What first inspired you to pursue a career in this field?
I have to admit that I am somewhat of an ‘accidental researcher’. I am a medical graduate from India and was intending to specialise in ophthalmology. When my husband was awarded a PhD scholarship in Engineering at the University of Newcastle, I accompanied him to Australia as a ‘trailing spouse”. Various visa regulations at the time meant that I needed to find an alternative to a clinical role and I decided to do a Masters by Research at the same University. I won a Commonwealth Postgraduate Scholarship for this on the strength of my excellent undergraduate marks and that is how I embarked on a research career.
What do you love the most about your role?
In terms of the research itself, what keeps me going is the potential for making novel discoveries and advancements to improve human health. In my case specifically, to be able to improve our understanding of how the pancreas works in health and disease and to develop novel approaches for treatment of chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer; two conditions where currently the outcome for patients is very poor. I also love the teaching and mentoring aspect of the role in supervising honours, masters and PhD students. Building international collaborations and teaming up with the best minds in the field is also a very fulfilling aspect of the role.
How did your time at UNSW Sydney prepare you for this career?
It was during my PhD candidature at UNSW Sydney that I developed a world-first method to isolate a specific cell type from the pancreas, which is responsible for producing scar tissue in the pancreas. This scar tissue is a major feature of chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. This breakthrough put our research group on the world map in the field of pancreatology and garnered many accolades. The training and supervision I received during my PhD and the international exposure that we achieved as a research group has been a strong foundation for my current career.
Name a woman or women you look up to most – why do they inspire you?
My first inspiration is my grandmother, Indumati Phadake, a highly intelligent woman who was home schooled (because girls were not encouraged to go to school in her time), but then went on to pass her school leaving exams with top marks. Moreover, she founded the first all-girls school in her city – this school is still going strong today. Her determination, courage in the face of adversity and fierce desire to make a difference impressed upon me at an early age that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. Another person I admire is Julia Gillard – although I am not a ‘political animal’ I admired the fact that she was able to break through the political glass ceiling and despite all the misogynist hurdles thrown at her she conducted herself with dignity and grace.
What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?
1. Be clear about your goals and focus on what you want your team to achieve.
2. Lead by example, be adaptable and learn to accept that not everything will go your way at all times.
3. Maintain composure, integrity, dignity in the face of the inevitable challenges you will face as leader.
4. Be prepared to call out unfair practices and discriminatory behaviour as soon as you are made aware of them
5. Achieving a work life balance is important for both genders, but do not feel guilty if you have to put your family first at times.
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