Women of Wolfson - An Tran

What are the big questions that motivate you and drive your work?

I was a very curious kid and wanted an explanation for everything. Naturally, I saw scientific thought as a logical and methodical way of asking and answering these questions. While I believe that science can give us most of the answers we are looking for, I’ve come to realise that sometimes things don’t make sense. Why is it that I can run an experiment nine times and yield the same result, yet on the tenth I get a completely different result? This can be ridiculously frustrating, but it also drives my curiosity to figure it out. Did I do something wrong, or did I discover something new? And in that moment, when you get the result you want, before you share it with absolutely everyone else, there is a little rush of excitement. Science helps me explain what I am most curious about, and I think that’s awesome, and this can be a powerful motivator. 

What's your research?

My PhD research is on algae! My lab genetically engineers them to produce bioproducts such as chemicals which can be used in pharmaceuticals and agriculture, as well as oils to be used for bioplastics. Recently, a surfboard was made from algae oil which is fully biodegradable. How cool!   

Additionally, we also study their interaction with bacteria as this can have important implications for human health as well as climate change. My big love for algae lies in their fundamental role in marine carbon sequestration. Understanding how algae interact with bacteria to influence biogeochemical cycles and store carbon in the oceans is essential to addressing our climate concerns. 

What contribution do you hope to make with your work?

Every second breath we take is because of algae. It’s incredible how important they are to us and to the world, yet we forget that they exist all around us because we don’t see them. The world is full of wondrous things to be discovered and to be protected. I hope that by sharing my work, people will see the value in the little things. If you manage to find something incredibly interesting or niche such as algae, or there is a cause you care about, then do something with it. Feel empowered to make a difference in that area in whatever way you can.  

How did you get here? What was your journey to Cambridge?

Getting to Cambridge was not a linear progression. I was interested in almost everything during my undergraduate years, I wanted to study science, but also dabble in art history, in gender studies, in interior design. This meant that I was unsettled for a long time. So naturally, as an Australian, I decided I needed to take a gap year. This turned into few gap years travelling the world. I’m very lucky to have been able to have that time, and I’m grateful because I learnt many lessons from the people I met and the experiences I had along the way. It prepared me for this time in my life in Cambridge and I’m completely confident now in what I am doing. I know many people at Wolfson have had unorthodox journeys on their way to Cambridge, how wonderful it is that there is a mature college here to welcome us. 

Who were the women who inspired you along your journey?

I am inspired by women who happily celebrate the success of others, it shows their own strength and greatness. I am inspired by women who have the capacity to show their vulnerabilities. I am inspired by the authenticity and kindness afforded to me by many women I’ve met in my life. It is easy to see people as one thing and limit them according to what we see – their race or gender, economic status, their past trauma. I am inspired by women who break these stereotypes every day. 

There are several constant women in my life, those in my family and the friends who have become family. These women embody these values and have inspired me in their own unique way at different stages of my life, it is a privilege to know them.