All students on the SWBio DTP are required to do a placement in industry in order to give them a broader view of career options after they finish their degree. My PhD involves looking at micro-RNA mediated regulation of local protein synthesis in neuronal dendrites. I use a combination of experimental and computational techniques to look at how incoming chemical signals affect the composition of effector molecules (proteins) in neurons. I try to keep an up to date synopsis on LinkedIn if you’d like to see my progress!
I started looking for placements that involved education and technology. I had enjoyed opportunities to demonstrate and assist in teaching workshops as part of my PhD, so was keen to explore careers in this field. This and my love for computational work, data analysis and coding seemed to be the perfect combination to explore careers in education and tech.
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Working at LearnSci was an invaluable experience. Working closely with the Content Development Team I got the opportunity to build new components, provide scientific input on bioscience resources, and was even able to design some Smart Worksheets.
It was a really exciting time to join the team, with so many new developments taking place. As I already knew some coding, I was able to get stuck into the development work straight away. I enjoyed solving coding problems and bringing designs to life whilst applying my skills in biosciences in a novel way as I had never developed learning resources before. It was great to think about pedagogy and teaching skills that I apply in my PhD.
I gained better insight into how the edtech industry works having the opportunity to code as part of a team. PhDs tend to become a bit of a one-person endeavour, so it was great to learn to work in a team once again.
Working with the Content Development Team was fantastic. They went out their way to make sure I was not struggling while pushing me to take on new challenges, so I felt very supported throughout my placement. The company culture is very open and inviting.
Through informal coffee chats I got to meet people from all departments to learn more about their work and tell them more about myself.
Now that my placement is over, I’m starting my third year of my PhD so it’s back to the lab (and computer) for now!
If you're interested in a placement with us, contact our Operations Manager Dawn Bradley at dawn.bradley@learnsci.com to express your interest. Please include an up to date copy of your CV and explain why you’d like to intern with us and when you’d be looking for the internship to take place. We will get back to you as soon as possible.
