In celebration of International Day of Women & Girls in Science, we speak with Dr Caroline Muellenbroich, a Marie Curie Research Fellow at the School of Physics and Astronomy, and runner of the Glasgow Women in Physics Group (GWiP) and Justice, Equite, Diversity and Inclusion Group (JEDI). 

  • Why did you choose to study Physics/Astronomy?

We read Faust, Germans' favourite drama, by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe at school and I really loved it. Faust embodies human curiosity and asks, "To enlighten me more, what holds the world together at its innermost core" (sounds way better in German: Dass ich erkenne, was die Welt Im Innersten zusammenhält). I related strongly and figured physics would provide me with the best answers humankind had to offer.

  • Is your current career as you originally intended?

Yes, after a brief love affair with astronomy due to an immense curiosity about the vastness of space, I decided that turning the telescope around and looking at very small living things would be my frontier. My fascination and passion for microscopy to understand processes underpinning life is what fuelled me to get to this point.

  • What was your first job after graduation and what other jobs did you have before your current position?

I had a 6-month research assistant position after my viva which gave me just enough time to wrap up a paper from my PhD. After nearly 5 years in Scotland, I then moved to Florence, Italy for a post doc position. Precarity for post docs is a real problem. A contract is often only for one year but I was lucky because mine got extended 3 times in total. I then became a researcher with the Italian National Institute of Optics for a couple of years before moving back to Scotland.

  • What are you working on at the moment and what does your work involve?

I am currently working on multiphoton microscopy, that is the nonlinear interaction of two or more photons of lower energy within a very short timescale which allows to excite the same effects as one individual photon of higher energy. I would like to use 3-photon microscopy to image deep inside the heart to uncover cardiac conduction, that is the transmission of electric signalling impulses in the form of action potentials, in health and disease. Cardiac conduction is the signalling system that causes our hearts to contract in a coordinated fashion to pump blood effectively through our bodies. In some diseases the structural composition of the heart is changed on a cellular level which affects passive conduction mechanisms. Active signal propagation can also be affected by disease and both effects threaten the normal functionality of the heart and can, for example, manifest in abnormal heart rhythms or arrhythmias. I want to use multiphoton microscopy and another technique called light-sheet microscopy to study cardiac conduction in a model of myocardial infarction to help understand how arrhythmias form after the infarction and scarring of the heart.

  • What choices did you make during your time at University that you feel contributed to your success?

I helped found a student society (SCOPE over at Strathclyde University) during my PHD. In hindsight, we did a lot of things back then that academics have to do, for example write applications for funding (100£ for beer and pizza nights), organise conferences (for students from students), recruit members, build networks.. Back then it was all fun with good friends rather than work.

  • What is your favourite part about your job?

I really enjoy the variety of tasks and challenges. There are so many different aspects which are part of the "lecturer" job title and I am sure I know only half of it yet. Sometimes, it can get a bit overwhelming to be pulled into so many different directions at once, but in general, I like switching between research projects, teaching, reading papers or supporting students.

Glasgow Women in Physics (GWiP) aims to promote a welcoming and inclusive environment at our School via regular lunchtime talks by invited speakers covering science, careers, academia, industry and much more. GWiP is run by students and staff and are proud of achieving an excellent gender balance amongst a varied audience which ranges from undergrad students to the Head of School. The talks have enhanced the experience of everyone working and studying in our School through informal interaction with peers, mentors, and role models.

Glasgow JEDI (justice, equite, diversity, and inclusion) in Physics is a new initiative in our School and we are yet to organise our first event. Whether you belong to the LGTBQ+, BAME, disabled or neurodiverse communities or identify as an ally, this group aims to provide a safe space for traditionally under-represented groups working and studying in our School to come together and bring sometimes marginalised voices into the centre of our academic discourse.

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First published: 11 February 2021

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Caroline