This weeks PhDetails is with Hollie Marshall who studies at the University of Leicester and investigates the possible role of DNA methylation in imprinting of bumblebees (and some bonus side-projects with Daphnia). I recently joined twitter both to promote this blog and because I had been told it is a great way to hear about different peoples ongoing work and pre-prints and ‘met’ Hollie there. On her twitter feed - @MooHoll Hollie manages to mix her general academic interests, a support of open science, conferences and workshops and specific details of her ongoing PhD projects. I was drawn to the fact Hollie not only tweets about her projects when they’re going well but also when they are not going to plan – a major part of any PhD and I think an important part to share with others. Hollie also manages to balance her PhD with a part-time job which I think is pretty incredible and still has remarkable enthusiasm for her project - I hope you enjoy this weeks interview!
Where do you study and who is/are your supervisor(s)?
University of Leicester and Dr. Eamonn Mallon, I also collaborate currently with Dr. Luisa Orsini at the University of Birmingham.
What year of your PhD are you in?
3rd … (*gulp*).
Who’s giving you the money?
The NERC CENTA doctoral training partnership for 3.5 years.
Do you have any publications – if so where?
I have one from my masters in Molecular Ecology and so far one from my PhD in Epigenetics. However there are a couple more submitted and a couple in writing.
Did you do a masters – what was it about?
Yes, it was about species evolution to climate change. I was actually very lucky with my masters. Due to finances I couldn’t travel far from Birmingham so applied for the MRes there. I was almost rejected (even with a 1st degree in Biology) because my areas of interest (ecological genetics) were not well represented at the University. I was asked to find supervisors for my two mini-projects before they would accept me onto the course. This meant I met with Dr. Orsini who convinced the school to allow me to complete an MSc by Research instead (which usually they don’t admit for due to paperwork I assume). This meant I was able to work for a whole year doing nothing but research in the Orsini lab (effectively be a 1st year PhD student) and write a thesis for examination.
What is the best fieldwork you have ever done and what made it great?
I don’t get to do field work (*cries*) … currently at least. However as a lab we run around the Leicester botanical gardens every spring with our bee nets!
How many PhDs did you apply for – what were you looking for?
Many! I applied straight out of undergrad and was interviewed for two (which I felt fortunate about) and whilst the interviews went well I was told a student with a master’s degree was chosen each time. I was also accepted for one but the funding didn’t come through. There were no DTPs or funding for masters at the time (2012) so I worked for a couple of years to try to save up to do a masters (I now have a ton of real bank debt … bad times). After my masters I applied for three, was interviewed for two and received the second.
What is the most bodged piece of equipment you have had to use during fieldwork – did it work?
No field work for me but we use jam jars to culture the Daphnia (water fleas) in Birmingham.
What one piece of advice would you give to a masters student applying to PhDs now?
Your PhD topic doesn’t have to define your career. Think of the PhD as a key that allows you to be a researcher. I know many researchers who now work in quite different fields to their PhD. As long as it’s something that sparks your interest it doesn’t have to be precisely what you love.
How often do you meet with your supervisor(s)?
Usually twice a month in a full lab meeting where we all report on the previous two weeks work.
What supervisor traits are important to you?
I believe everyone is different and therefore require different traits in their supervisor. For me, I need autonomy and very luckily my supervisor gives me that. I am also aware I need to be ‘reeled in’ at times (too much enthusiasm to take on the world) and again luckily he is very good at keeping me grounded.
What do you think are the worst supervisor traits?
This is difficult as a trait I may find negative may work well for someone else. I think if you are coming to blows with your supervisor an adult conversation needs to take place where hopefully there can be some give in both directions.
In one sentence what is your PhD about?
Does genomic imprinting exist in bumblebees, in a way evolutionary theory predicts, and is it mediated by DNA methylation? (Plus I do Daphnia stuff on the side).
What has been your academic highlight of the last year?
Sort of academic … I went to a conference in Poland and was given a tour of Białowieża forest, one of the last primeval forests in Europe (amazing! And we saw Bison!!!).
Do you have an academic idol?
