Holly B Vuong, Threatened Species Recovery Hub

I stepped off the academic track a few years ago. I decided that I wanted to work in science policy as this was an area where I could make a larger impact for science than through research alone. After my second postdoc, I volunteered with the American Institute of Biological Sciences in the policy team. I then procured a paid policy internship with another not-for-profit science policy organisation, Research!America. Having missed being in Australia, I came back and now find myself in research support roles at the Australian National University. I also currently volunteer with the Ecological Society of Australia’s Policy Working Group.

Have I ever thought about going back to academia? Of course! But, I know my strength lies not in conducting the research itself, but through supporting the broader efforts of research.

In the journey of careers, it’s sometimes difficult to see the forest for the trees until you reflect back on what you’ve done and how you got here. I feel fortunate that my ecology training has given me important skills that prepared me for taking on new challenges, like science policy. I learned how to coordinate multiple projects, think and read critically, generate new ideas, collaborate with others, manage teams for field work, work with competing timelines, analyse data, write grants, communicate effectively in a scientific and non-scientific way, and be an editor. All these skills are critical to helping me be where I am today, with two part-time roles at the ANU. While the roles differ in the scope and topic, my experiences and training as an ecologist laid the foundation for tackling both jobs.

At the Threatened Species Recovery Hub, I support my manager (the knowledge broker) in liaising with our stakeholders, end users, and researchers. We ensure that they have the opportunity to share their knowledge and co-develop conservation minded research that leads to positive impacts for threatened species and ecosystems. In this role, I also edit impact stories for annual reports, co-coordinate showcases, synthesise complex issues into factsheets and articles, and think strategically about networks for our researchers to showcase their work. I get to learn about various ecological research, which I am still highly interested in, while supporting the greater goal of building the evidence that shape management plans and policies at local and national levels.

I am also fortunate to work with a small team of ambitious and dedicated health researchers at the Humanitarian Health Research Initiative, who conduct research in complex settings around the world. My ability to organise workshops for international partners, experience in writing and editing grants, capability to manage competing priorities, and capacity to identify opportunities for growth of the organisation, are skills that I bring to this role. Together, we aspire to grow a network of highly experienced clinical and health researchers to improve the health and safety of women and children in humanitarian settings. This is done by partnering with local health facilities and the community to co-develop evidence-based solutions that most positively impacts the lives of people in those areas.

I am also grateful to the ESA Policy Working Group for supporting my interest in shaping evidence-based science policy by working with a fantastic team to write submissions to governmental inquiries. This experience is expanding my skillset while using my ecological knowledge to contribute to recommendations on environmental matters.

Getting to my current situation took time, mental strength, skills, and accepting that a work life outside academia is where I want to be. For those who want to stay on the track of academia, I say go for it. For those who want to get off that track and merge onto a new one, take that new road and see where it leads. It may start off a bit bumpy to begin with, but there are ways you can prepare yourself. Try coordinating events, workshops, or conferences during your PhD or as an early career researcher; build your soft skills of communicating, networking, and liaising with people; learn how to balance project budgets; volunteer in something you think you would be interested in; and be open minded about where the journey takes you.

For more information on the Threatened Species Recovery Hub, you can /">contact them here.

Read more from the March 2020 ESA Bulletin.