Today we are spotlighting the incredible Dr. Teresa Wozniak - Epidemiologist and Research Fellow at the Menzies School of Health Research. A day in the life of Dr. Teresa Wozniak involves saving Australia from the spread of infectious superbugs that are evolving from increasing antibiotic resistance.

Guest Blog by Dr. Teresa Wozniak

Curiosity and finding a career of influence

“I still struggle to identify with a single job description and I was never impressed with job titles.  I wanted to be in a career of influence that helped somebody/ or the population, and that would challenge me and give me autonomy.

I was always curious about human health (and suffering), plus working in infectious diseases I think the bacterial ecosystem is just so fascinating, so adaptable and such an ingenious design. I am sure bacteria are by far more intelligent than humans and are probably laughing at us right now with their master plan!

My career pathway therefore has been about acquiring experience and knowledge across the health spectrum. From basic molecular science to knowledge translation to applied health policy.”

Learning the language of human health

“Working across sectors felt at times like stepping into different world, and not too much different from my personal experience of being an immigrant. In academia, the private sector and government everyone speaks a different language and has completely different approaches and ways of thinking. I am certain that in half of the emails we write to each other, we mean completely different things!

I guess public health chose me then, because the cross-sector and multidisciplinary experience led me to have a deeper and more clear understanding of the complexity of human health (intertwined closely with animals and the environment).

Knowing that there was not one angle to tackle infectious diseases problems such as antimicrobial resistance was both liberating and empowering. And I realised that my matrix of experiences and knowledge was highly valuable to contribute meaningful solutions to tackling this great global challenge.”

Coffee, corridor conversations and clinical collaboration

“Every day starts with a coffee - no matter what pandemic is going on, or which child needs their lunch made. This is a time to sit and reflect on my priorities for the day.

My work currently is to consolidate the pieces of the puzzles that I have gathered over the years on the health and economic impact of antimicrobial resistant infections (aka superbugs) in Australia. So I collaborate with health economists, spatial modellers, clinicians and those creating and implementing health policies. This requires a certain skill set – communicating in a common language. I am basically a translator or interpreter, and the language is the language of deciphering what each one of us specifically needs.

The great thing is that every day is as spontaneous and exciting as the next! On my way to the water bubbler the other day, I passed a colleague who is a social scientist who is fascinated by people and their experiences. We organised to have a coffee after lunch. It sparked an idea and we then pulled together a small grant application … that was due the next day!”

The more I learn, the less I know

“I have realised that the more I learn, the less I know - and there is this bottomless well of knowledge that I still have not even touched the surface of. I really love that my work is about helping others, perhaps even saving lives and avoiding human suffering. And my work really feeds my creative side in that I can explore facets of the problem that have not ever been previously considered.

What I don’t love is the instability of this job, and I do think it’s important to make it clear that there are aspects of this work that could definitely be improved upon.”

Positivity, pandemics and working for equality

“I am known to have infectious enthusiasm so I will almost always see the bright side of the state of the world. I was born into a communist country and when I was little we had food stamps, military curfew and pineapples in a tin. I then moved and learnt English in an Apartheid country and saw extreme violence … but on the positive side, pineapples were not in tins! Ever since my teenage years, I have lived in Australia where I have both many freedoms plus amazing fresh fruit. I still feel incredibly grateful!

The current pandemic, and many more to come after it, will require preparedness and planning … and ideally an Australian Centre for Disease Control. These are achievable goals if we can come together as governments, as scientists and as the general public.

The thing that worries me most about the state of the world is the inequality in opportunities. This will be a very difficult challenge to overcome, and it will require many more brains to try to resolve this inequality. But it is possible, and when we do find a solution to reduce this, the future will be much brighter - for us all!”

Dr. Teresa Wozniak’s Top Tips for young women interested in careers in Public Health

“To use COVID-19 as an example; if you wonder how coronavirus spread, why some populations are at higher risk of infection than others, and if it bothers you at how unjust it is that populations in resource-poor settings are worse off than their wealthier neighbours – then you will definitely find a public health career challenging and fulfilling.

You could be out in the field as a field epidemiologist (after you study this or this) interviewing populations at risk or collecting data on environmental risk factors or leading health promotion programs to teach basic sanitation and hygiene to communities and school children.

If you love data, you could find yourself in front of a mega computer crunching big datasets that links people from when they are born, to what hospital they visited and where they died. Public health is the fundamental science - and art - of preventing diseases, improving life and promoting health.”

What career could be more rewarding, real-world and purposeful than that?!
Thanks for sharing your amazing career story with our community Dr Wozniak!

Learn more about Dr. Wozniak at Science & Technology Australia.