Robyn Kiy

"I think I am a blend of the three personality types I was matched with. Communicator: Being confident is definitely useful in my role, as presenting your findings is a large part of being a successful research scientist. I enjoy adapting my communication to suit the person (or people) that I'm talking to, and know that this is key to both explaining things well and keeping the audience engaged.Coordinator: I am generally an organised person, and I enjoy working as part of team to get a job done well. I'm patient (which can be essential in the lab when things often don't go as planned!), and I'm easy to get along with.Investigator: Being an investigator definitely fits with the work that I do as a PhD project involves finding out something that no-one has discovered yet. I enjoy collecting information and problem solving, both independently and as part of a team. "

"Being a PhD student (or postgraduate research student), my aim is to discover answers to scientific questions which are currently not known. The main ways I do this are by designing and carrying out experiments in the lab, and reading about what is already known in my field. The outcome of my PhD will be that I have generated data and results which will inform the scientific community. With regards to my project in particular, the outcome will hopefully be greater understanding about how some people's DNA makes them more likely to suffer from adverse drug reactions. I really enjoy thinking about new ways to test my hypothesis! Doing a PhD is very exciting because you can often make your own decisions about what to test and how to test it. I also love the opportunity to travel to conferences in order to share my knowledge, and learn from other researchers. The great thing about science is that it happens all over the world, so it's exciting to know that I may have opportunities for lots of travel. The salary (or 'stipend') for PhD students depends on where the researcher is based, and who funds them. In the UK these stipends typically start around £15,000/yr. "

"It was only during A-levels that I was sure that I wanted to be a scientist. I was lucky to have some really great science teachers at school who encouraged me to explore my interests further. When I was researching undergraduate courses it took me a while to find one that sounded right for me, but once I discovered pharmacology I knew that this was the perfect combination of my interests in human biology and chemistry. Once I got the university, I was really motivated by my academic tutor. She encouraged me to be confident in my abilities and encouraged me to apply for an industrial placement year at a pharmaceutical company. I spent a year working within the drug formulation team, during which I met some brilliant scientists, learnt a lot, and had a lot of fun as well! This placement was my first job in science (before this I had worked part time in retail).I have always pursued what I have enjoyed and found interesting, and am now lucky enough to be working towards my PhD whilst being supervised by three brilliant women in STEM. "

"In my spare time I love going for walks (especially by the sea!), and also enjoy cooking and watching movies. I love visiting new places, and enjoy travelling abroad when I get the opportunity. Most people don't know that I reached Grade 8 in ballet, tap, and modern dance and have been lucky enough to perform in London's west end!"

"One of the best things about being a scientist is that every day is different! Normally I get to university around 9am and check that the cells I am growing are healthy, and feed them if necessary. Then I spend my day either reading, writing, planning or doing experiments, looking at data, or a mixture of all of these! At the moment I spend about 50% of my time in the lab, and 50% doing other things. Once I get home I go for a run or chill on the sofa. Before lockdown I enjoyed catching up with friends in the evening over food or drinks, but now we make do with catch-ups over zoom! "

"AS-levels: 20th century history (B), critical thinkingA-levels: maths (C), biology (A), chemistry (B)Undergraduate degree: 1st class MBiolSci (Pharmacology with Industrial Placement) from the University of Liverpool - I did an integrated Masters degree, meaning my first 3 years were the same as other students completing the pharmacology (BSc) course, and I then did an additional Masters level year. During this final year I worked at a pharmaceutical company. I am currently working towards my PhD. "