I don’t have an academic idol. However a lecturer in my undergrad inspired me to pursue an academic career and I really wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for him, I’m sure many of his students can say the same (Dr Mike Wheeler, Worcester). My masters supervisor taught me it really doesn’t matter if you’re female you can still make a damn good career for yourself (forget all the bias that might exist you can totally do it, Dr. Luisa Orsini, Birmingham). Finally my current supervisor has taught me more than I can write on this form, particularly how important it is to balance your working life with family and that we should ‘fight the system!’ in terms of greedy publishers/universities (Dr. Eamonn Mallon, Leicester). These people are more my ‘idols’ than any famous Nobel laureate.
Do you have a favourite paper?
Nope.
Are there any social interactions/meetings which have enhanced your PhD experience e.g. social seminars/group meetings?
I really recommend events like CafeResearch and PubhD/PodhD they allow you to interact with other PhD students and the general public and teach you the VITAL skill of communicating your science to everyone.
What has been your favourite conference so far – why?
I highly recommend the ‘Programming for Evolutionary Biology’ conference that occurs usually every year. It’s small, usually about 50 people, always in an amazing location (this is done on purpose so it’s always great!) and the community is super helpful, weather you are a coding wiz or a complete novice. I think my favourite location was in Belgrade, Serbia!
What hours do you typically work?
I commute to either Leicester or Birmingham and live about an hour from both. So I usually leave after rush hour, making my ‘working day’ 10-6pm. I also have to do a lot of weekend work (because Daphnia will have their babies on no man’s schedule), but I try to take the time back when this happens.
What motivates you in your day to day PhD life?
Between my undergrad and masters I worked full time for a gambling business (I won’t name names) and my quality of life now is better than I could have ever dreamed of. Yes a PhD is stressful and working a second job makes it pretty horrendous at times … but compared to what my life would have been … slowly working my way up the management ladder, working 12 hours shifts, making no difference in the world, being shouted at and abused by drunk/addict customers … a PhD is pure heaven!
How do you avoid procrastinating?
I let it happen, like filling in this interview, but only for a short time in the morning, then if I’m not working away properly by 11am I kick my own butt!
What do you do when you’re not working – how do you balance it with your phd?
I can’t shout about how important this is for any new PhD students reading this blog. You MUST balance your life; it’s a skill and must be worked at. I know too many people who have crashed and burned after their 1st year of PhD because they didn’t take their annual leave! It’s a job you should treat it as one! … Saying that I need to work a part-time job as well (due to the masters degree debt) so it’s a struggle, but I crochet and binge watch Star Trek.
What has been the best moment of your PhD?
When I was offered the position. I was working up to 30 hours a week during my masters to get by and the relief that I had made it was pretty intense. I may or may not have cried in the shower for half an hour.
What has been the worse moment of your PhD?
I can't think of anything catastrophic, there are loads of times things go pretty wrong and you can have massive setbacks when working with animals, but I think that makes you quite resilient. Probably the worst moment was realising the data generated from £7200 worth of sequencing was full of false positives (bisulfite data to look at genome methylation). The sequencing company has since admitted fault, it took a year but finally we have good data for that project.
What has been the best moment of your PhD?
When I was offered the position. I was working up to 30 hours a week during my masters to get by and the relief that I had made it was pretty intense. I may or may not have cried in the shower for half an hour.
What has been the worse moment of your PhD?
I can't think of anything catastrophic, there are loads of times things go pretty wrong and you can have massive setbacks when working with animals, but I think that makes you quite resilient. Probably the worst moment was realising the data generated from £7200 worth of sequencing was full of false positives (bisulfite data to look at genome methylation). The sequencing company has since admitted fault, it took a year but finally we have good data for that project.
If a genie could grant you one wish to help with your phd what would you wish for?
No master’s degree debt so I didn’t have to work that second job (although it’s now a teaching job that pays well and I get CV skills galore).
What would be your dream job?
Postdoc … fellow … lecturer … professor ;)
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Hopefully (*crosses fingers*) completing a fellowship in some awesome country.
One word to sum up your future in academia:
Balanced.
What do you want to achieve outside of academia in the coming year?
Become mother to a rescue dog.
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