Interviews - Mandy Hartley

What is your job?

I worked with DNA in various labs for over 15 years. I used DNA

to help conserve stocks of fish in the North Sea, identify genetic

diseases in patients for the NHS, reunite families and solve high

profile criminal cases. I was also involved in setting up the

forensic laboratories used by the Norfolk Constabulary.

I am now a science educator and author. I run workshops to

teach groups of children as young as 4 years old about DNA. I

also perform interactive stories to help explain difficult

scientific concepts such as inheritance and evolution to pupils.

My books “The DNA Detectives – To Catch a Thief” and “The

DNA Detectives – The Smuggler’s Daughter” are the first fiction

books for 7 – 14-year olds where the characters in the book use

DNA to solve a crime. The books combine an exciting, page

turning story with learning about DNA, cells and forensic

science.

My third book “The DNA Detectives – The Stone Age Mystery”

is being published this summer which is very exciting!

When did you first realize you wanted to do STEM?

I have always known I wanted a career in science. It is

something I have enjoyed since a very young age when I was at

school. I just didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do!

Who were your role models growing up?

I’ve always loved David Attenborough and as I got older, I

thought Mary Anning was awesome! Mary Anning was born in

1799 and lived in Lyme Regis. She was the first ever female

paleontologist. Her fossil finds paved the way for Charles

Darwin’s theory of evolution. She also gained the respect of

many of her peers as an authority on fossils. They sought her

advice despite the fact she was a woman and came from a

poor, uneducated background. It is horrendous that many of

the people who she helped didn’t credit her in their work and

passed her ideas off as their own. Thank goodness we are

finally acknowledging her incredible achievements today.

Did you ever want to do anything else?

I would have loved to be a vet, unfortunately I missed out on

the 3 A’s required to take this course. I was lucky though I got

to do the next best thing, possibly even better which was to

work with DNA!

Have you ever had any setbacks or been told you are a girl so

cannot do tech?

I had a major set back when I was completing my PhD in

population genetics. I really struggled with understanding the

statistics. My supervisor spent ages trying to explain them to

me, I just didn’t understand. I think I got a nose bleed after one

particular session! He told me he didn’t think I would get my

PhD. I went home in bits thinking that maybe he was right I was

going to fail.

I was determined to prove him wrong. I had a friend who was

amazing at statistics. I asked him if he would tutor me and help

me learn what the statistics meant. He had an incredible way of

teaching and it was just like the clouds clearing. The penny

suddenly dropped and it made sense. It was thanks to him that

I got my PhD and I’ve never been so proud of standing on a

stage and accepting my certificate.

I have been lucky that being a girl has never held me back. Most

of the laboratories I have worked in have been very much a

team and everyone, no matter their gender worked together to

achieve a common goal. No one ever told me I couldn’t work in

science because I was a girl. I’ve always been judged purely on

my work and my ability to work together with the people

around me.

What’s one thing you’d like to change about the STEM

community?

My gender never held me back in my STEM career.

Unfortunately, however, I believe this is not the case for all

women. I would like to make STEM accessible for all no matter

your background or gender.

In addition, newspapers have reported that the number of girls

and pupils overall, taking STEM subjects has decreased. I would

like to see these numbers increase again. So much has been

done already but I think if the STEM community worked

together with teachers to increase resources and help with

course content to make it more applied we could achieve a lot

more.

A few years ago, I attended a STEM event for girls in a local

secondary school. It was focused on changing gender

stereotypes in STEM subjects. We were split into groups and

the girls were to discuss what they wanted to do in the future.

The girls in my group all said they absolutely loved science but

they weren’t confident in getting A*’s like the boys. They

perceived they weren’t intelligent enough to study science so

they decided to do drama instead.

Don’t get me wrong there is nothing wrong with drama at all.

But it made me sad that they thought because they weren’t

getting the top grades, they weren’t good enough to do

science. I never got the top grades but I had a real passion for

science. It made me go that extra mile, read more, learn new

techniques and to be able to use science to help people. If

anything, it is my ability to work in a team that has helped me

with my career. You don’t have to be super brainy!

Is there a problem with sexism in the STEM community?

Although I have never been held back because I was female, I

have experienced sexism in the workplace. However, I don’t

think this is a problem which just affects the STEM community.

When I was working in one particular laboratory a male

member of staff would make inappropriate sexual comments to

me and other younger female members of staff. It made us feel

uncomfortable.

If we knew he was coming to the laboratory we would hide in

the PCR room. There was a lock on the door and he didn’t know

the code to get in.

I think this kind of behaviour, certainly in my case is a

generational thing and a remnant from the past. It was

the behaviour that quite a few years ago men were able to get

away with. It was accepted. But now and for future generations

thankfully and quite rightly it is viewed as unacceptable and is

not something that is tolerated.

I was warned when I started work in this lab that this is what

would happen with this individual but to just ignore it. If this

had happened today, I am sure it would have been taken much

more seriously.

I think a lot has been done to encourage women into STEM

subjects and to address the balance. I certainly have never been

held back in STEM because I was a woman. It is a subject where

I think both sexes should be encouraged. It is such an amazing

career to choose and I hope everyone will be inspired to take

this pathway.

What’s your message for young girls wanting to do STEM?

If you love science, if it is your passion go for it! You don’t have

to get A*’s to be successful. I have had the most amazing career

in science working with DNA. I’ve been able to work in so many

amazing places, met some incredible people and been able to

change people’s lives, even save lives by analysing their DNA.

I feel incredibly lucky and privileged to have had this

opportunity. Now by running workshops and writing my books I

can share this love of science with the next generation in the

hope that they will be inspired to pursue a career in STEM. I am

so thankful that I chose to follow my passion in science. It is

something I would highly recommend!

What is your favourite science joke?

I’m afraid I don’t know any science jokes! But I was amazed

when a teacher in one of the schools where I ran a workshop

said “Did you know your name is an anagram of “My DNA”

(Mandy). I had never realised that before! I’m a great believer

in fate and maybe it was always meant to be that I would work

with DNA!

What is the most embarrassing moment in your life?

Of the ones I could tell you about and probably the most

embarrassing was when my son was little. We were on a train

and I’d gone to the toilet. It was one of those toilets located

within the carriage. My son was in the cubicle with me and I

had locked the door by pressing a button. While I was on the

toilet, he pressed the button to open the door and I was

revealed to everyone in the carriage. It really was very

embarrassing!

What is your favourite food?

Spaghetti Bolognese and Terry’s chocolate oranges!

What is your favourite shop?

There’s a clothes shop I really love called Brakeburn. Failing

that the cake shop in our village. They do the best millionaire’s

shortbread ever!