Elizabeth gained a scholarship to undertake a doctorate in high energy physics, and completed her research at Cern in Switzerland. She began her career as a research associate in the medical imaging department at the University of Manchester, and from there moved into intellectual property protection for a medical imaging company in Edinburgh. She is now working as an intellectual property management and innovation consultant.
Elizabeth Vorkurka first shared her career journey in 2014. Ten later years later, we were delighted to catch up with Elizabeth once again, to find out how the last decade has panned out for her.
If you are doing something new, how did you find out about this latest opportunity? Was it, for example, through networking and connections you had?
I’ve continued to be an IP Management and Innovation Consultant through a business I incorporated since the interview. I also continued to set and verify questions for the BBC’s ‘University Challenge’ until a couple years ago. I have also been: a Research Associate with the London School of Economics in Social Psychology; a Retained Firefighter with the Scottish First and Rescue Service (for 8 years); and am about to join the HM Coast Guard. Two years ago, I went back to university to get a Law Masters in Innovation, Technology and the Law from University of Edinburgh. All new clients and opportunities have come through referrals, connections, and networking. I’d recommend anyone to keep talking to people about your interests, and opportunities will present themselves. Having a PhD also helped open doors and start conversations with people that I wouldn’t have been able to as ‘just another Management Consultant.’
What competencies/transferable skills do you still use as a IP Management and Innovation Consultant that you learned doing your doctorate?
I continue to use the research techniques, ability to learn new subjects/skills, attention to detail and accuracy, and focused independent working skills I learned while doing my doctorate.
What would you say are the benefits of working as a consultant that you wouldn’t get in academia?
Academia is great, but there are so many opportunities beyond academia that can be equally rewarding and/or arguably provide more of a flexible work-life balance or career path. These opportunities could benefit from having a PhD.
With hindsight, is there any additional career advice (over and above what you gave us back in 2014) that you would give your younger self doing a doctorate, about your career? Or that you would do differently?
Always do something that interests you. It makes work so much easier. And while a little stress can be useful, don’t let it overwhelm you. It’s not worth it. There is always more than one way to accomplish something.