Month: November 2019

A vision of success: Champion Dr Lisa Nivison-Smith awarded NHMRC grant

By UNSW Women in Maths and Science Champions

Dr Lisa Nivison-Smith

Hot off the heels of winning the UNSW Staff Diversity award, the UNSW Women in Maths and Science Champions have seen more success with Champion Dr Lisa Nivison-Smith being awarded an NHMRC (National Health and Research Council) investigator grant. This government grant is aimed at supporting top medical researchers in Australia and is highly competitive with an average success rate of 15%.

Lisa, who works as a senior researcher at the Centre for Eye Health and School of Optometry and Vision Science at UNSW will use the grant to continue her research on eye disease over the next 5 years. Lisa is focused on the disease, age-related macular degeneration or AMD and using sophisticated eye imaging devices to better detect and understand the disease in its early stages.

“Macular degeneration or AMD involves degeneration of the outer parts of our retina including photoreceptors, the cells in our eyes which detect light” Lisa explains. “In the advanced stages of the disease, the outer retina becomes permanently damaged leading to vision loss.”

Lisa’s research looks for ways to better detect people with AMD especially those at high risk of vision loss. “We have a treatment for one form of advanced AMD but it works best if we catch patients as soon as they have signs of this form of AMD.” says Lisa. “The problem is, it is very difficult to identify which patients are at high risk of developing this form of AMD and which patients will remain stable. My research tries to answer this question so we can make sure that all patients with AMD, especially those at high risk of progressing, are monitored appropriately and get treatment quickly to prevent any vision loss.”

Lisa interpreting images of the retina

With Australia’s ageing population, early detection and progression of diseases like AMD are hot topics of research. So how does Lisa’s research differ from others in the area?

“Much research in AMD focuses on the outer retina because disease changes in this part of the eye are well-established” says Lisa. “But there is mounting evidence that the inner retina is also involved in AMD. I am investigating how these inner retina changes can be used as new biomarkers in the clinic.”

When asked about how she felt about receiving the news of her grant success, Lisa replied “I was incredibly excited, the grant is an amazing opportunity for me to expand my research and make a difference. I am also really excited to have the Australian government support eye research. Eye disease is not discussed in mainstream media yet it is one of the most feared health conditions in the developed world and has a huge medical, social and emotional impact so it is essential we tackle this problem.”

Learn more about Lisa’s research here

Follow Lisa on Twitter

Future Champion Kaylee Li: By 2030 I’d like to be…

By Kaylee Li

As a motivated and passionate individual, by 2030 I’d love to be helping our planet by becoming an aerospace engineer and maybe also a lecturer in a university beyond 2030. It has always been my dream to do something related to the undiscovered outer space and teaching; for the impact of both that can achieve for humanity’s future. Together, with my aerospace engineering skills, communication skills, strength in imaginative design and teaching skills, I could solve various problems of different sorts. From changing a young individual’s perspective towards STEM, to advocating more advanced space technologies and materials. People always say ‘this is the generation’… I do believe this is the generation for human’s imagination and dreams to be turned to reality gradually. However, we need to let this generation to know that “each one of us is born with a special talent, a unique dream or aspiration” as stated by Alyssa Carson, an 18 year old American girl who had a passion for the Red Planet, Mars.

Coming back to Australia as a 10 year old girl with my family was a turn for my perspective. In the country where I was born, they don’t necessarily know the language. However, I decided to take all the opportunities I could possibly find to gain the skill of this new language. Including joining various school extra-curricular activities, volunteering, joining youth clubs, churches, and trying my best in classes. Because I know, aside from the goal which I will gradually reach, the journey and obstacles which I come to face are the real successes when I break through. Hence, from that point in grade 5-6 primary school, I decided that no matter what I come across, I will never give up.

Photo taken by me at school during STEM class. (My remote-control glider)

It was also primary school in Australia from grade 5-6 where my instinct in the interest of mathematics been opened. Before coming back to Australia, there was a feeling, but there was always something blocking it. Hence, I wanted to let everyone I could possibly tell, especially the young ones; never “block these dreams or give up” even if there is “fear or worry”, because “in the middle of difficulties lies opportunities.”

When I was little, even before coming to Australia, I loved science fiction and fantasy, especially those related to the undiscovered universe and spacecraft from the bottom of my heart, which was fantastic. I still do now. It has always been a dream to do something related to space, especially when I reached high school, Cherrybrook Technology High School, where I experienced the subject called STEM with a focus on aerodynamic in semester 1, year 10. I made a remote-control glider from scratch with my partner. It was extremely satisfying. From that journey, I can feel my passion in aerospace expanding.

By 2030, I believe I could become an aerospace engineer. My first step is to experience as many programs about STEM and space as possible. Including all the STEM electives I took at school, Australian Air Force Cadets which I joined recently, Girls Programming Network which was conducted by University of Sydney, UTS Engineering day, and many UNSW programs, such as Women in Symposium, Exploring STEM careers, etc. Incoming programs include the UNSW Engineering day, and the work experience in Science in November.

Photo from NebulaBot (future technology and predictions)

From all the experiences I’ve experienced and stories that I’ve heard, I will share and tell those who don’t yet know the beauty of STEM or any dreams that had been shut for reality. By doing this, the problem of people who don’t yet enjoy STEM would decrease, while more people could see how dreams should never be given up that easily and it is possible to transfer dreams to reality, simply by actions.

By becoming an aerospace engineer, I could join the team and help our planet’s rocketries to improve and explore deeper mysteries of planets, more understanding of Mars, and maybe explore other galaxies with humanities on board.

Photo from Blue Origin kicks off kids’ space club with offer to launch postcards

Now, I can see my exciting, vibrant, high space tech, STEM future with teams of passionate and motivated individuals of different cultures, perspectives, and most importantly, ideas. No matter where I will work in Australia, or across the world. In the approaching decades, space technologies for humankind will leap faster and jump farther. As our planet is becoming more multicultural and interconnected. Hence, we can be the best version of humanity.

“The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible.” With the support of one another, we humanity, together, we turn today’s dream into tomorrow’s reality. Because we will “be brave” and “fight for what we believe in and make our dreams our reality!”

 

Poster made by Kaylee Li