Roundtable Discussion with Dr. Amila O. De Silva
When Dr. Amila O. De Silva sat down with us on December 5th, 2019, it felt like sitting down with a friend. Our discussion began with ways to prepare for careers as scientists in the public sector, and quickly moved into the challenge of maintaining a healthy mindset throughout graduate studies.
Dr. De Silva is a Research Scientist at Environment and Climate Change Canada, and her lecture earlier in the day focused on her department’s work in monitoring the levels and effects of organic contaminants in the Canadian Arctic. She highlighted the impact of these contaminants on wildlife and northern residents. The significance of this work was clear as it curates data for evidence-based policy changes.
We asked how a chemist trainee could prepare themselves for a scientific role in government regarding publications and experience. Dr. De Silva explained that a strong publication record and diverse /transferrable research skills could matter greatly for a research scientist, but quantity of publications is not as crucial for other science professional jobs in the public service. Nonetheless, it’d be helpful to do a post-doctoral fellowship in government if working in government as a senior researcher is a longterm goal.
Our discussion quickly turned towards mental health as a graduate student. Dr. De Silva recalls her anxiety peaked during PhD milestones (e.g. proposal defense, comprehensive exam), and one of the tasks she had to repeatedly address was anxiety management. She noted that frequent comparison amongst peers, being in a high performance work environment, and long hours did not help. It was pivotal when individuals who seemed “unflappable” in the department shared their mental health struggles with her. Accessing mental health services at the University of Toronto was important during her graduate school experience, which was indeed a life-changing experience. She encouraged those in attendance to use those services.
A key take-home message from the day was to be transparent about failures, and accepting that you might let people down while navigating through your career. She advised us to look for the joy in small things, which will take form in different ways throughout our careers, but to keep an eye out for them.
Dr. Amila O. de Silva’s seminar was hosted by the Green Chemistry Initiative (GCI), and the roundtable discussion was hosted by Women in Chemistry Toronto (WICTO).