Tiffany Slater
Dr Tiffany Slater - Ask a Palaeontologist
This month we chat to Dr Tiffany Slater, Postdoctoral Researcher at University College Cork
- Name: Dr Tiffany Shea Slater
- Job: Postdoctoral Researcher
- Location: University College Cork
What inspired you to become a scientist?
It’s still a bit of a surprise to me that I am a scientist – I wasn’t very good at science in school and actually preferred math and writing. When I went to university I studied Sociology, Religious Studies, Anthropology and Politics because I was (and still am!) fascinated with social structures and culture.
What inspired you to become a palaeontologist?
While I was studying the social sciences at Northern Kentucky University (USA) I took a module in Biology that taught me more about evolution than I had ever learned before. I became so hooked that I switched my course of study to Biology to learn about evolutionary genetics, which we can witness in short spans of time (e.g., years, months – even hours!). Slowly but surely my focus shifted to macroevolution, which occurs over millions and hundreds of millions of years. I then took every internship opportunity that I could in order to learn more about macroevolution and – voila! as luck would have it – I became a palaeontologist.
Describe your work/job
My work is extremely varied and I rarely do the same task two days in a row. A lot of my time is spent in the lab performing experiments and preparing samples for analyses. When I am not in the lab I am usually on my computer analysing data and writing up my results. I also spend a lot of time travelling abroad to use scientific equipment and share my research with others. No matter what the task is, it almost certainly includes a lot of planning, strategizing and organizing.
What’s the best part of your job?
It challenges me, which I find rewarding. For example, it challenges me to be creative and that’s a part of my brain that needs – and that I love – exercising. I think that people often underestimate how creative scientists need to be.
What other jobs have you done?
For a long time I sold cotton candy and sno cones at the baseball stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio (go Reds!). I then worked in the jewellery industry for a while, as a clerk for a law firm and in retail.
Where did you study geoscience/palaeontology?
My undergraduate degree in Biology is from the University of Worcester (UK). I really enjoyed their small class sizes, which enabled me to form great relationships with my lecturers.
What hobbies do you have outside of palaeontology?
I love hiking with my border collie, going to art exhibits, seeing live music and just having really great chats with kind people.
What is your favourite fossil?
Archaeopteryx – an early bird from the Solnhofen limestone of Germany that is a perfect example of an evolutionary ‘stepping-stone’ as it has both dinosaur and bird-like features. It opened my eyes to the world of macroevolution.
What’s your favourite place that you have travelled to study palaeontology?
The particle accelerator in San Francisco. It was built in the 70’s and is full of brilliant scientists, computer screens, cables and buttons that are very exciting to push.
Why is it important for us to study palaeontology?
In a practical sense, palaeontology is an important science because it helps us understand how the natural world changes through time, but I place an equal, if not greater, importance on its cultural relevance. After we eat, work and sleep we all need something that captivates our imaginations, makes us think ‘why am I here?’ and helps us connect to the people and the world around us. I think palaeontology is so important because engaging with it gives our lives greater meaning.
What advice would you give to somebody interested in becoming a palaeontologist?
Ask yourself ‘what evolutionary question captivates me the most?’. Read absolutely everything you can get your hands on regarding that question and apply for every volunteer opportunity/internship that excites you, even if it doesn’t have to do with your favourite question – one opportunity can open a lot of doors! Get feedback on every unsuccessful application and, if given an opportunity, work hard and get feedback on everything you can.