Meet Dr Joice Sophia Ponraj, a Researcher at Tyndall who is one of the many women who ‘gown up’ daily to work in our state-of-the-art cleanroom facilities. A cleanroom is a controlled environment where pollutants like dust, airborne microbes and aerosol particles are filtered out in order to provide the cleanest area possible. This level of cleanliness is important as the nanomaterials Joice and her team work with are so small that even a speck of dust could destroy them. Joice tells us more about her research, working in the cleanroom and her advice for young women considering a career in science.
Researcher,
Tyndall National Institute.
What is your current role and research area?
I am a Researcher at Tyndall working on Integrated Photonics with IPIC, the SFI centre for photonics, and the Department of Physics at University Cork College. My research is aimed at the design, simulation and fabrication of high-speed components. I am currently working on an industry project where my research is focused on high-speed semiconductor optical modulators called, Mach Zehnder Modulators (MZM). High bandwidth MZM is a promising transmitter device for 40-Gbit/s systems. Our research aims to address the problem of exponential growth in internet data traffic resulting from increased use of social networking and cloud computing.
What path led you here?
My journey to this unconventional space in science might not have been possible without the support of my family, as I encountered several ups and downs along the way. When I finished school, Engineering was booming which attracted a lot of students to study it. However, I chose Physics because of my love for the subject and a curiosity to understand its complex concepts. My interest helped me to be successful in my studies and I received a University Ranking in my Bachelor’s Degree placing me in the top 20 of approx. 8,000 students. I also secured second place for my Masters of Physics entrance exam out of 1,000 students.
My family had a lot of hesitation about my move to the capital city, Chennai, nearly 650 km from my hometown, to study a Masters of Philosophy. Joining a technological University motivated me to consider furthering my studies in research and at 21, an age when girls in south of India usually get married, I began a PhD in the field of III-V semiconductors. I spent more than half of my PhD in Italy as an exchange Research Fellow and after earning my doctorate, I worked as a Postdoc in China and as an Assistant Professor in North Macedonia.
I later returned to India as I received the INSPIRE Faculty Award, a scheme designed to provide research positions to young achievers for independent research with the hope of developing future leaders in science and technology. I served as the Director of the Centre for Advanced Materials, in Aaivalayam, India, and later worked as Co-Fund Research Fellow at INL in Portugal. I admired the amazing work carried out in Tyndall, especially in the field of Photonics, so I joined the Integrated Photonics Group here in 2021.
In my spare time, I volunteer as a mentor to students to help promote women in STEM, especially women in India. With the support of the Aaivaler Society, I was able to mentor and support women who are taking career breaks through workshops, training and counselling.
Did you have a role model who influenced your study/career choice?
Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, was an Indian Aerospace Scientist and the 11th President of India. Well-known as the ‘Missile Man of India’, he is one of the role-models who inspired me, both in his simplicity and in his encouragement to think BIG. I had the pleasure of attending his courses in Anna University, India, during my PhD. I love his quote on dreams “A dream is not that which you see while sleeping, it is something that does not let you sleep.”
I am also inspired by Marie Skłodowska Curie for her determination in research. I always wanted to replicate her sincerity and generosity in giving back to society. In the last five years, I have also spared a percentage of my earnings as a Research Fellow to contribute towards the training and career development of interns who are interested in STEM in India.
My dad is a teacher and instilled in me his qualities of punctuality, planning and leadership.
Whenever I feel low, I read about the inspiring researcher leaders in STEM to keep my motivation and spirits high.
What does working in a cleanroom involve?
The state-of-the-art cleanroom at Tyndall is maintained with minimum airborne particles. This type of environment is critical in order to develop the high-speed photonic device components I am working on. Ten years ago, when I first wore cleanroom protective clothing, I was super excited as I felt like an astronaut. Over the years, I have developed strong hands-on experience in cleanroom processing whilst fabricating micro and nano devices and architectures. Even though it is demanding, it is worth it to achieve the desired high-performance device quality.
What could be done to support women in STEM and #BreakTheBias (International Women's Day theme for 2022?)
A lot of women who take breaks in their career find it difficult to get back into research and should be given support. Joining groups or mentorship programmes are a great way to get support, you can discuss any problems and get help in seeking a solution. I believe scientific training and working with the community to spread awareness of career opportunities for women in STEM should be encouraged. From my experience, women in STEM in developing countries have more hurdles to overcome but I believe the strength of togetherness and inclusiveness will help to break the bias for all women.
What advice would you give to young women considering a career in science?
I strongly recommend young women to embrace and feel the joy of science, seek out opportunities and find good mentors. Dream of the big picture and consider where you want to be in the next ten years? Make a detailed plan of how you are going to achieve your goal with simple practical steps. Get feedback and use that to improve yourself in the road to success. Try to get help in any way you can and accept all kind of mentorship. Do not stop until you achieve your goal.