Profile
Isabelle Secord
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About Me:
I am a biology undergraduate student who just completed working in a pharmocology company for my year in Industry 🥼. I spent my summer in Canada 🍁 working as a field assistant for a research internship studying bats 🦇🌳🏞. I love animals, plants and Archery! 🏹🐱🌿
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I am studying Biological Sciences at Durham University, and I really love learning about immunology, ecology and animal behaviour!
I decided to study biology because I love learning about living things and I am an animal lover at heart ♥.
I have two cats and a dog who are the best working-from-home buddies, and my weekends are spent walking in nature and tutoring!
As a neurodivergent thinker, I am passionate about understanding how and why things work, especially when it comes to the natural world around us.
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My pronouns are:
She/Her
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My Work:
I am a biology undergraduate student who just finished a year in industry working for a pharmacology company. I recently spent my summer in Canada working as a field assistant for a research internship studying bats. I love animals, plants, and Archery!
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As part of my four year biology degree, I applied to spend a year working in Industry to get a better understanding of how to apply my knowledge in the real world! This work placement has been so interesting and I have learnt so much about health and medicine. I hope to use this experience when I return to university for my final year and study about Biology of Disease. I am also super interested in ecology, plants and animals; my research intership last summer took me to Canada where I got to have an amazing experience working with bats in their natural habitat.
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My Typical Day:
I was very lucky to have a flexible job that meant I could work from the office or from home! First thing I do is check my emails and calendar to see which meetings I have for the day. I often have to meet with other scientists all over the world, so it can be tricky matching time zones! I like to eat lunch with my work friends or at home with my pets and then I open up excel and word on my laptop to work on my data for the afternoon! My job invovles lots of reading, undertsanding and applying data using programmes and communicating with my team to work towards our goals.
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As a placement student, I am supporting the scientists with their tasks. This can be a simple as setting up teams meetings, building the agenda for the day and reviewing work notes. Sometimes I will be in charge of hosting meetings and keeping a record of attendance and the key topics discussed. As a scientist, I have to work with a lot of data and I can use programms like excel to help build tables and graphs. I have to check the numbers carefully so I don’t type them wrong.
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What I'd do with the prize money:
If I won the prize money, I would love to host a youtube live Q and A event to encourage students to consider a career in STEM. I want to show them that science, technology, engineering and maths are used in so many different careers and that the future needs bright, young, creative thinkers to help solve the upcoming challenges of the world using STEM. Youtube is a great platform to host a panel of diverse people from different backgrounds for students to engage with via the Q and A. I hope this event can boost visability of role models within STEM, so young minds can be inspired and relate to them, especially young girls. I want to show them that everyone could be a scientist, even if you are neurodivergent like myself.
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Education:
I started my education journey at a secondary school for girls and I really enjoyed my subjects and I helped run a lunchtime club for people with dyslexia called Melons – because if life gives you melons, you may be dyslexic!
I studied science GCSEs and A levels before the covid pandemic hit but unfortuantely I did not get the A level grades I wanted. I decided to take two gap years after sixth form, right when the pandemic hit, and re-take two A-levels online! I also worked full time a specalist private tutor to help other students who were struggling with home learning. I taught GCSE english, science and maths and also helped students apply for selective grammar schools by tutoring them in 11+verbal and non-verbal reasoning.
My two gap years were exactly what I needed to grow my confidence and I was so excited to continue studying once the world opened back up again. I went to unviersity in 2021 to study Biology at Durham! I loved learning about plants, animal behaviour and participted in may clubs and societys such as Archery and Sewing! I am still trying to learn how to knit though.
I am currently working for my third year of my degree for my placment year in industry. I have really enjoyed doing something different to studying, and working a full time job is a big commitment. I am still enjoying it and having the best time!
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Qualifications:
I have 10 GCSEs , 1 AS grade and 3 A levels. I am currently sutdying for my bachelors degree in biological sciences.
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Work History:
I have been a private tutor for 6 years now, tutoring a range of ages from primary school to A level subjects! Before I went to university I had a part time job at a supermarket cafe and I worked on the patisserie counter serving delicious cakes and coffee. My two gap years after secondary school helped me re-align what I wanted to do next and gave me the oprrotunity to pursue what I loved, which was teaching science. Now I am in the middle of my bachelors degree and I can’t wait to graduate and see where life takes me next!
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Current Job:
Placement student working for my year in industry
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Animal-loving Archer who studies Biology
What did you want to be after you left school?
I wanted to be a graphic designer but I found out that I am not very good at drawing! 🎨
Were you ever in trouble at school?
I once got in trouble in secondary school for getting changed too slowly for P.E. But it was winter and my hands were really cold! 🥶
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
I would love to be a teacher because I love learning and helping people! I had such a great time at school and I love working with students.
Who is your favourite singer or band?
My mum and I love to sing along to Bruno Mars together in the car! 🎶
What's your favourite food?
I don't have a favourite food but I do have a favourite meal - Dinner! Anything can be dinner if you are creative enough 🍽
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
I really would love to be able to read and understand music because I have no musical talent! I would wish to understand and talk to animals so I can tell my pets how much I love them. Lastly, I think it would be awesome if I could change colour like a chameleon 🌈
Tell us a joke.
Why are cats so good at video games? because they have 9 lives of course!
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