Case studies : Research assistant: Christine

Christine graduated from the Scottish Agricultural College at the University of Glasgow in 2009 with a BSc (Hons) in Applied Bioscience, Plant Science. She works for a biodiesel company, D1 Oils in York, as a research assistant.

I didn’t originally intend working in the agricultural sector as I had hoped to study food science and technology. However, as this course was discontinued I opted to study for a degree in applied bioscience instead. When I started the course, I was attracted to the animal science topics but quickly developed a keen interest in the plant science subjects that were introduced during the first year. This led to me obtaining a plant science honours degree. Studying at an agricultural college has been a good choice for me as it has opened many doors in land-based areas of research.

As a student I undertook a number of work placements. These included working on a self-sustained farm in the Czech Republic, assisting a lecturer with data presentation and lab-based research, and working on a laboratory and greenhouse-based study on the Edinburgh campus. Through this combination of academic study and work experience I have developed both practical skills and a wide range of other transferable skills that have stood me in good stead in my current job.

Between my third and fourth year studies, I was offered a position in the plant science team of D1 Oils. This opportunity was presented to me by a lecturer who had left the Scottish Agricultural College and subsequently joined D1 Oils. I continued to work part time during my fourth year and based my Honours project on a piece of research that met university requirements and was useful to D1 Oils. In retrospect, this was a classical example of seizing an opportunity that came about by keeping in touch with a past lecturer. When I finished my fourth year, I was offered full-time employment as a research assistant.

My job is quite varied. I am responsible for providing data to our chemical engineer that supports the scale-up of laboratory procedures into an industrial process. This industrial process uses the Jatropha curcas crop by-products from biodiesel production to produce a protein rich animal feed. We run a number of biochemical assays in the lab to test the suitability of the meal as a potential feed. My other responsibilities include report writing, assay validation, optimisation of procedures and chromatography analyses.

What I enjoy most about my job is working with a dynamic team of interesting people. We are constantly moving forward and there are always new ideas to expand and plenty of experimental work. This position has confirmed that I would like to further my career as a researcher. In time I would like to expand my studies by enrolling on a PhD project but currently wish to work with D1 Oils until the animal feed project is complete.