35- Dr Nika Shakiba- Leading with empathy

Dr. Nika Shakiba is an Assistant Professor in the School of Biomedical Engineering (SBME) at The University of British Columbia (Canada). Her research into the social lives of stem cells aims to answer fundamental biological questions for the development of novel therapies. Her commitment to public engagement has been an important thread in her leadership development.Dr. Nika Shakiba started her research career because of her excitement for discovery and being a scientific explorer.  What truly motivates her at the current stage of her career is her mentoring role with students and junior researchers. Whether it is through the impact she may be making on her peers or on early career researchers, her values, motivation, and identity have become intertwined with her role as a mentor. “Paying forward” is the term she uses when describing her current role as a mentor. As a Postdoc, she made a commitment to herself that she would have a short Postdoc period and would transition to another role within a 2 year period. She shared this goal with her PI and engaged in “next step” thinking from the start of her Postdoc. Even though she started her research group in the middle of the pandemic, her proactivity in building her visibility has been part of easing the recruitment of her team. Listening to our conversation will prompt your thinking:·      How your outreach and public engagement activities may become a core commitment in your research life?·      What is your own way of getting direct and immediate positive feedback in your research life?·      Why saying aloud your goals and sharing with others your aspiration is part of creating support and personal commitment to action? Do you want to know more about Dr Nika Shakiba:https://shakiba.bme.ubc.ca/ https://advicetoascientist.com/I work as a coach, trainer and facilitator. If you want to hear more about my work:https://tesselledevelopment.com/If you are interested in speaking on the podcast, or if you know someone who would be an awesome contributor, do reach out to me: [email protected]