"I'll give that a crack": a squiggly story of science leadership - Maxine Bryant | S2E1

Maxine Bryant is an experienced team leader, project manager, and research management professional with fifteen years experience in the tertiary sector, specialising in operations management, system development, and policies and process. We talk about having an unplanned career and what's involved in leading science teams.

Key topics

• The business of science, why research management isn't anybody's Plan A, and what happened when Maxine decided to step off the treadmill of life as a scientist.
• How Maxine follows what interests her while going with the flow, and how opportunities arise from others recognising her abilities before she did
• What's involved in leading science teams and how Maxine's relationship-based leadership approach is influenced by her cultural heritage

Detours and Tangents

• The complexities of Māori engagement in science and why Māori scientists work a cultural double-shift
• Maxine's interest in molecular genetics and why she chose to study the genetics of pāua (a Haliotis mollusk)
• The joys and discoveries of changing jobs after a long period in one place

Episode Summary
Visit the Grokkist podcast hub for a full digest of this episode including highlights and links to stuff we discussed: https://grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast/s2e1-maxine-bryant/

Recorded 8 December 2021

Website: grokk.ist/stillcuriouspodcast | Email: podcast@grokk.ist | Socials: @grokkist
Music: Kleptotonic Swing by Tri-Tachyon