Profile
Kirsty Ross
is busy answering lots of questions and looking forward to the upcoming chats!
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About Me:
I love crafting (mostly quilting, sewing, crochet and gardening) and I’m slowly teaching my two girls (8 and 11 .y.o.) how to do it too. I live in the Central Belt of Scotland near the Kelpies. I’ve worked at 4 of Scotland’s 16 universities and have done a lot of commuting!
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I’m the first one in my family to keep studying beyond A levels and to go to university. I ended up going twice and getting an Honours degree from Edinburgh and a PhD from Glasgow. This makes me Dr Kirsty Ross but not a doctor doctor e.g. I can’t diagnose your rashes or lumps and bumps! I do a lot of mentoring of young people from a similar background to me, passing on the inside knowledge that folks don’t think to tell you. For example, if a lecturer talks about ‘office hours’ these are times when you can pop in to see them. Not times when they are working in the office. Maybe they should call them ‘student hours’ instead?
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My pronouns are:
She/her
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My Work:
I help Computer Scientists share their work and collaborate with those outside university.
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I help researchers in Computer Science work with industry, charities, schools, and other organisations who have an interest in our research. For example, I am currently working with Wikipedia UK and our third year undergraduate students to visualise information about video games, dinosaurs, sport, weather and film from Wikidata. I am also trying to understand where our research ends up on Wikipedia (usually in those numbered lists at the bottom of a Wiki article; always worth a click 😉 ).
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My Typical Day:
It depends a lot on whether I am working from home or in St Andrews. In St Andrews, I normally work from 7am-3pm, which means I have to get up very early to commute in. Most of my days are spent planning and sharing research at events, putting together activities, talking to different collaborators, and answering emails (lots and lots of emails!)
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What I'd do with the prize money:
I’d like to work with young people to design Wiki editor training so that they can get involved themselves when they turn 13. I’d also like to host Wiki workshops in libraries to help those from easily ignored groups (refugees, older adults etc) to contribute their knowledge to Wikipedia.
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Education:
Warblington Comprehensive School, 1994-1998, Charterhouse 1998-200, University of Edinburgh 2001-2005, University of Glasgow 2005-2008
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Qualifications:
10.5 GSCEs, 3.5 A levels (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Art), Lifeguard qualification, 2:1 BSc (Hons), PhD
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Work History:
My career path has been very meandering. At one point in 2023 I actually held down 3 jobs at 2 different universities!
Before uni, I worked as a lifeguard and teaching assistant during my gap year. I then worked at University of Southampton in my summer holidays between 3rd and 4th year and at Moredun Research Institute after my graduation and before I started my PhD.
After my PhD, my job title was postdoctoral research associate aka someone paid to science on someone else’s research project. I did this at the University of Glasgow before moving to the University of Strathclyde (also in Glasgow). Throughout my PhD and postdoc I was a STEM Ambassador and did increasing amounts of something called public engagement. Public engagement involves talking to those outwith universities about your research at events like science festivals, school visits and such. I found myself enjoying this more than the research, so moved into this full time in 2015.
I then spent the next 8 years working in public engagement at the University of Strathclyde, then adding a role at the University of St Andrews in 2019. I got to take researchers into prisons and youth groups, as well as supporting their professional development through training.
In 2021, I co-founded a network at St Andrews called the IDEA Network (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility in Open Knowledge) designed to make Wikipedia and her sister projects a more open space for knowledge. This led me to my current role as Industrial Liaison in the School of Computer Science. It’s a long way from my Biological Sciences degree!
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Current Job:
Industrial Liaison in the School of Computer Science.
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Employer:
University of St Andrews, Scotland.
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Enthusiastic, optimistic, inquisitive
What did you want to be after you left school?
I always knew that I wanted to be a scientist, but I dithered between Engineering and Biology as university subjects. When I was told I was going to get a D in Maths A level I decided to do Biology and I’ve never looked back!
Were you ever in trouble at school?
I was a bit of a boffin at school, and the only trouble I got involved in was when I was bullied. I got through it and came out a stronger person, so it wasn’t all bad.
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
Professional crafter or baker
Who is your favourite singer or band?
I really like Mumford and Sons
What's your favourite food?
Dime bar cake
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
To win the lottery so I can do science for fun for the rest of my life. To have a permanent job that’s interesting and well paid. To have a healthy and happy family life.
Tell us a joke.
A little old man shuffled slowly into an ice cream parlour and pulled himself slowly, painfully, up onto a stool. After catching his breath, he ordered a banana split. The waitress asked kindly, ‘Crushed nuts?’ ‘No,’ he replied, ‘Arthritis.’
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