As a PhD student, she is involved in developing a system in which bacteria can process waste plant biomass (such as straw and sawdust) and turn it into useful chemicals. What does she think would help young female scientists better balance career and family?
Researcher I – Department of Microbiology, Department of Experimental Biology, SCI MUNI
Barbora specializes in transforming waste into valuable resources, specifically new sources of raw materials and energy. Her research focuses on enzymes that break down the complex structure of waste plant biomass, converting it into useful chemicals. These chemicals could be used to produce biodegradable plastics or compounds for the pharmaceutical industry. In January, Barbora presented her project at a scientific summit in Singapore. She is also passionate about science outreach. She considers her greatest achievement to be her top placement in the global synthetic biology competition, iGEM, where she led a student team. Over two years, she guided them to create two scientific projects that won gold medals in the international competition.
How do you perceive the Forbes 30 under 30 award?
Of course, I am happy about it, but it also feels a bit surreal. If it were a grant, you would know you got money for a project for three years and have a clear plan of what you will do. This feels like a great opportunity, but I'm not exactly sure how to seize it — there aren't clear next steps.
The award pleased me not only personally but also because it is an award for science and our field. It's great for the media exposure of my research topic, and it shows that the media cares about sustainability and the search for new sources of raw materials and energy. I am happy that society recognizes that such things are happening here and that they are important and worthy of recognition.
What barriers do you perceive in your career as a young female scientist?
This is something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately. I try to attend seminars and workshops on the topic of women in science because I’m halfway through my PhD and am already thinking about what I will do after it. I would like to have a family, and it’s challenging to balance that with an academic career. For example, in biological fields, once a female scientist finds out she is pregnant, she loses access to the laboratory, which is certainly correct in terms of safety but is organizationally difficult. Another issue is how to organize parental leave and when to return to work. And when I get a PhD from Masaryk University, I cannot go on to a postdoctoral position again at MUNI, which means I will probably have to go abroad, and that is very challenging with a small child.
What do you think would help women in similar situations?
It would help me if I could stay in the same place for a postdoctoral position because I already know the environment, I have support here, and I am familiar with the project. It would be easier to continue something I’ve already worked on than to take care of a new child and start a new job in a new place. I definitely understand that going abroad to gain experience is important, but maybe this requirement could be replaced by something else, such as traveling during the earlier stages of study. But this is just my perspective; other women might have a different view. That’s why I think that when institutions or society in general create a supportive system or program for returning to work after parental leave, they need to plan for individual conditions and flexibility for it to work well. Every woman is different, with various options depending on family support, and children have different needs.
What do you consider to be the key to your success?
I have been taught since I was a child to follow things through to the end. I am a perfectionist, which sometimes can be detrimental because I focus too much on details that aren’t as important to the bigger picture. But the fact that I finish what I start really helps me. It is also important to enjoy the scientific process itself. When you enjoy it, you will find something interesting to explore in any topic. It also helps when you work on something that gives you a higher purpose and can justify why you spend so much time and effort on this work.
What higher purpose do you see in your research in bacterial engineering?
Our long-term goal is to modify our bacteria so that they can process inedible waste plant biomass and produce valuable substances that are currently made from oil. This makes sense to me because oil is a limited resource on the planet, and its use is unsustainable. Transitioning to renewable sources of chemicals and energy, which would harm the environment less than oil, is the higher purpose for me.
As a PhD student, she is involved in developing a system in which bacteria can process waste plant biomass (such as straw and sawdust) and turn it into useful chemicals. What does she think would help young female scientists better balance career and family?
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