My name is Sarah and I am absolutely fascinated by the human body! My journey in science has taken many twists and turns over the years but it has always had something to do with our bodies and how they work.

I started my studies at the University of Tasmania in medical research and quickly found myself captivated by the human brain. How does it work? Why are we all so different, in how we think and act and feel? And most importantly, what happens when things go wrong? My research focussed on how too much sugar in your blood can affect how your brain works. I loved this project but soon found myself moving on to something new.

My next chapter took me London, England where I worked in a hospital. I know, it’s so different to what I had been doing before! I was able to assist with birthing babies and after they were born, I would take the placenta (the organ that supplies the baby with nutrients) and take the blood from it. This blood was rich in stem cells, which are special cells that can save the lives of people who are sick. These cells were then transplanted into patients with blood cancer to give them a second chance at life. Again, I loved this job more than words can say, but it ended up leading me to where I am now…

I ended up coming back to Australia to retrain as a paramedic, which is very different again! I was inspired by saving the lives of sick and injured people and I knew this was the best next step for me. I will be coming into your schools to teach you all about the human body – most importantly, your blood! It is so important that we understand what it does for our bodies, and I will be teaching you how to save a life if someone is bleeding.

All in all, I get to combine my work with blood and my new career as a paramedic to show you something new! Accidents and illness happen… And it is up to people like me to not only help those who need it, but to also teach others about how to help other people in the meantime.

I hope you are as excited as I am to learn more about our bodies and what keeps us alive. Prepare some questions, get curious and I look forward to meeting you all very soon!

 

 

For more information about studying neuroscience: www.menzies.utas.edu.au