Tag: women

Beneath the Waves: Journeying into the Secrets of Marine Microbiology with Jadranka

By Yongxin Lyu

In the vast world of science, there are extraordinary people who dedicate their lives to unravelling the mysteries of our planet. One such amazing scientist is Jadranka Nappi, a marine microbiologist with an insatiable curiosity and a deep love for the ocean. Originally from Italy, Jadranka’s journey led her to the shore of Australia, where she embarked on a path that combines studying and working with marine creatures, uncovering the fascinating world of marine microbiology. Let’s dive into Jadranka’s story and explore the wonders she encounters every day. 

Jadranka freediving at Montague Island, Narooma, NSW, Australia (photo by Victoria Gray).

Immersed in Passion: Jadranka’s Journey into Marine Microbiology

Jadranka, also known as Jadi, comes from a diverse background with Italian and Serbian roots. Her connection to the sea is embodied in her Serbian name “Jadranka”, which echoes the Adriatic Sea, a part of the Mediterranean Sea separating Italy and Croatia. Growing up, Jadi has been captivated by the enchanting wonders of marine life. Driven by an insatiable curiosity, she set her sights on becoming a marine biologist from an early age.

As she delved deeper into her undergraduate studies in marine biology in Italy, her fascination with the ocean only grew stronger. “I always had the dream to study humpback whales, and to be in the ocean all the time. It is under the waves where I am at my happiest”. When it came to her final project, an exciting opportunity came to explore the world of marine microbiology overseas. Jadi packed her bags and set off on a life-changing adventure to Australia.

Stepping into the new field of marine microbiology was a challenge for Jadi, but she enjoys the excitement of exploring new things. Several months as an exchange student in Sydney eventually led to 11 years of an academic journey dedicated to studying bacteria in the ocean. After completing a PhD in biotechnology at UNSW, Jadi secured a postdoctoral fellowship in the Centre of Marine Science and Innovation, collaborating with CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency. 

Uniting Academia and Industry: Jadranka’s Exciting Collaborations

Jadi’s academic journey took an exciting turn when she entered her postdoctoral research which involves collaboration with an industry partner under the SIEF Ross Metcalf STEM + Business Fellowship with CSIRO. This unique collaboration allows Jadi to blend her knowledge of microbiology with insights from the business world. “I bring my knowledge about microbiology and bacteria, but I am also constantly learning about aquaculture, absorbing knowledge from every single person who works at the facility. I share successes and challenges with everybody, and I see how every day we all work towards the same goal. I am part of an incredible team”. 

Jadi finds great fulfilment in collaborating with the industry, appreciating the diverse knowledge and different approach it brings. The exchange of expertise creates a rich learning experience, where she constantly learns something new every single day.

A Life between Waves and Lab Coats: Jadranka’s Daily Pursuits

Jadranka on her field trip at the aquaculture facility (left), back in Sydney working at UNSW (middle), and with her dog Argo (right).

Jadi’s typical day is a dynamic mix of exciting fieldwork, laboratory analysis and academic responsibilities, depending on whether she is on field trips or back in Sydney. During field trips, she wakes up super early to embark on her marine research adventure. Working with marine animals in an aquaculture facility, Jadi takes care of them, does treatments, and collects samples. These samples are quickly processed in the on-site laboratory before being taken back to Sydney for further analysis.

Back in Sydney, Jadi’s day is quite different. The morning starts with walking her lovely dog, Argo. During the day, Jadi immense herself in office work, engaging in data analysis and writing research papers. Apart from doing research, Jadi also enjoys assisting PhD and honours students with their experiments and data analysis. 

Diving into Discovery: Jadranka’s Dual Life as a Researcher and Diver

Jadranka teaching scuba diving.

Jadi’s love for the ocean goes beyond her scientific work. Scuba diving and freediving are her greatest passions. Being in the water allows her to escape and find balance in her academic life, recharging her spirit. During her PhD studies, she worked as a scuba diving instructor on weekends, feeding her passion for underwater exploration. 

