Joana Augusto (she/her)

About me

I was born/grew up in: I was born in Lisboa, Portugal and grew up in the suburbs, in a small town called Alhandra.

I now live in: Vancouver, British Columbia.

I completed my training/education at: BSc in Environmental Biology (marine specialization), University of Lisbon;  MSc in Marine Ecology, University of Lisbon; PhD in Biology, Dalhousie University.

What I do at work

I design professional development and training opportunities for volunteers at Let’s Talk Science. These include things like e-learning courses and career panels. My work varies quite a bit day by day. Some days I’m researching and writing about specific topics. This could be topics like leadership or what skills are in demand right now. Other days, I’m planning large projects and figuring out timelines to make them work. Sometimes I’m talking with people in different careers about how I can showcase their skills. This might be by helping review information or having them be a guest on a career panel.

My graduate degree helped me develop planning and problem-solving skills. I sketch out a plan and predict what roadblocks we might face. Then I look for ways to solve them.

I work as part of a team. It’s great being able to talk things through and get different perspectives and ideas. The members of my team all work from home offices. As a result, we engage online most of the time. I really enjoy working from home. I find it is easier for me to focus. This is important when I need to work on something that needs time and deeper thought.

My career path is

When I was in high school, I was sure I wanted to be a research biologist. I followed the traditional academic path. I got an undergraduate degree, a master’s and a PhD. But early in my PhD I realized an academic job wasn’t for me. I didn’t want to work long hours or move every couple of years for post-doctoral work. I didn’t like the idea that I would have to move to where there was an academic opening. I also realized the part of science I most enjoyed was tied with teaching and explaining science to others. So, I followed that path instead.

I did a teaching certificate. Then I taught graduate modules and an undergraduate class. I also worked in a science centre before I got my current job. Now I use my teaching experience to do things like creating courses and webinars for volunteers. I really enjoy what I do!

I am motivated by

I’ve always wanted a job where I could make a difference. I thought I could do that through scientific research. But now I’m happy doing that by using my teaching skills to support our volunteers. I enjoy learning about different topics and putting that knowledge to work! This career combines my interest in learning broadly, my teaching skills, and the knowledge I’m making a difference. It’s really satisfying when a volunteer tells me they’ve used something they’ve learned with us. It could be something as simple as explaining what they do with Let’s Talk Science. Or it could be something that will help them advance in their career. Sometimes they may have used what they learned to get a new job!

How I affect peoples’ lives

I get to provide our volunteers with opportunities to improve or learn new skills. I also help them understand how those skills are relevant to their future careers. And I help them find ways to explain them to potential employers.

Outside of work I

I run long distances (half marathons and soon a full marathon). I read a ton of books and do fibre crafts. These are mostly cross stitch, but I've been learning how to knit.

My advice to others

Instead of focusing on a specific career, think about why you are interested in it. Do you like interacting with people? Teaching others? Learning new things? Once you know what interests you, you can explore different career opportunities. These could be things you haven’t thought of before!