This week’s PhDetails #84 is with Laura Skates! Laura grew up in Western Australia and received her Bachelor of Science in Botany and Conservation Biology with First Class Honours from The University of Western Australia in 2014. Her Honours research focused on the ecophysiology of the aquatic carnivorous plant Aldrovanda vesiculosa, and led on to her PhD research focused on the nutrition and ecology of a wide range of carnivorous plants, including species of Drosera, Byblis, Cephalotus follicularis, Drosophyllum lusitanicum, and Nepenthes also at The University of Western Australia. Laura told me that she is passionate about ecology, conservation, botanical art, and celebrating women in STEM! She also loves reading, TV and films, live music, floral fashion, and travelling. You can find Laura on twitter @floraskates and her website HERE!
What is your favourite band/musical artist pre 1980?
I find it really hard to pick favourite bands! I love listening to a band called Mango Groove, but I’ve just googled and realised the band formed in 1984 so I guess I should put them for the next question…
So let’s just go with my favourite song of the moment, “September” by Earth, Wind and Fire. What a tune.
Favourite band/musical artist post 1980?
Mango Groove!
Favourite movie?
I could watch Dude Where’s My Car, Zoolander, and Shrek forever.
Do you listen to podcasts?
Yes! I listen to heaps but some recent favourites are Potterless, Hello from the Magic Tavern, and Ologies.
Where do you study and who are your supervisors?
I am a PhD student at The University of Western Australia supported by Kings Park Science in Perth and the BayCEER Laboratory of Isotope Biogeochemistry at the University of Bayreuth, Germany. My PhD supervisors are Prof Gerhard Gebauer (University of Bayreuth), Prof Kingsley Dixon (Curtin University), Dr Adam Cross (Curtin University), Dr Jason Stevens (Kings Park Science), and Prof Erik Veneklaas (UWA).
What year of your PhD are you in?
Final year! I started in 2015, and am hoping to submit my thesis very soon…
Who’s giving you the money – and for how long?
From 2015-2018 I was supported by an APA scholarship and UWA Top-Up scholarship. Throughout my PhD, I have also worked as an assistant for an independent consultant botanist, and since the start of 2019 I’ve been working full time as a Communications Officer for a research institute.
Do you have any publications – if so where?
The first chapter of my PhD research was published in 2019 in Annals of Botany – hooray! It’s all about the nutrition and ecology of the carnivorous plant Drosophyllum lusitanicum, endemic to the Mediterranean heathlands of Spain and Morocco. You can read more about it in this blog post by BotanyOne.
I also was a co-author on a paper published in Freshwater Science in 2015, about the aquatic carnivorous plant Aldrovanda vesiculosa, which was the study species for my Honours research project.
I’ll be submitting my other PhD chapters for publication, so hopefully you’ll see them in a journal near you, sometime in 2020!
Aldrovanda vesiculosa
Did you do a masters – where was it and was it about?
No, but I did do an Honours project, also at UWA and Kings Park Science. My project was on the ecophysiology of the aquatic carnivorous plant Aldrovanda vesiculosa.
Do you do fieldwork? What is the best fieldwork you have ever done and what made it great?
Yes I’ve done lots of fieldwork for my PhD, all over the southwest corner of Western Australia and up in the northern Kimberley region of Western Australia. The two trips I did up to the Kimberley region were amazing, we flew in a little 12-seater Cessna Caravan plane over the beautiful landscapes and landed at a remote field station, surrounded by pristine bushland. There were so many amazing carnivorous plants (including species of Drosera, Byblis and Utricularia) to see, and we were accompanied every day by the beautiful station dog Bonnie.
Bonnie the dog.
Have you done any lab work?
Yes, once I’d done all my fieldwork, I took my samples to the University of Bayreuth in Germany to analyse them at the BayCEER Laboratory of Isotope Biogeochemistry. It was wonderful to be welcomed into the lab group over there, and to get to learn first-hand about the ecological applications of stable isotope techniques under the guidance of Prof Gebauer.
How many PhDs did you apply for – what were you looking for?
This project was the only one I applied for – it was a perfect match for me to continue studying carnivorous plants with a great team, and get to travel to Germany for my labwork.
What is the most bodged piece of equipment you have had to use during field/labwork – did it work?
Hmm, to be honest, most of my field equipment was paper bags! They mostly worked fine, unless it was rainy!
What one piece of advice would you give to a masters student applying to PhDs now?
You spend a long time doing a PhD, so make time for yourself and the things you love, surround yourself with a great team (including supervisors, fellow students, and supporters), and find a place where you feel at home! If you have to move away for your PhD, see whether the university has any clubs or groups you can join, to make new friends and hobbies!
How often do you meet with your supervisors?
It’s changed over the course of my PhD, from weekly meetings to monthly meetings to every few months, it really depends on where I’m at and where they’re at. We don’t meet very regularly now, mainly because I am working full time outside of my PhD.
What supervisor traits are important to you?
I would say empathy and compassion are probably the most important traits, not just for supervisors but for everyone really.
What do you think are the worst supervisor traits?