Inspiring the Next Generation: Jadranka’s Advice to Young Science Enthusiasts

With a strong desire to encourage young girls to pursue careers in STEM, Jadi has some valuable advice. She emphasizes the importance of curiosity and the courage to explore different fields. Jadi believes that by following their passions and being driven by patience and curiosity, young scientists can find fulfilment in their chosen paths. “Don’t be afraid of looking for something new, different from everything you know already. If you follow what makes you excited and a little scared at the same time, and if you do it with passion and eager to learn new things, it will take you somewhere incredible”. She encourages them to fearlessly pursue their interests, knowing that it is through curiosity and persistence that ground-breaking discoveries are made. 

Jadi’s journey into marine microbiology is an inspiring tale of passion, exploration, and the deep connection between science and the ocean. Her story reminds us that by following our curiosity and embracing the wonders of the natural world, we can unravel the mysteries that lie beneath the surface. Jadi’s work continues to shed light on the hidden world of marine microbes, inspiring future generations of scientists to dive into the thrilling realm of marine biology.

Follow Jadranka on Twitter: @JadrankaNappi

Email: j.nappi@unsw.edu.au

Shedding light on chemistry: Meet Laura Wimberger

By Inna Osmolovsky

Laura is a third year PhD student in the School of Chemistry. Her research focuses on photo-switches: molecules that reversibly change their structure when exposed light. These reversible structural changes can be used in the development of smart materials, to activate drug molecules or as energy storage alternatives. Laura’s research focuses on how exposure to light of certain molecules can alter the acidity (pH) level of chemical solutions. Many chemical processes are governed by acidity levels for example the functionality of enzymes in our body. Laura’s research offers a method to externally control such chemical processes with light.

Laura in the synthetic chemistry lab (left) and hiking in the Dolomites (right)

Because light is a renewable resource, understanding how to harness it interested Laura long before she started her PhD. Interestingly, her academic career started in engineering, but after a year Laura understood that this wasn’t a good match for her and despite a lot of self-doubts decided to switch to a degree in chemistry. This proved to be a much better fit for her, she enjoyed studying, met amazing friends, and later decided to pursue a master’s degree in chemistry.

When the time came to apply for a PhD, Laura decided to explore options outside of Germany, her home country. “I literally searched online for “photochemistry, Australia, PhD”, the web page of my current supervisor popped up and I contacted him”. Her, then future, supervisor was very enthusiastic, and this was how Laura came to Australia to pursue her PhD.

Laura presenting a research poster at a conference in Italy

Her day-to-day work varies with the different stages of her projects. New projects usually begin with reading and gathering information, providing Laura with an important background for the next stages. Then Laura starts off with synthesizing new molecules, analyzes how they react to light and develops models based on these measurements. Because Laura’s experiments are unique, involving irradiation while analyzing the reaction, she needs to creatively adapt existing instruments or measurement techniques, as they weren’t built to involve irradiation. She loves how variable her work is and how she gets to experience and learn new skills.

Laura is preparing samples for spectroscopic measurements (left), measuring the pH while irradiating with blue light (right).

One of the most exciting moments of Laura’s PhD was when she discovered that the light sensitive molecules she studied were able to cause a much greater change in pH than what was previously described. This experience was very validating for Laura, helping her to become more confident in her abilities as a scientist and researcher.

But Laura states that research can also be challenging – sometimes an experiment that seems very important and would determine the future of a project doesn’t work on the first go or needs some fine tuning. Laura says she learned to manage her expectations with such experiments – to approach them with patience and view them as a process rather than an end goal. Viewing these challenges as growth opportunities helps Laura to persevere.

Outside of her PhD Laura enjoys rock climbing, hiking, and spending time in nature. These activities help her both physically and mentally and are a great way to recharge from stressful weeks – climbing, especially, motivates her on bad days.

Rock climbing in the Blue Mountains

Laura joined the Women in Maths and Science Champions program to meet fellow scientists, to reconnect and establish a network, especially after two years of COVID. This experience taught her how to become a role model, how to own her voice as a scientist and how to break away from her comfort zone. In her role, she enjoyed finding creative ways to inspire girls to pursue careers in science, and to stay curious.

Follow Laura on Twitter!