Dr. Melanie Thomson is a microbiologist and science communicator based in Victoria (Australia). She is the General Manager of Education, Skills and Events at the Medical Technologies and Pharmaceuticals Growth Centre.
Dr. Mel Thomson | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Alma mater | University of Melbourne University of York |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | Deakin University |
Early life and education edit
Thomson went to Macclesfield Primary School and Caulfield Grammar School.[1] She earned an Honours degree in Microbiology at the University of Melbourne in 1998.[2] She worked as a research assistant at Great Ormond Street Hospital, developing treatments for life-threatening peanut allergies.[3] She completed a Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council funded PhD at the University of York in 2009, working on the neisseria species.[2]
Career edit
She worked at the Leeds Institute of Molecular Medicine between 2009 and 2011, working with Jean Crabtree.[3] She set up her own lab in the Deakin University and Geelong Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases in 2011.[2] Thomson began to crowdfund for academic research, leading two successful campaigns Mighty Maggots and Hips for Hipsters.[4][5][6][7][8] She took part in "I'm A Scientist, Get Me Out of Here!" in 2013.[1] She joined the Medical Technologies and Pharmaceuticals Growth Centre (MTPConnect) in 2016 as General Manager for education.[2] MTPConnect is a med-tech and pharma growth centre.[9]
Activism edit
In 2014 she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and has since become an advocate for patients.[10] She won the Leadership Award at the 2017 Geelong Awards for People with a Disability.[10]
She is a founding steering member of Women in Science Australia.[11]
She was a finalist for the Telstra Victorian Public Sector and Academia Award in 2017.[12]
She accused prominent astrophysicist and skeptic Lawrence Krauss of grabbing a woman's breast during a skeptic's conference event at the Melbourne Zoo in Australia,[13] and filed a sexual harassment complaint against his employer Arizona State University that was ultimately upheld.[14] In combination with multiple other harassment allegations, this resulted in his removal from the directorship of the Origins Institute and retirement from the University.[15]
In September 2018 she sparked controversy by referring to Qantas staff as "trolly dollys" in a tweet, after they referred to her as "Miss" rather than "Doctor".[16]
References edit
- ^ a b "Profile – Micro Life Zone". microa13.imascientist.org.au. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
- ^ a b c d "Board and Executive : MTPConnect". www.mtpconnect.org.au. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
- ^ a b "2014-05-25: Dr Mel Thomson, Microbiologist (@Dr_Mel_Thomson) | RealScientists". realscientists.wordpress.com. June 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
- ^ Thomson, Mel. "Mighty Maggots". www.pozible.com. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
- ^ Thomson, Mel. "Hips 4 Hipsters". www.pozible.com. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
- ^ Victorian Skeptics (17 January 2017), No More Poo Woo - Melanie Thomson, retrieved 4 August 2018
- ^ Hawkes, David; Thomson, Melanie (16 December 2015). "Clinical trials: Crowdfunded trials doubly scrutinized". Nature. 528 (7582): 333. Bibcode:2015Natur.528R.333H. doi:10.1038/528333e. ISSN 0028-0836. PMID 26672542.
- ^ christiane-oelrich (27 April 2015). "The Culture of Crowd Funding". Forbes Middle East. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
- ^ "Melanie Thomson". www.franklinwomen.com.au. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
- ^ a b "Awards recognise inspirational locals | genU Karingal St Laurence". genU Karingal St Laurence. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
- ^ "Women In STEMM by Angry Beanie on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
- ^ "2017 finalists - Telstra Business Women's Awards". Telstra Business Women’s Awards. Archived from the original on 26 March 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
- ^ Aldhous, Peter; Ghorayshi, Azeen; Hughes, Virginia (22 February 2018). "He Became A Celebrity For Putting Science Before God. Now Lawrence Krauss Faces Allegations Of Sexual Misconduct". Buzzfeed.News. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
- ^ Wadman, Meredith (3 August 2018). "University finds prominent astrophysicist Lawrence Krauss grabbed a woman's breast". Science. doi:10.1126/science.aav0010. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
- ^ Leingang, Rachel (21 October 2018). "Lawrence Krauss to retire from ASU after investigation into sexual misconduct allegations". Arizona Republic. Retrieved 21 October 2018.
- ^ "Doctor calls out airline for calling her 'Miss'". 6 September 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2018.