Career Case Study - Dr Veerle Brans, Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford

Veerle first came to the University of Oxford as a Summer Research Intern in 2016 under the supervision of Dr Rebecca Burton and Dr Rebecca Capel at the Department of Pharmacology. The internship provided Veerle with the extra challenge that she was looking for on top of her regular studies.

She says, “I will forever be very grateful to those two women for taking a chance on an unknown enthusiastic student like me. They really helped me to gain confidence in areas such as basic lab procedures, appropriate analysis and statistical tests, and opened my eyes to the possibility of a career in research and academia.”

It’s really encouraging and motivating to have your mentor see [your] qualities too and actively invest in your (academic) success.

When Veerle returned to Oxford in 2018 to undertake her PhD under the supervision of Professor Eleanor Stride and Dr Erdinc Sezgin, one of the people she worked with was Dr Michael Gray, Senior Research Fellow in Clinical Therapeutic Ultrasound at the department’s Institute of Biomedical Engineering (IBME). It was this encounter that opened up the later opportunity for Veerle’s current position as Postdoctoral Research Associate as part of Dr Gray’s team.

 “I’m very grateful to him [Dr Gray] for everything he has taught me. I feel as though I have really grown as a researcher and as a person. He has given me a lot of confidence in my own abilities, and it’s really encouraging and motivating to have your mentor see these qualities too and actively invest in your (academic) success. ”

Growing as a researcher and personally

Veerle admits to having found some aspects of her PhD tough going, particularly given that much of it took place during the Covid 19 pandemic and lockdown, but also due to her tendency to see the success or failure of her research as a reflection of her worth as a person. But through her progression within the department, Veerle believes that she has grown both as a researcher and personally. She feels her experience here has provided her with a greater business and industry perspective on project management, given her responsibility over her work, and through that she has developed more confidence in decision-making and putting forward her own ideas.

During my time at Oxford, especially in my recent projects, I’ve noticed a strong emphasis on being needs-led rather than idea-driven.

Veerle really appreciates the collaborative environment at Oxford, which means colleagues are always willing to share their time and resources. She also benefits from the IBME being located close to leading hospitals, which she sees as hugely beneficial for biomedical research.

“During my time at Oxford, especially in my recent projects, I’ve noticed a strong emphasis on being needs-led rather than idea-driven. This approach, particularly through active collaborations with clinicians, feels like how research should be conducted, although it’s not always the norm!”

”A fantastic hub”

Seeing Oxford as a “fantastic hub”, Veerle takes full advantage of the numerous talks that take place at the University in a variety of fields, giving her the opportunity to learn from others’ experiences and apply this to her own research. She has also been inspired to arrange her own series of lectures and workshops to build the capacity of researchers to influence policy making. Run in collaboration with the Oxford Policy Engagement Network (OPEN), the events are designed to help junior and mid-career researchers build a deeper understanding of how researchers can shape public policy, as she believes research does not achieve its full potential when pursued for its own sake; instead, the focus should be on effectively communicating scientific knowledge to drive real-world impact.

I always hear we need to bring in more women to STEM, which we absolutely do, but we need to create an environment that keeps them here and allows them to thrive too!

For this reason, Veerle also stresses the importance of organising and partaking in outreach events. She attributes the motivation to organise these events to recognising how she got to Oxford in the first place. She is aware of the advantages of being at a world-renowned institution and sees this as something to be utilised for the good of others.

“We experience a lot of privilege here, and I would encourage anyone to think of ways to give some of that back. I do a lot of outreach with my colleague Dr Sara Keller, where we bring students into the lab, especially girls. It’s a bit of work to arrange this on top of our regular jobs, but it can really change their trajectory."

"During RisingWISE - a professional development course designed for female postdoctoral researchers at Oxford and Cambridge", she adds, "I heard the phrase ‘We cannot dream about what we don’t know’ and that stuck with me, both for my own career path and that of those following in our footsteps. I always hear we need to bring in more women to STEM, which we absolutely do, but we need to create an environment that keeps them here and allows them to thrive too!”

Veerle’s advice to early years researchers

• Keep an open mind.
• Use your network.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want.
• Embrace failure! Veerle cites a great quote from medicine laureate Paul Nurse: ‘Failing isn’t a disaster… (it’s) part of science. If you never fail, and by fail I mean an experiment doesn’t work, your thinking doesn’t work properly, you have the wrong idea, you are probably not at the forefront of your research activity…If you are a real pioneer, you will fail.’