Philippa Specker

Graduating in 2017, Philippa completed a Bachelor's degree with a double major in psychology and gender and cultural studies.  These areas of study were quite unique but have been hugely beneficial to her career in research. It expanded Philippa's skill-set and enabled her to apply different approaches to problem-solvng.

In her own words

“I’m currently working as a Research Assistant on two different projects across two universities. Although these research projects are in the area of psychology, one on eating disorders and body image among adolescents and the other on mental wellbeing among refugees, both have benefitted from my background in gender and cultural studies.

“For instance, my work on eating disorders has been informed by my understanding of gender stereotypes and how they influence eating behaviours in young people (such as girls feeling pressure to be slim and boys feeling pressure to gain muscle).

"Similarly, the cultural understanding I gained from my arts major has helped ensure the cultural competency of the research and engagement I do with refugee communities.

“My best advice would be to always pick subjects you have an interest in, even if they don’t appear to be related. You’ll always be surprised by the ways different disciplines complement one another in the long run. After all, time spent pursuing your interests is never time wasted!”