I’m a health and safety coordinator here at the Crick. My role is mainly the provide support for the Safety Advisors when needed and get involved in safety inspections and incident investigations. I also work on various projects such as the ongoing SkyLab construction and Permit-to-Work Training.
Science has always been my first love, but after completing my first degrees in Biology and Environmental Management I thought it best to start a career in the dominant Oil and Gas industry on my home country Trinidad and Tobago. After 7 years building a steady foundation, I was able to complete my Master’s degree in Health and Safety shortly before migrating to the UK during covid, which was certainly an interesting time to move. When I came across the job opening at the Crick, I felt this was the perfect opportunity to reconnect with science in a supportive role.
The culture of my home country has been influenced by Indigenous, Indian, African, European, Chinese, Latino and Arab cultures, which makes for a unique melting pot. Growing up and working in such a diverse and multicultural society has shaped and influenced my open-minded approach to all situations. I’m always willing to engage and adopt new ideas, especially if it means more inclusivity in race, gender, and also background and experience. From my experiences and observations, there is sadly still a long way for the world to go when it comes to inclusivity, but I have made it a personal mission of mine to never allow invisible, non-tangible boundaries to limit and restrict me in anyway.
The Crick at times reminds me of home with so many different cultures interacting and working cohesively. I can see everyone meshing and if you look a little closer, the diverse culture and backgrounds flourish and add value to the work environment. I particularly liked Bring Your Culture to Work Day as I was able to share my love for cooking and spices and also have a look at the amazing culture of my colleagues.
There are so many I can’t count, as I believe many factors and experiences shaped my career. I would like to take the opportunity to thank 2 BAME women in particular, Mariell Parris and Keel County. Both are researchers from Trinidad who were instrumental in guiding me throughout my thesis. Having known them for quite some time they initially inspired me to further my degree due to their academic/career achievements and provided much needed support navigating the research and data analysis world.
I’m a Postdoc in the Cryptosporidiosis lab where I study the disease caused by the Cryptosporidium parasite. Beyond this, I also represent postdocs on the Crick Staff Consultative Forum (CSCF), and I am involved in entrepreneurship and translation at the Crick through the Crick Science Entrepreneur Network (CSEN) Team.
I grew up loving science; for many years I was a broken record requesting firstly a puppy and secondly that the chicken coop in our backyard be turned into a small laboratory. I never got either wish, but I’m still passionate about science. When I was younger, I particularly loved tales of mystery and adventure which lead me to think it would be cool to be a “science detective” and so I decided I was going to be a forensic scientist for a couple of years. This all changed as I was preparing to go to university; it was then that I realised that actually, all scientists are detectives, trying to solve the mystery of life as we know it. I decided my personal mystery was biology, the microscope my magnifying glass, and I set off to study molecular biology to understand at the smallest level what makes organisms tick.
I am originally from Malawi, a small country in South-Eastern Africa, and my second home is the North of England - I grew up in Liverpool and then lived and studied in Manchester. My background has given me a very healthy appreciation for diversity in collaboration. We can't solve problems creatively if we all think the same way, have the same ideas, or background. I’ve seen that throughout my career so far, diversity has led to ingenious solutions for the really big questions we have. It has also very much influenced my scientific priorities and inspired me to look at Neglected Tropical Diseases, as well as, influencing how I approach research and collaborations to avoid participating in “helicopter research”; and always strive for true collaboration, and capacity building in low and middle income countries.
I know it’s a cliché, but definitely my mum. I’ve not met a person more willing to try something new and learn from that experience. She’s supported me and more importantly, shown me that it’s ok to have big dreams. She’s determined to elevate me and others along with her. Most recently she’s pushed me to strive for us to achieve a Forbes 30 under 30 and a Forbes 50 over 50 double act; while the 30 under 30 ship has probably sailed for me, I have no doubt she’ll achieve her 50 over 50 achievement.
Looking further afield, for me, the most exposure I've had to other black scientists was volunteering for ‘Black In Microbiology’ week in 2020, which is now the non-profit organisation– Black Microbiologists Association (BMA). It's a wonderful community of people, that I never would have met otherwise, led by a board predominantly made up of women. I’d encourage anyone with an interest in Microbiology to join us at Black In Micro Week 2023. Through BMA I’ve met many scientists who are inspiring in different ways and I'm excited to see these names come up in the history books in the future. I also take comfort in the knowledge that despite the odds, marginalised people have always found a way to contribute. I am constantly learning about people in history and their contributions, even if they were silenced at the time.
