44- Dr Rebecca Corrigan- Building the courage to have next step conversations with your PI

Dr Rebecca Corrigan first became enthralled by science at school and specialised in microbiology from the mid-point of her undergraduate studies. After a very successful summer placement, which produced 2 papers, she was certain that a career in scientific research was for her. She ended her PhD with a further 4 1st author papers that helped her secure a postdoc position but, as a naturally shy person, she had to push herself to speak at conferences and international events. She went on to produce more high impact publications during her postdoc and was able to focus on her enjoyment of bench science, including a funded trip to the US to learn a new technique to bring back to the lab. After one failed attempt, she consulted her supervisor for invaluable help and advice on applying for fellowships, which led to her securing her current 5-year role.This interview will allow you to think about:How short international research visits could be an alternative to research experiences abroadWhy early conversations with your PI are important for stepping into the next stage for your research independenceCan you build the confidence for early discussions about authorship as a Postdoc taking steps towards your fellowshipExplore Rebecca's timeline with important milestones in her research life:https://academicstories.group.shef.ac.uk/rebecca-corrigan/Hear more about Rebecca: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/biosciences/people/academic-staff/rebecca-corrigan#tab02