Tying in to the above, I think the worst traits a supervisor could have are bullying behaviours towards their students. It’s really important that students are provided with a supportive environment in which to do their work, especially considering the rise in mental health issues amongst postgraduate students.
In one sentence what is your PhD about?
Discovering how much of a nutritional benefit different carnivorous plants get from prey, and why.
What has been your academic highlight of the last year?
Having my first, first-author paper come out in Annals of Botany!
Have you had an academic lowpoint of the last year – if so what happened?
I am currently juggling working full-time with trying to complete my thesis. It’s a challenge!
Which academic idol/scientist have you met?
I have been lucky enough to briefly meet Sir David Attenborough (at the International Carnivorous Plants Society conference at Kew Gardens in 2016) and Jane Goodall (when she visited Kings Park and Botanic Gardens in 2017). I’ve also met a lot of amazing carnivorous plant scientists at conferences, which is always very exciting and rewarding
Which academic idol/scientist would you most like to meet?
I would love to go back in time and meet Mary Treat or Rica Erickson, who were both incredible naturalists who did research on carnivorous plants.
Do you have a favourite paper?
Oooh I have a few, but I’ll link to two papers which really helped to shape my research interests early on. The first is a great overview of the evolution, ecology and a bit of the cultural history of carnivorous plants, and is a great starting point for anyone interested in learning about carnivorous plants. The second is the paper which defined the concept of “plant blindness” and how to prevent it, and led to a great number of fascinating papers on how to get people excited about plants. Both of these papers have been really useful for me in both my research and my science communication activities.
What has been your favourite conference so far – why?
It is so hard to choose, I’ve been to a lot of amazing conferences… But I particularly love the Ecological Society of Australia conferences, because they are very student friendly, environmentally friendly, and forward thinking. The symposia on Science Communication are always a blast too! In 2018 I presented a poster and short talk there on “Capturing prey and imaginations: communicating science with carnivorous plants”. I had so much fun!
What hours do you typically work?
Hard to say. At the moment I am working full-time on a job that is not my PhD, so on top of those 37.5 hrs/week, I also spend time after work and on the weekends to write my thesis. Bit of a slog, but it’s getting there! Weekend writing sessions with supportive friends and brunch definitely helps!
What do you do when you’re not working – how do you balance it with your PhD?
I have been taking acrylic painting classes this year, which has been a great way to unwind and explore my creative side. I also love going to gigs, little bush hikes in the Perth hills, catching up with friends and family, and chilling out at home.
If a genie could grant you one wish to help with your PhD what would you wish for?
Unlimited motivation (especially when it comes to doing statistics).
What would be your dream job?
Being someone who gets to share my excitement about cool plants all day long. I’m not sure exactly what that looks like yet, but I’m working on it…
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Hopefully financially stable, happy and healthy! Other than that, I have no idea (hopefully something aligned with the last question!).
One word to sum up your future in academia:
Uncertain?
What do you want to achieve outside of academia in the coming year?
I want to go on holiday! Like, a proper holiday, that isn’t attached to a conference or work in any way. I also want to read more books just for fun. That will be achievement enough
What essential tool hardware/software could you not do your PhD without?
Oooh gosh, well Word, Excel, Powerpoint, R, and SigmaPlot are my main software choices. I do love Paint too.
Who has been your academic role model/inspiration and why?
My mum. She got her PhD while I was in high school, and I didn’t really understand what that meant at the time, but now I do. I’m so proud of her, and look up to her so much.
Where is somewhere you would like to work in the future?
I would LOVE to work at Kew Gardens one day, even just for a little bit. Such a beautiful place
Do you have a favourite organism – what is it and why – is it different from your study organism(s)?
Probably my pet cat Saffron. She’s adorable! Plus the mental health benefits of petting her are amazing. In the plant world, my favourite organism is probably Byblis (one of the carnivorous plants I study!)
Byblis filifolia, in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.
How do you avoid procrastinating?
This is a tough one. Often I find I’m procrastinating because I feel overwhelmed about how much work there is to do. So the best option for me is to break that task into little tasks (to-do list style), and choose just one point that I will work on for the next 30mins. And repeat!
What motivates you in your day to day PhD life?
Chocolate.
Are there any social interactions/meetings which have enhanced your PhD experience?
Yes, so many. I was a committee member of my university’s Postgraduate Students’ Association, which was a great way to meet postgrads from other parts of the university and work to represent postgrads on important issues. I also took part in competitions like Three Minute Thesis, which were also a fantastic way to meet other postgrads, figure out how to explain your research succinctly, and have fun along the way!
I have also been really lucky to have lots of amazingly supportive groups of postgrad friends, who I’ve met through my lab groups, conferences, and even Twitter and Instagram. Their friendship has greatly enhanced my PhD experience and I am forever grateful for them <3
If you could change one thing about your group/department structure what would it be?
I think more resources surrounding mental health would always be good, such as mental health training for both postgrad students and supervisors.
What major question in your subject area is yet to be addressed – why is it important and why isn’t anyone addressing it?
I think there is a lot of important research that could be done around improving and supporting the conservation of carnivorous plants. And I think there is a lot to be learnt from all the work that has been done on conservation of orchids, for example!
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