Dr Claudia von Bastian
Dr Claudia von Bastian, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Psychology discusses lab culture, research exchange and the value of reflection.
Dr Claudia von Bastian, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Science.
Claudia began her career by completing her undergraduate, Masters and PhD in Switzerland, before moving to the UK and later the US to explore cognitive individual differences and plasticity.
Claudia’s research focuses on how people differ when performing cognitive tasks, in particular when using their working memory, executive functions, and problem-solving skills, and how experience affects those differences. Claudia hopes that through this research, people can be better supported and understand how their experiences have shaped how they process information.
Dr Claudia von Bastian discusses lab culture, research exchange and the value of reflection:
“I did my undergraduate, Masters and PhD at the University of Zurich in Switzerland. I really enjoyed the freedom I had whilst doing my PhD as I had a great supervisor who encouraged me to explore the topics that interested me the most.
“During my PhD and later as a postdoctoral researcher, I got to experience working in various labs across Europe, overseas in the US and here in the UK. Exploring the different academic systems and working in different labs meant that I got to experience and learn from people with a wide range of scientific perspectives and also a range of research, work and life cultures.
“What I love most about my job is working with the people in my lab. They are all so different and it’s fascinating how everyone contributes their diverse perspectives that stimulate a very exciting and interesting research exchange
“Research exchange is another aspect of my role that I really value. It’s one of the driving reasons why I set up the Cognitive Research Seminar series which focuses on embedding the discussion of research into our work culture. I wanted to create a space where we can discuss research. We have so many world-leading experts in our department it would be a shame to not learn from each other.
“Recently I was talking with some former PhD students and we were discussing how to make it through this whole kind of jungle of academia, and I think reflection is really key to it. Sometimes you need to take stock and ask yourself some key questions - what am I doing, why am I doing it, what is important to me and how does this align with where I'm working?
“I think when you take the time to reflect on your personal journey, you will find the path that is right for you, where you feel happy and where you can be productive and that’s when you can really flourish.”
Thank you to all the women for taking the time to share their stories and reflections and for providing the information featured on these web pages.