Career Panel Series for ECRs

Career Panel Series for ECRs: Exploring Career Paths Within and Beyond Academia

Are you an early career researcher or recent PhD graduate looking to explore your next career steps?

Join us for a webinar series where alumni who have completed a PhD or undertaken postdoctoral research at the UoA share how they have navigated diverse career pathways across academia, industry, government, non-profits, and beyond.

Panellists will talk about their career journeys, share practical advice on making career transitions, and answer your questions. Whether you’re considering staying in research, moving into professional roles within universities, or exploring opportunities outside academia, these sessions will provide valuable perspectives and inspiration.

There are 3 session, each with different panellists. Feel free to attend one or all! Select the date/s you wish to attend.

1–2pm

• Thursday 28 August

• Thursday 4 September

• Thursday 11 September

Format: Interactive Zoom sessions with Q&A

Audience: Early career researchers, doctoral candidates, and anyone interested in exploring diverse career opportunities post-PhD.

Panellists for 11 Sept:

Jonathan Swain is a data scientist with a background in chemistry, drug discovery, and medical technology. After completing his PhD in Organic Chemistry at the University of Cambridge and postdoc at the University of Auckland, he transitioned from academic laboratory research into data science, self-teaching programming and machine learning skills to break into the field. He now works as a data scientist for Veriphi, a medical device company in Devonport. Alongside this, he runs his own consultancy, Cambridge Cheminformatics, which delivers AI-driven solutions for drug discovery and bespoke software development. He brings firsthand experience of navigating career change, continuous learning, and applying research skills in industry — insights he’ll share to inspire and guide early career researchers exploring diverse career paths or looking to bring interdisciplinary research into their own academic work.

Alex Shegay is a Lecturer at the University of Auckland and a Research Fellow at the Institute of Science Tokyo, specialising in seismic performance and innovative base-isolation of reinforced concrete structures. With extensive experience leading advanced experimental research, including full-scale shake table testing, Alex brings a strong record of award-winning work. He’ll share insights from his academic journey and multidisciplinary collaborations, offering early career researchers practical advice on navigating research, building expertise, and pursuing impactful projects across international and institutional boundaries.

Leila Mirza holds a PhD in Architecture from the University of Auckland and currently works as a Technical Assessor and Acting Principal Specialist at Auckland Council. She specialises in training development and policy improvement, applying her research background and analytical expertise to advance building consent practices. Having transitioned from academia into a leadership role in local government, Leila offers valuable insights for early-career researchers exploring career pathways beyond traditional academic roles. She is committed to driving consistency and quality in the building consent environment through data analysis, process improvement, and practical policy and guidance development.