Klara Soukup, PhD - Science Journalist & Communications Specialist
Klara Soukup, PhD - Science Journalist (Freelance) & Communications Specialist at the UNIL Faculty of biology and medicine (FBM).
Where are you from and what is your educational background? Where did you study?
I was born and raised in a small town outside Vienna, Austria. From there I moved to the “big city” right after finishing high school, and got my Bachelor and Master’s degree in biotechnology at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU). For my PhD, I joined a non-for-profit children’s cancer research institute in Vienna and did part of my thesis at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, which was possible thanks to a fellowship from my PhD program. In parallel, I did a few semesters of political science – something that comes in quite handy now that I switched my career.
Why did you decide to pursue the PhD/Post-doc journey?
I grew up in a quite academic family, in the sense that the value of education, research, and critical thinking is something deeply rooted in my DNA. I have always felt that my place is at the university, in public service. Then I discovered this immense scientific curiosity from the moment I started my Master thesis project – and the liberty you (luckily still) have in academic research. Being able to learn and explore for a living always felt like a privilege to me, and that continued through my PhD. So I never really questioned whether to continue, I wanted to keep discovering.
It is often said that the PhD is a marathon not a sprint race. What are your thoughts about it?
Yes, yes, and yes. In German we have a saying “Gut Ding braucht Weile.” It literally translates as good things take time. So yes, I would emphasize that patience, endurance, and resilience are key qualities a PhD tests you for.
When did you decide that you didn’t want to pursue an academic career? Was it before starting your PhD journey or during your PhD Studies (at the start, mid, at the end or after)?
The decision to change my career came much later, actually. It was not until my 3rd postdoc year that I realized I actually enjoyed talking about science much more than doing it myself. That’s when I started to get engaged in science communication, first on a volunteer basis while still working in the lab, and later transitioning to a full-time job.
When did you jump from academia to communication/journalism?
I have always felt that my professional “home” is the public sector, particularly the university environment. I decided to quit my academic position as a senior postdoc and lab manager in 2022, and was glad to get the opportunity to transition to a research communication job at CHUV/UNIL.
What is your current position? What was/were your previous job(s) (If this is not your first job in private)?
Currently, I’m working as a communications specialist at the UNIL Faculty of biology and medicine (FBM)’s communications office. In parallel, I write for different media as an independent science journalist. Before that, I was for two years with the Institute for higher education and research in healthcare at CHUV/UNIL as a communications officer.
Is your job related to what you have done during your PhD/Post-doc?
In many ways it is, yes. First, my research background has given me an understanding of how academic research works, in terms of methodologies, rigor, but also how this whole environment functions. I find this important, because it allows me to tell the public about scientific findings in an appropriate context – something I often find to be missing in science communication and journalism. In terms of topics, I am still working in the field of life sciences, so there is also a continuation from my previous activity. And finally, I’ve come to appreciate how the scientific way of approaching a problem, how we are trained to do things in a very systematic manner, comes in very handy for different tasks – independent of the sector you’re working in.
Which are the aspects that you like the most about your job?
The fact that I get to tell people, who don’t necessarily have much connection to research, about scientific progress. Taking them behind the scenes, in a way. Being able to tell them stories about fascinating topics, and about the people behind those stories – those doing the research work. And all this means constantly learning new things, meeting new people from very diverse fields, and widening my horizon.
How has your work-life balance changed since moving to communication/journalism?
I find this question hard to answer. My work and private life have always been intertwined, and this hasn’t changed much. It’s nothing that bothers me, it’s my way of living. But in a way I do take more time now for things unrelated to work than I used to, and what certainly changed is the pressure to perform that I felt in academic research - that is something I’m really happy to have left behind.
How did you adapt to the cultural and operational differences between academic research and communication/journalism?
As I’m still within the university environment, there are not so many cultural differences. One thing that has stroke me though, is the sense of team spirit I’ve experienced in my new positions. The concept of working together as a true unit on a given task, is something that has become rare in academic research. And this I only noticed once I had left that environment. Nowadays, many people there are more driven by personal ambition than by a sense of community.
Were there any new skills or knowledge areas you had to develop for your role in communication/journalism?
As I reoriented my career quite drastically I had to learn several new key skills in communications and journalism, which is why I decided to do a certificate of advanced studies (CAS) in science journalism.
How difficult was it, to gain the required knowledge when you first started your job(s)?
