Profile
Alice Banks
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About Me:
I’m Alice and I’m a biologist working in London. In my free time, I enjoy travelling, walking and spending time at the beach. When the weather isn’t so good, I can usually be found cooking or reading.
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My pronouns are:
she/her
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My Work:
I engineer bacteria to break down polluting substances in the environment such as plastics, pesticides and petrochemicals.
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Read more
My work mainly involved genetically modifying bacteria so that they contain the DNA required to carry out specialised tasks. This includes activities such as breaking down plastic so that they can use it as food, or degrading pesticides which often cause pollution in soil and water. Part of my job involves improving these processes so that they work more efficiently.
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My Typical Day:
On a typical day, I wake up, get ready, and travel to the University to start work between 8-9am. During the day I spend my time working on experiments in the lab, analysing data on the computer, and taking part in activities within my research group such as attending seminars and meetings. I usually finish work between 5-6pm.
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What question are you currently trying to answer?:
In my research, we are trying to find out if bacteria can be used to tackle some of the problems associated with plastic pollution. The goal is to use bacteria to break down and consume plastic waste to help remove it from the environment. Additionally, we are modifying the bacteria we work with so that they can convert waste into something more useful such as building materials or medicines.
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Education:
I went to Lady Margaret School in Fulham and after completing my GCSEs I stayed on to study for my AS and A levels. After finishing school, I spent a year working and then started an undergraduate degree (BSc) at the University of Bristol. I then stayed on at Bristol to study two further postgraduate degrees (MSc and PhD).
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Qualifications:
GCSEs: Double Science, Maths, Statistics, French, Spanish, English Language, English Literature, Religious Studies, Music.
AS levels: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Music.
A levels: Biology, Chemistry, Music.
BSc (Hons): Biology
MSc (Res): Biological Science
PhD: Biological Sciences
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Work History:
Waitress
Borough Market trader
University of Bristol – Various roles including: demonstrator, invigilator, note taker, open day steward, tutor, research associate
Newcastle University – Research Associate
University of Surrey – Research Fellow
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Current Job:
Research Associate
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Employer:
Imperial College London
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
plastic degrading biologist
What did you want to be after you left school?
I didn't have a specific career in mind when I was finishing school but I knew that I wanted to do something practical. I kept going with the subjects that I found most interesting and that ended up leading to a career in research.
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
The other job I considered was becoming a midwife and I spent some time looking into midwifery as a career path after I finished my undergraduate degree.
What's your favourite food?
I really enjoy cooking so it's difficult to choose just one, but if I was pushed then I would probably say curry!
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