Profile
nefeli karataraki
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About Me:
I am from Greece! I live in Newcastle with my husband and two cats. I love being active so i work out and run on the weekends :D. But I also love playing video games and dungeons and dragons on cosy rainy days! I am a massive lord of the rings fan!
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I wanted to be a vet when I was younger but science stole my heart when I first stepped foot into a real laboratory when I was 17! I decided to go into science so I could help people around me.
Travelling to a different country to study by yourself was very difficult at the beginning but I learned to be independent and responsible quite quickly. I met people from all over the world that shared the same hobbies and passions as me and that’s why i am still here 11 years later!
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My pronouns are:
she/her 🙂
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My Work:
I worked in childhood cancer research for 8 years. My aim was to understand how the disease develops and what factors can contribute to that. Now I am a research impact officer which is a really cool job! My job is all about making sure that the research done by scientists can help the world!
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Scientists do a lot of amazing work. They discover new things, find solutions to problems, and come up with great ideas. But sometimes, all that great work can stay in the labs or the research papers, and it doesn’t reach the people who can benefit from it. That’s where I come in!
As a research impact officer, my job is to bridge the research world and the real world. I help make sure that the important discoveries and findings from research are actually used and applied to make a difference in people’s lives.Here’s how I do it:
- A lot of talking! I work with scientists to understand their work and then I help them translate all that complicated science talk into language that everyone can understand. I can write articles, create videos, or give presentations to explain the research to different audiences, like kids, teachers, or even politicians.
- I work with a lot of people: I bring together scientists and the public to discuss how to use the research findings to solve problems or improve things in society. By working together, you can make sure the research can do good and help people
- I help make research better: I look at how the research has made a difference, whether it has achieved its goals, and what can be improved. This helps researchers and organizations learn from their work and make future research even better.
Overall, as a research impact officer, you play a vital role in making sure that research doesn’t just stay in the labs, but actually helps people and makes the world a better place. You help scientists and researchers share their knowledge, collaborate with others, and make a positive impact on society.
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My Typical Day:
I wake up usually around 6.30am because my cats get hungry! I do my workout or go for a run. I reach work around 9am and stay until about 5pm. I have a lot of meetings during the day and I also teach in workshops or do presentations.
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In the evening I enjoy watching my favourite shows or play my favourite video games with my friends!
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What I'd do with the prize money:
I would love to bring my favourite charity along to a school. People would get to know about Ruby and get inspired by the person she was. We would also talk about why research is important and take away a lot of misconceptions about scientists and research in general 🙂
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Education:
I went to school in Greece. In Greek high-schools (age 15-18) you are asked to pick a discipline to focus on: Theoretical (ancient Greek, Latin, Literature), Medical (Biology, Chemistry) or Technological (Physics, Computers etc.). I knew I wanted to be a scientist so I went with the Medical discipline. I then decided to not pursue a degree in Greece so I came and studied as an undergraduate Biomedical Sciences at the University of Portsmouth. One of our courses was on Genetics and this is how my interest was picked. I then studied for two years at the University of Surrey in Medical Microbiology where I looked at viruses and their genetics.
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Work History:
I worked at Newcastle University as a researcher for 8 years. My area of work was in Cancer Research (especially one that makes children unwell). My job was actually funded by two charities: Little Princess Trust (Little Princess Trust (littleprincesses.org.uk) and Ruby’s legacy (Ruby’s Legacy | Live Kindly Live Loudly | Charity Fundraising | United Kingdom).
Getting to wake up every morning knowing that what I will do in the lab today might make a difference to the children out there one day was wonderful. And even if I have a different job right now I still support the charities especially Ruby’s legacy as it made me a better researcher and a better person 😀
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Employer:
I work for Newcastle University in the field of Medical Sciences 😀
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
cat-loving gaming researcher
What did you want to be after you left school?
I always wanted to work in the lab. It was fascinating to me and very rewarding
Were you ever in trouble at school?
Never!
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
I would love to work for a charity and who knows my path might lead me there!
Who is your favourite singer or band?
P!nk
What's your favourite food?
I love Japanese cuisine!
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
Meet my inspirations in life, Help the people I love, Make a difference
Tell us a joke.
I have been on an once-in-a-lifetime holiday. I ' ll tell you what, never again!
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