Profile
Kate Cox
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About Me:
I am originally from Nottingham and I now live in Norwich. I love to keep active by dancing and attending Zumba classes. I also enjoy sailing and going for long walks in the countryside (but only when the sun comes out)!
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I’ve recently started baking cakes and muffins and making use of the mountain of untouched art stuff in my bedroom. I am a big animal lover, particularly cats! I currently live with two (and their human owner), and my parents back home have two cats and a scruffy little pooch.
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My pronouns are:
She/her
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My Work:
I look at why a species of bacteria called Campylobacter are found in raw chicken meat products even though the companies who produce these products try really hard to get rid of them.
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Campylobacter is mostly found in chickens and can make you very sick if you eat undercooked chicken meat. My project involves collaborating with a company to figure out ways to get rid of the bacteria before the chicken meat reaches the supermarket.
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My Typical Day:
I wake up, convince myself to get out of bed and then make a coffee. I get to work at around 8.30-9am and spend the day reading and writing about science. Occasionally, I go into the lab to do science. Then I go home at around 4.30-5pm and relax!
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At work, I do a lot of reading about the bacteria Campylobacter. I read about where it comes from, how it makes people sick, and how we can find it in chicken meat. What I discover goes into a report or into an experiment in the lab. Throughout the day, I really like to talk to my coworkers – sometimes about work, sometimes not! After I go home I unwind by watching TV, cooking dinner and occasionally baking before bedtime.
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What I'd do with the prize money:
I would like to make a children’s book about the skills and traits associated with science. In particular, I would like to show children that anyone can be a scientist, and those skills and traits can be found in all of us. I’ve made a (very poor) digital one before for a coursework piece in my degree. Perhaps the prize money could help me to produce a better quality end result!
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Education:
I went to the Holgate Academy in Nottingham.
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Qualifications:
From least to most recent, GCSEs, AS Levels, Access to Higher Education Diploma, MBiol integrated masters degree.
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Work History:
I designed and made websites for a few years after high school. After that, I volunteered in a charity shop for a few months while I decided on my next move. I then worked in the microbiology lab at a hospital for two years and, finally, worked in the kitchen of my university campus diner for a few months.
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Current Job:
I am currently a postgraduate research student.
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Employer:
I work at the Quadram Institute.
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Dancing, baking microbiologist
What did you want to be after you left school?
I had absolutely no idea! I ended up working as a web designer for a few years while making up my mind.
Were you ever in trouble at school?
Very rarely. I was usually well behaved, but there were times I talked far too much in class.
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
I probably would have gone down the route of animal-related jobs.
Who is your favourite singer or band?
Empire of the Sun
What's your favourite food?
Strawberries and Nutella on toast!
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
The ability to teleport, to be able to play piano, to be able to nap anywhere!
Tell us a joke.
What do you call someone else's cheese? Nacho cheese!
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