Dr Victoria Woolley
Post–doctoral Research Fellow
Why or how did you get into science?
Biology was always my favorite subject at school- I especially liked learning about plants and ecology! I went on to study biology at university and still found it really interesting, so decided that I wanted to use it in my career.
Did anyone in particular influence you?
Throughout school and university, I had really supportive teachers and lecturers who encouraged me to focus on and study the areas of science that I was most interested in.
What is your particular field and how did you choose it, or did it choose you?
When I was little, I used to catch insects (especially grasshoppers) in our garden, so I think that was a sign that I was going to work with insects in the future! A great lecturer at university encouraged me to combine my interest in insects with molecular biology and that is what I am doing now.
What advice would you give to other young women reading this who are thinking of pursuing a career in science?
I think that it is important never to underestimate yourself and to pursue areas of science that you are passionate about.
Is there anything you wish you had done differently in your career so far?
A big part of doing science is making mistakes and learning from them. So, I don’t think I would do anything differently in my career, because everything I have done has given me an opportunity to learn something.
What does the significance of this, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, day mean to you?
I am excited to recognize the importance of women and girls in science and I hope that this day encourages more girls to participate in, or study science.
NRI Profile: https://www.nri.org/people/woolley-victoria