Lessons in Confidence and Career Growth: Reflections on Katrina Turner’s Talk

On March 13th, the department hosted a seminar delivered by Professor Katrina Turner on succeeding as a female academic, in celebration of International Women’s Day. Katrina is Professor of Primary Care Research, Head of the Centre for Academic Primary Care and Head of Section for Applied Health Research at Bristol Medical School. She is also a Certified Woman’s Coach, and a ‘Positive Deviant’.

Here, Dr Ru Jia, an Early- and Mid-Career Researcher (EMCR), shares her reflections on Katrina’s talk. At the end, Dr Xinchun Gu (also an EMCR) also shares her thoughts following the talk.

Dr Ru Jia - About the author

Ru Jia is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Health Behaviours Team at the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences. As an early-career researcher, her work focuses on developing policy interventions to improve the food environment and reduce the risks of non-communicable diseases at the population level.

A Talk That Stuck with Me

I first heard Katrina talk at the SPCR trainee event in 2022. While many details have faded, I still remember how I felt at the time: empowered and inspired. I was at a critical juncture in my career—having just completed my PhD, secured a small six-month seed-corn funding grant, and was grappling with what to do next. I felt hopeful about the opportunities ahead but uncertain about my career trajectory.

Katrina’s talk was one of many career sessions at the event, but I was desperate to learn any insights that could help me navigate my path. That day, she taught me two things:

- Career paths are not linear.

- Leap, and then learn.

Expect Non-Linear Career Paths

As a new starter to academia, I assumed that successful careers followed a clear trajectory. Looking at others' CVs, it seemed like they had always known what they were doing at every stage. However, the first thing Katrina shared were the ups and downs in her own career. Hearing this from someone who appeared to have everything meticulously planned was reassuring. She emphasized that failure and setbacks are inevitable, and that’s okay.

At the time, I was preparing a fellowship application, which ultimately wasn’t successful. If I had still believed that a successful career was one without failures, I might have lost hope before even getting started. Instead, when I received the rejection letter, I felt quite calm. My first thought was, 'I guess I will keep going.' Of course, I was disappointed, but I felt prepared. I wasn’t afraid of failing anymore because every failure teaches us something new. The experience of applying for that fellowship gave me valuable knowledge and confidence for future opportunities.

Leap, and then Learn

Katrina highlighted that women often struggle with confidence and hesitate to take on risky opportunities. This hesitation may stem from caregiving responsibilities, the professional consequences of mistakes, or persistent gender role stereotypes. Unlike men, who tend to leap and then learn on the job, women often feel the need to establish a safety net or learn everything they might need before accepting a challenge. The confidence of 'I believe I can succeed' is often what we need.

Looking at my own journey, just before I received the decision on my fellowship application, I was presented with a great opportunity full of unknowns—joining this department. When I read the job description, I realised I was a strong candidate. I had a health psychology background, experience in trials and Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) work, and familiarity with quantitative methods and software. However, I had little to no experience in food and policy research. Up to that point, my research had focused on cortisol, mental health, and pandemic-related health behaviours. This opportunity represented a significant shift in my research direction—so much uncertainty. But remembering Katrina’s advice to 'leap and then learn', I decided to take the opportunity anyway. And it turns out, I have learned so many exciting things, I enjoy what I do now, and I am having a great time.

Two Years Later: New Lessons

Two years after my first encounter with Katrina’s talk, I attended another one. This time, different messages resonated with me.

Think More About Why

As researchers, we are incredibly good at explaining what we do and how we do it, but we rarely articulate why we do it. However, the why is crucial—it’s where our motivation lies. We’re more likely to enjoy our work when we feel connected to a deeper purpose.

As an early-career researcher, it’s important to take as many opportunities as possible, but it’s equally important to ensure those opportunities align with our values and strengths. In reality, we don’t have an infinite amount of energy and attention to do everything at once. Sometimes, we have to choose what to prioritize. Figuring out our motivations and passions can help us make those choices. Whether that’s publishing papers, building diverse skill sets, or engaging in public outreach, we are more likely to find success and fulfilment when we pursue what truly matters to us.

Find the Sparks Inside You

Something Katrina said this time really struck me: 'We need time for ourselves.' We need to take care of our own needs—getting enough food and sleep, spending time with our loved ones, and ensuring we don’t burn out. But beyond that, we also need to challenge ourselves in ways that help us build confidence and sustain our energy.

I love this quote from her: 'You often feel tired not because you’ve done too much, but because you’ve done too little of what sparks a light in you.'

As early-career researchers, we often feel that to succeed, we must devote every waking hour to work. We might feel guilty for taking a day off when we’re not feeling well, or we may convince ourselves that we don’t deserve evenings and weekends because there’s always more work to be done. But we sometimes forget that we’re human beings first - and that how we physically and mentally feel affects how well we work.

Finding activities that help us feel good about ourselves is essential. For me, that means going to the gym first thing in the morning before work. I’ve noticed that when I can lift heavier weights, complete more reps, or run for a bit longer than last time, I feel better about myself, more energetic throughout the day, and ultimately more productive at work. For others, that “feel good” activity might be spending time with animals, reading books, making music, or simply enjoying quiet moments alone. Success in academia doesn’t require giving up the beautiful things in life.

Establish Networks

It’s interesting to learn that women’s networks tend to be supportive, smaller, and horizontal but often less influential and vertical. However, expanding our networks is crucial for advancing our careers. Collaboration is a key aspect of research and, more practically, a fundamental requirement of funding applications.

Everyone agrees that conferences are great places to meet other researchers and establish networks. However, I sometimes feel intimidated by the authoritative figures in the room and lack the courage to approach them. But someone once told me, 'The worst thing they can say to you is no'. That simple perspective has helped me overcome my hesitation. There’s no need to be afraid to introduce yourself. In my experience, most people are genuinely nice and happy to talk about their research.

Final Thoughts

The title of Katrina’s talk was Succeeding as a Female Academic, but her insights apply to everyone, especially EMCRs. The beauty of academia lies in the unknown—it means new knowledge to gain, new values to discover, and new opportunities to thrive. We just need the confidence that we can do it.

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Reflections from Dr Xinchun Gu 

Professor Katrina Turner's talk was incredibly inspiring. She covered various aspects, including the challenges faced by female academics, tips for success in academia, building self-identity, and the importance of self-care. I found the discussions on self-identity and self-care especially helpful.

As an early-career researcher, it’s quite common to feel anxious and uncertain about whether I’m on the right path or simply being influenced by peer pressure. Katrina’s advice on 'swimming in your own lane', avoiding comparisons, and especially finding the 'why' behind what you do, has been particularly helpful in keeping me focused on my own growth and building self-confidence.

The busy life of academia can easily make people forget about self-care, which is essential for staying strong. Katrina’s tips on identifying our physiological and personal needs and consistently fulfilling them to maintain our well-being are particularly useful. Her concept of 'Me time' serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting time away from busy work to replenish, grow, and gain new insights.

Being a woman in academia is challenging, and navigating the path as an EMCR can be even more demanding. I believe the takeaways from Katrina’s talk, combined with working in a department that holds an Athena Swan Gold award and has a strong commitment to gender equality, will continually inspire and support me as a female EMCR.