We, at MilkshakeFromMars, aim to share stories of #womeninscience to celebrate their work and highlight their achievements despite discriminatory academic and work environments. And what better way to do this than hear the stories directly from these women themselves! So, today we have for you an epidemiologist who can help us understand the pandemic and the COVID-19 vaccines.

Charlotte is the scientist behind the instagram account @epidummyology, a science communication platform trying to combat misinformation around the COVID-19 pandemic. She is currently pursuing her PhD in epidemiology & geography at the University of Cambridge. Her work is based in India, looking at zoonotic disease and malnutrition in tribal groups.

Can you tell us a little about your work? What do you hope to accomplish as an epidemiologist in today’s world?

It’s believed that the rate of emergence of new diseases is accelerating as humans come into increasing frequent and close contact with animals. I’m interested in understanding when, where & why new diseases emerge. In particular, I want to understand how we can reduce this risk in a way that doesn’t have detrimental effects on indigenous communities.

epidemiologist in lab
Healthcare Heroes: Photo by CDC on Unsplash

In your opinion, what makes for a successful researcher?

If I had to pick three things, I would say passion, perseverance, and curiosity.

Passion for a subject will always shine through. Find a topic that you can wake up each day excited to work on. Perseverance is important because things in science rarely work first time around. Don’t be disheartened by this. Take it as a learning point & try again. And finally, curiosity – accept that you will never know everything and be ever curious to learn more.

How has being a woman affected your journey through STEM?

I’ve worked hard to get where I am now and have also been very fortunate in my academic career so far to have been supported and inspired by some incredible (male and female) role models.

In March 2020, you started your Instagram account @epidummyology, where you post about the pandemic and the vaccines. What motivated you to do this? What do you hope to accomplish with this platform and the considerable following that you have gained over the past year?

I started this account in the first week of lockdown back in March 2020 as I was becoming increasingly frustrated about the misinformation circulating about the pandemic. Fast forward a year and sadly the pandemic nor the misinformation seems to have gone away! I wanted to find a way to communicate the evidence & epidemiology behind the pandemic in a way that was accessible to many people – and put pernicious myths to bed! I’m currently giving a lot of thought as to where I take epidummyology next – I’ve got a few exciting ideas up my sleeve… Watch this space!

COVID-19 Map
The COVID-19 Pandemic: Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

There are several people who are reluctant to take the vaccines because of some common misconceptions. One of these misconceptions is that the scientists rushed the vaccine creation process. As an epidemiologist uniquely informed about this area of science, what is your opinion on the short amount of time it has taken to develop the vaccines?

The rate at which our vaccines have been developed is an incredible feat of science and technology, and there are a number of factors that made this possible. There are several administrative hurdles that have to be overcome before vaccine trials can begin (e.g. setting up a trial, putting together research teams, applying for funding). Due to the urgent need to develop COVID-19 vaccines, we were able to quickly bypass these hurdles. We were also able to build upon pre-existing medical technologies and take advantage of the high levels of transmission at the time (this provides us with ideal conditions to test our vaccines).

I think most important to note though is that checks on safety & efficacy have been rigorous and far from rushed. All the correct phases of our clinical trials have been undertaken as normal, with a huge number of participants enrolled. No corners have been cut.

“All the correct phases of our clinical trials have been undertaken as normal, with a huge number of participants enrolled. No corners have been cut.”

– Charlotte
COVID-19 vaccine
COVID-19 Vaccines: Photo by Hakan Nural on Unsplash

Since the vaccines are finally out, lockdowns are being eased. As reopenings continue and restrictions ease, what are some of your biggest concerns about controlling the pandemic?

For me, the biggest concerns are that we relax and ease restrictions too fast and too soon. The lower the prevalence of infection and the more people that are vaccinated by the time we ease restrictions, the lower the likelihood of another dangerous resurgence. We also have lots of new virus variants to contend with and we really want to keep these under control as we reopen society.

Do you have any advice for people to adhere to in the upcoming months?

Enjoy new freedoms as they become allowed – but only as they become allowed. We must be guided by data. Cases are still high, the majority of our population remain unvaccinated, and we have new variants to watch out for. Things could change fast so we need to be cautious.

“Enjoy new freedoms as they become allowed – but only as they become allowed.“

– Charlotte
Social distancing sign
Stay Safe: Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Finally, what closing advice do you have for young women who are beginning their journey in STEM?

Seize opportunities, even if they take you out your comfort zone. Whether that is a conversation with someone you admire in the field or applying to your dream work experience or internship. You never know where things might lead. Imposter syndrome affects us all & it’s true that you won’t always succeed. But at least if you try, you’ll be in with a shot!

Thank you for speaking with us about your work, your journey and how to save the world! Your advocacy educates, inspires and protects lives. We at MilkshakeFromMars feel honored to feature a woman making the way for a safer and better world.

Make sure you follow Charlotte on instagram @epidummology and spread awareness and not the virus. Stay safe!

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