#MeetThePhD
6
The
idea behind this is to showcase PhD students, give a bit of an idea of what’s
going on out there in PhDland, and show to the world what PhD life is like!
Perhaps they are thinking of doing a PhD themselves, or just generally want to
know more about it. Or they’re already doing a PhD and want to see that they’re
not alone in their struggles or successes!
While
Friendly Bacteria is a vaguely microbiology-themed blog, for this series of
mini-interviews I’m wanting any PhD student no matter the field! I think it
will be a fun way to connect with other PhD students we wouldn’t normally be
able to get to know, too.
If
you’re a PhD student and want to get involved with this, leave a comment here,
send me a DM on Twitter ( @friendlybugblog )
or shine the Bacteria-signal into the skies above Aberystwyth and I’ll send you
the questions!
Previous
ones are
here: http://friendlybacteriablog.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/meetthephd
Today
we have Louise Hatherall, investigating Intellectual Property law for genetic
inventions! Tweets to @TwitTooLou (or @friendlybugblog if you want me)!
Tell me about yourself.
Hi! I am Louise Hatherall and I am in the first year of my PhD
at the University of Bristol, although I still live in Cheltenham where I am
from originally. My PhD is in law, specifically Intellectual Property law.
Unlike traditional property law (which I hated when I studied at undergrad) IP
law focusses on how intellectual pursuits are regulated and encompasses areas
such as copyright, trademarks and patents – the last being my particular
interest area. I’ve studied law since I
was a fresh faced undergrad: it’s a bit of an obsession! When I’m not pouring
over a legal digest or case I can usually be found in the kitchen. Not only do
I love cooking and baking, I love cocktails and wine. I really enjoy learning
about the history and origin stories of different drinks and, of course,
drinking them is pretty fun too. You can also find me on Twitter (@TwitTooLou) ranting about train
commutes, talking about food and generally attempting to be funny.
What's
your project all about?
My research looks at the impact patent law has on genetic
inventions. My obsession with this area started with a U.S. Case. In this case
a doctor, after removing a patient’s spleen, was able to gain a patent over a
diagnostic test for a rare form of leukaemia stemming directly from research
carried out on the spleen. The test made said doctor incredibly rich, partially
due to the patent protection offered to the invention. The patient – who had no
knowledge his spleen was used in this way – sued, arguing that the spleen was
still his property even though it had been removed from his body. The U.S.
Supreme Court found in favour of the doctor. Although this case was only
peripherally about IP law the questions it brought up became stuck in my brain,
like an earworm. How does the law create ownership of our genetic material? Is
this ownership to the benefit of the wider world? Does the law strike the right
balance between allowing a monopoly protection over genetic inventions on the
one hand, and generating adequate access to knowledge, research and
diagnostics, on the other? Patents are an incredibly complex area of law: with
national, European and International laws, policies and politics all feeding
into one another. I love a challenge and was fascinated by picking apart this
complex web. I’m also of a stream of academics who see law as part of society,
as opposed to an autonomous institution bearing down from above. Understanding
the politics, the networking and lobbying and how this feeds into and shapes
law is incredibly interesting. The overall aim is to assess IP law from this
‘social’ perspective and understand if the law is working effectively in this
area.
How's
that working out so far?
Having just started the PhD I would say I am pie-eyed with
optimism! I’m really happy that I’ve chosen to pursue research as my career
and, although things are plodding along slowly, they are plodding. I can begin
to see the threads of my research slowly emerging and that is exciting. There
are days when it can feel overwhelming. Staring at thousands of pages of
information and having to synthesise that into a coherent, snappy piece of work
is incredibly daunting. However, I am very lucky that we have an incredible
support network of PhD students at Bristol, so there is always someone to make
me a cuppa and put me back on track!
What
are the best things about your PhD so far?
As mentioned above, one of the best things about the PhD has
to be the people. We have a vibrant research community at Bristol Law and I get
to work with some great thinkers, both in the PG office and with the academic
staff too. Everyone is incredibly supportive and always open to talking about
ideas – and aren’t afraid to challenge anything they want an explanation for!
I also love the opportunity to travel internationally. I am
attending a conference in Mexico this year and will hopefully visit Toronto and
Washington in the next couple of years. This is alongside travelling the UK and
exploring different unis through conferences and workshops. This has been
mentioned in other submissions and it is so true!
Finally, I really enjoy the flexibility. It means I can work
around family events, or times when I just need to unwind by shifting my work to
another day. This does mean working at odd times, in the evening or at
weekends, but I much prefer having the freedom to work to my schedule rather
than someone else’s.
And
the worst things?
I attended a
conference in London at the beginning of January and another woman attended, in
a similar field, who had swathes more experience than I have. She had done
everything I wanted to do and we were at roughly the same stage of study. I
felt incredibly inadequate. It was a low moment for me as I’d felt so energetic
about my degree and this small interaction made me doubt my ability to do the
PhD. Luckily, the feeling passed but it was unpleasant, all the same.
I also learned the importance of triple fact checking early
on. I quoted a piece of legislation incorrectly in a written piece I submitted
and was mortified when it was pointed out to me. It was a rookie mistake – I
took something I read in another article as gospel and it came back to haunt
me!
I can’t think of any other horrible moments for now – which
I hope means I’m really enjoying myself and not just oblivious to my faux pas!
If
you could go back and do something differently, what would it be? Why?
I would have gone back to studying sooner. I went back to my
hometown and settled into a boring office job once I had graduated my
undergraduate degree. I soon realised that this was not for me. I spent a
couple of years floating around before I finally dedicated my energy to
applying for my PhD and I wish I’d done it sooner. I’m much happier reading,
researching and writing than I ever was at my old job.
What
advice would you give to someone thinking about doing a PhD?
Firstly, definitely do one. It’s amazing.
Secondly, really think about your topic. It has to be
something that is going to keep you going for 3 + years. Once you have a topic
stay on top of what is happening in that area. Who are the big names coming up?
What are the big issues facing the area? And really think about your
supervisor. Check out their research profiles and any open source articles they
have published. Reach out to them (if the uni allows it – not all do). Knowing
how they work will help you pitch your application.
Finally, don’t let your background hold you back. We have
people from non-traditional backgrounds making amazing contributes to the law
field. If it’s your passion, then go for it.
What's
the plan after you finish?
I want to go into academia or policy work – anything where I
get to carry on researching! This may change come 2019 but, for now, that is
the plan.
Any
further thoughts/comments?
I think blogs, like Gareth’s here, are amazing ways to share
interests and ideas. I can’t wait to read about the research other people are
doing in other areas.
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