“Choose an area of research that you have a real interest and passion for”

My name is Hannah Martin, I am a PhD student in the vet school. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Science with a major in Animal Science from UCD. 

I graduated from UCD in 2018 and in 2019 I came back and started a Research Masters focusing on the behaviours and attitudes of farmers and vets around antimicrobial use (AMU). I enjoyed the masters so much that I applied for additional funding to extend my project and transition into a PhD programme. 

My main research interests are the surveillance of antimicrobial use in farm animals, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and OneHealth. I am currently working on gathering farm-level data on AMU in dairy herds in Ireland and comparing different methods of data collection. 

One piece of advice I would give women and girls about working in science is to choose an area of research that you have a real interest and passion for, it makes the work so much more enjoyable. Also, if you are scared to make the commitment to a 4-year PhD program, a Research Masters is a great way to get a taste for the research world and in most cases there is an opportunity to expand on your work and turn it into a PhD like I have done.