Profile
Laura Wilson
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About Me:
I live with my husband and son just outside of Philadelphia. I’m a purifications scientist during the day and enjoy hiking, reading and making pizza.
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I’m English, and I’ve lived in the USA almost 9 years. I love being outside in nature and baking bread from scratch. I love animals though unfortunately do not have any pets at the moment. I enjoy reading, I’m currently going through a fantasy phase, and I’m enjoy marvel movies.
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My pronouns are:
she/her
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My Work:
I work for Johnson Matthey health where I help purify medicines.
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I work in a lab using machines to purify medicines. This involves dissolving a small amount of a medicine in a liquid, putting in into a vial and putting the vial in a machine. I program a computer to run the machine to see what is in the medicine.
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My Typical Day:
I wake up, make coffee and get myself and my son ready for work and daycare. When i get to work ~8am I check my emails and messages then start experiments in the lab. I have lunch ~1pm and often attend meetings in the afternoon. I check the results of my experiments before I leave at 5 to pick up my son and head home.
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I wake up, make coffee and get myself and my son ready for work and daycare. When i get to work ~8am I check my emails and messages and write a to do list of the different work I need to complete this week.
I fill up my machines and turn them on, while I wait for them to warm up I respond to emails and have a site meeting where the manufacturing of our medicines is discussed.
I them dissolve my samples and program my computers to run them through the machines. While the machines run I attend meetings and eat my lunch. After lunch I check the results and catch up with the members in my team to check how their work is going.
I check the results of my experiments then leave work to pick up my son and go home.
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What I'd do with the prize money:
I hadn’t realized there was prize money. I would donate it to local library science programs.
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Education:
Manchester University UK (MChem Chemistry)
Nottingham University UK (PhD Chemistry)
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Qualifications:
I’m English – so went through a different education system
9 GCSEs (16 years old)
4 A-Levels (18 years old)
combined BSci and Masters in chemistry
PhD in Chemistry
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Work History:
2009 – Summer placement at AstraZeneca in process chemistry
2006-2010 – holiday work as an untrained psychiatric caregiver
2014-2021 separations scientist at Lotus Separations
2021- now Principal Scientist of separations group at Johnson Matthey
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Current Job:
2021- now Principal Scientist of separations group at Johnson Matthey.
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Employer:
Johnson Matthey
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
quiet, caring, curious
What's the best thing you've done in your career?
Got my PhD
What or who inspired you to follow your career?
my big sister
What was your favorite subject at school?
Art
What did you want to be after you left school?
Biologist
Were you ever in trouble at school?
no
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
wildlife conservationist
Who is your favorite singer or band?
Beatles/Chris Cornell
What's your favorite food?
Pizza
What is the most fun thing you've done?
climbed up a waterfall in a cave by candlelight
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
round the world vacation, to see my family more, an outdoor pizza oven
Tell us a joke.
I put a stick in a non-stick pan
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My Comments