Profile
Jess Hawkins
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About Me:
I live in Birmingham with my partner Harry. We are both studying for PhDs in Chemistry. In the evenings I go climbing, practise yoga, and I crochet! I love reading trashy novels, and watching Parks and Recreation
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I grew up in Cornwall in the middle of nowhere. I had to walk across a field of cows to get to my bus stop! After A levels, I came to Birmingham to study Chemistry. In my third year I worked for a pharmaceutical company out in Switzerland and got to travel and make some amazing friends. When covid hit in 2020, it was my final year of University, and as I couldnt travel more, I decided to go straight into my PhD. I love spending time outdoors and going for long walks. Sadly, this is not something I can do much of Monday to Friday! But I make up for it where I can.
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My pronouns are:
she/her
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My Work:
I am in my final year of my PhD research at university, where I work with DNA, the building block of life
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My PhD is an extra degree focussed on research in a subject. In chemistry at least this is usually funded (so I get a salary) and I work within a research group, made up of other PhDs, postdoctoral researchers (who have finished their PhD and want to stay researching) and a professor.
In my research I attach molecules to the ends of DNA strands. When they come together into that DNA double helix shape, we can force chemical reactions to happen. We can use this to ‘code’ chemical reactions (we have to have the right DNA code for the DNA strands to match up into a double helix). We hope this will be used for finding new medicines or other useful materials in the future.
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My Typical Day:
On my typical day I wake up and have some breakfast before driving over to work. I get in around 9am. When I arrive, I plan out what experiments I will do for the day and reply to any emails, before heading in to the lab and setting up my experiments. After lunch with my friends, I stop any experiments I have on and get them ready to check whether they have worked. I head home around 6pm.
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When I arrive around 9am, I plan out what experiments I will do for the day and reply to any urgent emails, before heading in to the lab and checking the results from experiments I have run overnight the night before. I then set up my reactions and go for lunch with my colleagues. In the afternoon I stop any experiments I have on and get them ready for analysis, which I then set up to run overnight ready for the next day. If I have any presentations or meetings coming up, I then put my results into some powerpoint slides or a document. Usually, this means drawing graphs on the computer and highlighting the important data, or drawing out the chemical structures I am using (theres software for this too!). If I have weird results that I cant understand I will discuss these with other people in my lab and try and make sense of them, or work out what other experiments will help us understand the results. I head home between 5 and 6pm.
I love my work because I am constantly working in a team with people who I think are amazing scientists. I am problem solving every day, and no two days are exactly the same. Also, I get to use everything I have learnt, at school and then at university and apply it doing science that no one has ever done before. Its pretty cool being the first person ever to try an experiment!
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What I'd do with the prize money:
I would use the prize money to set up an outreach day where school students can come and visit research labs and try an experiment themselves. Its something I would have loved to do at school, but was never possible. I want to make it possible! Its all well and good being told how great a job is, but how am I supposed to believe it until I’ve tried it?!
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Education:
I went to a small primary school in Cornwall, and then on to Callington Community College (right next to the ginsters factory!) from year 7 where I did GCSEs and then I stayed on for A levels. In 2016, I started at the University of Birmingham studying for an MSci (an integrated masters degree is 4 years of Uni with a year of research at the end). I then started my PhD in 2020, where I have been since!
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Qualifications:
GCSEs in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths, English Language, English Literature, Music, Geography, French, Religious Studies
A levels in Chemistry, Physics, Maths and French (A*, A*, A, B)
MSci in Chemistry with a Year in Industry
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Work History:
Waitress in a local pub from when I was 14 to when I left home at 18.
Roche internship in Medicinal Chemistry (this was my year in industry during University)
University Ambassador at Open days and Applicant days.
Tutoring GCSE and A level students (since the start of my PhD)
Demonstrator for undergraduate chemistry labs (Basically a teaching assistant that makes sure nothing blows up in the lab)
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Current Job:
I am currently working as PhD researcher in Chemistry
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Employer:
My supervisor is Professor Rachel O’Reilly (not the one from countdown) at the University of Birmingham
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
gluten-free DNA chemist
What did you want to be after you left school?
Doctor or a scientist
Were you ever in trouble at school?
Yes occasionally for talking too much
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
A graphic designer
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Dolly Parton
What's your favourite food?
Kelloggs Squares Bars
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
To be happy and healthy, to have a dog, and to finish this PhD!
Tell us a joke.
I mean, Im a bit gassed out... All the good ones Argon
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