few jobs in clinical research in Melbourne. However, in 1986 a new position of Clinical Research Associate at ER Squibb and Sons (now Bristol-Myers Squibb) was created and became mine. That began a stimulating 6 years - with active involvement in representative training, information services, marketing support, conference planning and, not forgetting, clinical research.

 

 From a clinical research perspective my most notable project was the LIPID study (Longterm Intervention with Pravastatin in Ischaemic Disease) – an internationally recognised study of 9,000 patients in 90 centres around Australia and New Zealand that demonstrated the dramatic effects of cholesterol reduction on survival in patients following a myocardial infarction. My roles in protocol and systems development, liaison with participating centres, and management of drug supplies were important to the smooth running and the success of the project. Two more years in clinical research at Glaxo (now GlaxoSmithKline) concentrated on developing links with local investigators and with head office.

 

One of my roles within LIPID was the organisation of the first scientific meeting for the medical and nursing staff at the participating centres. This proved a considerable success and led to requests for me to organise subsequent meetings, even after I had moved on to other positions. This definitely developed my appetite for conference organisation.

 

In 1994, I left GlaxoSmithKline to join my husband Ray Turner in the medical writing business, Arts and Technology, which we had established in 1992. While this provided plenty of challenges as it developed into a successful business servicing the pharmaceutical industry, academic and government clients, my approach to conference management continued to draw clients who wanted me to organise medical meetings. The temptation was too much and, in 1995, Meetings First was officially launched as a specialist medical/scientific conference organising business.

 

Since its launch, Meetings First has grown steadily. Conference attendees, impressed with our organisation and, more importantly, our appreciation of what makes a successful medical/scientific conference, spread the word. Today Meetings First employs five people, provides secretariat support for several organisations, including the Australasian Society for Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists and the High Blood Pressure Research Council of Australia, and organises 10-12 Australian and internationally conferences per year. Software developed in-house allows staff to track every aspect of each project, providing instant status on registrations, accommodation, travel and other aspects of each meeting. Much of our conference organisation is now web-based, with delegates being able to register, arrange travel and accommodation and submit abstracts through the Meetings First website (www.meetingsfirst.com.au).

 

While conference organisation may seem a long way from a science degree, I believe that it is my background in medical science that has provided a competitive edge. Many people can plan the nuts and bolts of a conference, but few conference organisers can offer relevant input into programming, review abstracts and conduct (hopefully) intelligent technical communications with invited guest speakers. It’s really the science factor that makes the business a unique one and attracts clients.

 

When I graduated in 1982, I saw my degree as something of a jumping off point for the rest of my life. So far, it has taken me from the university lab, to the corporate world (creating a taste for good food and wine and international travel in the process), and to starting up and running two successful businesses. I believe that a science degree is definitely a recipe for success, as long as you have the courage to follow where it leads.

 

Alena Glaister

 

 I have been asked to reflect on my work as a freshwater biologist. Currently I am employed as a Research Assistant in the Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology (CRCFE) based at Monash University, School of Biological Sciences.

 

My career in biology commenced back in 1976 in the Invertebrate Survey Department at the Museum of Victoria. I started work with a BSc in Zoology & Botany and a general interest in molluscs and insects. In a short time I developed a love of freshwater invertebrates. In the Survey Department we monitored the aquatic macroinvertebrate fauna in rivers before and after the construction of dams, in particular the Thomson and Dartmouth dams. Changes in the invertebrate community were used to assess the impact of dam construction on rivers as part of the environmental assessment required by the Government. We spent many hours working in these beautiful rocky sections of rivers before they were damned. Our studies showed that the faunal composition downstream of these dams has been changed. The large amount of silt generated by the dam construction favours species that are tolerant of silt and reduces the number of animals grazing on algae. Large amounts of cool water being released in summer rather than in winter mean that species requiring warm summer temperatures and low water levels as a cue to pupate are not able to complete their life cycles and have disappeared from these localities.

 

The composition of macroinvertebrate species living in a river was used to measure the quality of the water. In the 70s and 80s there was a lack of adequate information about the Australian aquatic fauna. Many of the animals living in freshwater are larval (immature) forms and it is generally the adult (often terrestrial) life stages that have been studied. Various people, mostly based in Victoria, began to investigate and identify these animals. This involved rearing of immature insects like mayflies, caddis and stoneflies through to adults in laboratories, and led to the identification and description of many new species.

 

I became keenly interested in small freshwater beetles, Elmidae or riffle beetles and began collecting and rearing beetles from as many locations as possible. Riffle beetles usually live in fast, well-oxygenated water in rocky, shallow parts of streams called riffles. In the laboratory I successfully managed to raise Elmids which allowed me to associate the adult and larval life stages. Many people assisted me by collecting and sending live specimens from different parts of Australia to supplement my own collections. Eventually, in 1999, I produced an identification guide to Australian riffle beetle larvae. Since leaving the Museum of Victoria most of my work relating to riffle beetles is being carried out in my own time, however, there has been some financial support in the form of small grants from the Mark Mitchell Trust in South Australia, and the CRCFE.

 

In 1981 I left the paid work force for 4 years to raise my 2 sons, though I maintained my interest in riffle beetles and raised those as well! In 1985 I joined the Aquatic Ecology laboratory at Monash University. I was hired for my “expertise” in aquatic invertebrates, but I soon learned that during the intervening few years there had been many changes and advances in the taxonomy of the Australian fauna, so initially I had plenty of “homework” to do. After taking four years of family leave part-time work made the initial transition back into research easier than going straight into full-time employment. The area of freshwater macroinvertebrate studies was increasing in importance and added to my employability, so a combination of luck and experience contributed to me returning into my field of biology.

 

In 1994 the Aquatic Ecology lab became part of the CRCFE and our current research contributes to the study of creeks that are adversely affected by sand slugs (a term used for the bed of a stream that is filled in with sand from erosion in the headwaters). The number of fish and invertebrates living in sand slugs is reduced because the natural deep pools found in wood habitat become smothered in sand. In order to improve the quality of creeks Landcare and Friends groups have been active in planting trees, fencing, and stabilising the banks of streams. Working in collaboration with the CRC for Catchment Hydrology, landowners and Landcare we are assessing the effectiveness of stream restoration techniques by measuring changes in the invertebrate fauna, fish and hydrology after rehabilitation works are established.

 

Working for the CRCFE gave me the advantage of being able to work on research projects for the relatively long period of 3-5 years, and leading to many multi-authored publications in scientific journals. The link with a university provided the bonus of working in a quality research and teaching environment. In the CRCFE men hold most of the senior positions though the percentage of women has improved from 0% in 1994 to 25% in 2001. The project staff numbers have been maintained at approximately 25% women, while the CRCFE has supported about 50% women among the PhD and Masters students. In my experience, there have always been key women available as mentors and colleagues.

 

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