Dashboard – I'm a Scientist 2024

About Me:

Hi, I am Esra. I am a PhD student in dementia at Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS). My background is in clinical neuroscience (the Brain!) and now I am based at the Centre for dementia studies. I am a mum to a 10 month old boy and I live by the countryside. Though I like a cheeky trip to Brighton beach for chips when I am in my office at BSMS 🙂
My Typical Day:

My day starts very early! Because I have a young baby who likes to wake up before 5am. After he is fed and sorted, he goes off to daycare and i take a three hour train at 6am from Bedford to Brighton to get the medical school (luckily i only have to travel in one day a week!). I am usually spending the day writing up research papers, analysing data using statistics and talking to people who live with dementia as i am developing a questionnaire. I usually have Teams call with my PhD supervisor, the clinical neuroscience group and other researchers day to day. I sometimes give a talk on my research for the clinical neuroscience group.
What I'd do with the prize money:

I would use the prize money to run a summer school from the centre for dementia studies for students to learn about dementia, the kind of research we do here, run Q&A sessions with researchers, Q&A session with people living with dementia and run small workshops over the 3-4 days the summer school.

CV

Education:

Barnfield West Academy (2007-2012)

Barnfield West Academy Sixthform (2012-2014)

University of Roehampton (BSc, 2014-2017)

University of Roehampton (MSc, 2017-2018)

Career break to have baby.

Brighton and Sussex Medical School (PhD, 2021 – current)
Qualifications:

GCSES

Alevels

BSc (Hons) Psychology

MSc Clinical Neuroscience

Currently working towards PhD
Work History:

Research internship – cognitive neuropsychology

Respiratory medicine hospital placement

School governor

St John Ambulance first aider

Taster lecturer in neuroscience

My Interview
- How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
  
  The dancing neuroscientist
  
  What did you want to be after you left school?
  
  A dancer
  
  Were you ever in trouble at school?
  
  A little bit. I was a chatter box and a cheeky back talker.
  
  Who is your favourite singer or band?
  
  I listen to a lot of Elton John and ABBA
  
  What's your favourite food?
  
  burgers!
  
  If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
  
  To be happy. To stay in research. To live forever with my son and husband.
  
  Tell us a joke.
  
  oh no. I actually do not know any at the top of my head!