Can you introduce yourself, your role in the university and tell us a bit about your background?
My name is Hannah Melia, and I currently work as a Management Service Administrator here in the Department of Physics. Prior to joining the University as a staff member, I was here as an undergraduate student and did my degree in Modern Languages Studies and that is one of my biggest passions. I love learning new languages and there’s nothing I find more exciting than learning new grammar and vocabulary! It is not a traditional science background and is quite different to working in the Department of Physics, but that’s what I love, I love learning about different cultures and travelling. That’s something I really like about this department because we have so much international research and so many staff from different countries.
Why did you choose to work in the University of Liverpool?
I loved doing my undergraduate degree here, I thought it was a really nice environment and was always really happy because I’d been a student. Once I’d completed my degree, I wasn’t sure what path to take, whether to continue with education or go into professional services. I decided to go into professional services. I originally worked in the Electrical Engineering Department here before switching to physics. It’s so interesting because of the amount of research going on, and there are so many different types of people you meet. It’s a really interesting place to come in and meet people from different backgrounds. I feel looked after on a day-to-day basis and it is a really nice place to work.
What does a typical workday involve for you?
I have my ongoing tasks such as supporting meetings with academics, assisting them with any queries or travel and conferences. However, as you will have seen this morning with the interruptions as management services, we do need to be flexible! A big part of my role is customer service, Angie and I act as the face of the department, so if there are any questions, not just from the academics but from PhD students or undergraduate students they will come to us, so I do have to come in and be adaptable. I could have an idea of what I’d like to do in the day but that could change as someone could come in and ask for our help. Then I’d have to adjust my plans, but it keeps it interesting you get to know people in the department, and it really helped me settle in when I first joined the department but keeps me on my toes!
Why did you choose to pursue a career in the Department of Physics?
I did enjoy working in Electrical Engineering, but it was time for me to move and go for a higher grade, and with professional services it is different to academics where they can apply for a promotion we can’t. We must wait for a job to open and that’s not necessarily in the department we are currently in. When I was looking, this job came up and I looked a little bit more at the department and did a bit of research just to see if it was somewhere I could see myself working. One of the main things on the frontpage of the website was world leading research and there was information about global networking and because of my background in languages, that really grabbed my attention. I fell down a rabbit hole and saw the experiments in CERN, saw there was a research group going to Japan and I was really intrigued. Therefore, I applied for the job there was a mix of a panel of academics and professional service staff who were all lovely. I also got to meet Angie who is my teammate here now and I accepted the job quickly, there was no question. I don’t regret it, I’ve been really happy ever since and that was two years ago now. It's been great I’ve had the chance to go to CERN and see the experiments for myself and it was just amazing!
How have your past experiences shaped your approach to your role here?
I think when I first started at the University, I was quite shy and not the most confident person, during my undergraduate and degree and even now I do suffer from anxiety. It’s quite daunting going from being a student who’s had fixed term contracts or having part time work to going into your first full time role. I think through doing the job and being hands on I’ve gained more confidence slowly and learnt how to take care of different types of people. This means I can make sure I have good working relationships and meet their needs and help them. One thing that I have learned, and I’ve changed from when I first started is that I was quite shy in meetings and would never offer myself up to do anything, but I’ve worked with really supportive people not just teammates but former managers and academic staff. I’ve been lucky that everyone has been encouraging and helped me which has given me more confidence. Now I am not shy, I will speak up in meetings and if I’ve got an idea, I’ll take the initiative and knock on someone’s door and ask them for a chat. So, I’d say I’ve gained a lot of confidence just from working here the past 6 years.
Did you face any challenges along the way and how did you overcome them?
I think another reason why I wasn’t necessarily speaking up in meetings was because STEM fields are generally dominated by men so occasionally in meetings it is hard for women, especially as a young woman on a lower grade to speak up. I subconsciously took a back seat and was quieter. That was something I really struggled with, I remember being in these meetings and having all these ideas that I really wanted to mention but I was too shy. I think it goes into an unconscious bias where we’ve always taken a step back our voices aren’t necessarily taken as seriously as others, but I remember one day I had this idea that I felt strongly about, and I just said it and really pushed for it in the meeting. We ended up going with my idea and my manager at the time came to me after the meeting and said, ‘I was really proud of you for speaking up’. It’s about believing in yourself but also having that support and affirmation from your colleagues that helps. Now I’ve got no shame in speaking up in meetings, respectfully challenging a colleague if we disagree. I think that’s a big challenge for women specifically those who are just starting their career or who are in professional services, I do think there is still a little imbalance that we do need to combat and fight but I think we are taking the right steps to make progress.
How would you describe the environment at the University of Liverpool?
I was really happy when I was a student here, loved working in my old departments and I’m happy in this department now. Obviously, it’s not perfect which is why we’re doing a lot of work with the EDI committee, I’m on the Departmental and the School of Physical Sciences committee. Seeing people come together with a common aim to achieve this goal and work towards making the environment better is really reassuring for me. On a day-to-day basis I do feel very looked after and supported, Angie is great as a team member, and I’ve loved working with Neil and Brianna for EDI and getting to meet loads of different people. In general, it is really positive, and I am really content here.
What advice would you give someone considering a career in physics?
Even though I’m not a physicist just from what I’ve seen, I think lot of people who are in minority groups or people who maybe their voices haven’t been heard it is quite easy for them to be discouraged. It might be easy for me to say on the outside, but I would just say don’t give up and keep going if it’s something you’re passionate about and enjoy doing. Network and look for people who have similar interests and goals to you, reach out and don’t be shy, all our academics are really approachable and welcoming. If there’s an academic whose research you’re really interested in then reach out to them, email them, or even ask the PhD students. It’s a really open department so get your name out there. Like I say if you’re enthusiastic about it then keep pursuing it.
What are you hoping to achieve in the future?
This is probably the hardest question because I’m not 100% sure on a specific goal, but I would like to get involved in supporting the more global research if possible. I’ve been to CERN because I’m supporting a conference in September, so I got to see the ATLAS experiment and I keep in touch with the people I met at CERN via email as I did French as one of my languages at University. I speak to them often and have built up a relationship, going to the hostel and seeing them to face to face was nice and seeing the experiment was amazing. I would like to support academics who have global experiments more, as an admin role to go to conferences abroad with them and support them in meetings, meet other teams and network that way.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
I would like to thank you, the EDI committee and everyone else in the department, it’s been a really nice two years here and I’m looking forward to the future.
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