In science communication, I have found that much happens through “learning by doing”. People in this field come from very diverse backgrounds, with different experiences and various types of education. There are certainly hard skills I had to acquire by professional training (mostly related to journalistic reporting, storytelling, publishing, etc.), but I also realized that intuition plays a key role. So I adopted a philosophy of: Try, fail, try again and do better. And learn from others. So far that has worked out quite well.
What was your experience concerning the transition into communication/journalism? What were some of the challenges you faced during your transition?
I think a challenge that many of us who decide to quit an academic career are facing, is a bizarre need of having to justify yourself. This fear of having to answer the question “But WHY would you give up a research career?” The truth is, we all have good reasons, and we know what they are, but learning to articulate them is something that takes time and reflection. I found this very difficult in the beginning; now I can confidently explain exactly why I made that choice.
What helped you before the transition (career events, workshops, contacting people on linkedin, friends)?
All of the above. I tried to get to know as much as I could about the options that are out there – through personal contacts, workshops, career counselling, meetings, online searching … you name it. On a personal level, my friends’ and family’s support played a major role, too.
According to you which are the personal/soft skills that are mostly needed to undergo a successful transition into communication/journalism?
More than ever I would say: don’t underestimate the power of personal networking. The more people you know, the more you will know about what’s out there in terms of jobs (there may be many you don’t even know that exist!), but also the more you widen your horizon and learn about new things in general. My recommendation is: never turn down an invitation for coffee, you never know where it may lead you.
In your case which personal/soft skills helped you during your transition into communication/journalism?
Mostly the above : meeting people over coffee and having a chat. I’ve learned so much through these conversations. I guess in business terms this translates to “interpersonal/people skills” or “communication skills”.
What advices made the difference in your professional development?
“Just try and apply.” This was the key sentence that stuck with me. In the beginnin,g I was hesitating to apply for jobs that sounded to be exactly what I wanted to do, but for which I didn’t tick all the boxes they were looking for. Then I got this advice from a colleague, and it turned out so true. You never know who else applies for a position, and if you’re motivated and actually WANT to do a job (and you’re able to convey that), this most often counts more than your hard qualifications on paper. What you don’t know yet, you can always learn. And this willingness to fill your potential knowledge gaps and develop yourself further is what I’ve learned to always put forward – especially when you’re looking to do a career transition.
What aspects of your academic studies helped you during your transition in communication/journalism (ppt presentation, public speaking, teaching, scientific project management, teamwork, multitasking etc)?
In my case, really everything linked to communication skills – from writing, speaking, teaching, presenting, etc. all the way to teamwork and work organization. Multitasking is something I try hard to reduce, as I’m more and more convinced that the human brain is not made for it… but having experienced how to handle maxi-multi-tasking in academia certainly has helped me in my following jobs. And as I mentioned before: having internalized the scientific approach to tackling problems is something I value a lot, and have found to be helpful for any given task.
It is also said that networking plays an important role in transitioning into industry. Was it the case for you?
Haha, I can only second that. Go back few questions above and you have my answer. (and again, this is not only true for industry but for any sector.)
Did you do one or multiple internship(s), traineeship(s), BNF project(s), in the private sector after your PhD studies or Postdoc before being hired for a more “permanent” job in this sector? If yes, was it via the unemployment program?
No, I was lucky to get an opportunity to directly transition to a fixed-term contract position. But I know several people that successfully transitioned into the communications sector through BNF projects, both before and after a PhD – I think this is a brilliant initiative in Switzerland.
What advice would you give to PhDs and postdocs who are willing to look for opportunities outside Academic research or in communication/journalism?
Read my answer to question X above: have coffee with people. Keep your eyes and ears open. (And maybe keep some decaf capsules in your pocket….)
But more seriously: Don’t exclude anything, stay open-minded, be curious, and dare to take a risk. Don’t hold back because of a fear of failing. In academic research we are sadly conditioned to grow a major imposter syndrome. It’s time to overcome it. And if your first non-academic job is not your dream job, then change again - there is so much to do out there. And most importantly: look for what really interests you, follow your passion and never stay in a job that bores you.
If you could go back, would you change anything about your career path?
Absolutely not. I’m glad about every step of the way.
What can I wish you for the next coming years?
That I never get bored ! And that I’ll keep learning from other creative heads about inspirational projects in science communication and beyond. (Plus publishing an article in the New York Times science section would be awesome… You can always dream big, no?)
Klara’s LinkedIn’s: https://www.linkedin.com/in/klarasoukup/
