Profile

Jenny Search
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About Me:
I work at the Centre for Life in Newcastle. I live in Durham with my husband and two children. I love running, swimming and weight training and going to the beach.
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I grew up in Cornwall and left when I was 18 to go to University in Glasgow. I loved learning about diseases and how the body defends itself against infection. I worked in Ethiopia for two years in a university teaching students and running practical classes. It was an incredible experience to live in a different culture and learn a new language.
I live in Durham with my husband and two children. We love being active, travelling and discovering new places.
I like swimming (in a pool and outside) and running and I recently started weight training. I like to take on sports challenges and have run the Great North Run and the London marathon. I have even swam with 3 friends as a relay team across the English Channel!
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My pronouns are:
she/her
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My Work:
Itโs my job to make sure that everyone and everything is ready so that school pupils coming to visit Life have a fabulous time and that your teachers are happy that you are also learning about real science.
We also work with community groups and charities to make sure that our activities are inclusive for as many people as possible. -
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I moved to the North East in 2005 and love living here. I have had quite a few different jobs hereโฆat Sunderland and Teesside Universities, at the Institute of Physics and I ran my own business too called Dr (Re)Search taking science activities into lots of schools. I have worked at the Life Science twice! The first time was in 2005-6 writing shows and creating activities for the public and then I came back in 2021 as the Head of Schools and Community Engagement.
I like the variety of my job and the different skills it requires. I use a lot of problem solving skills and creativity to develop activities and fix things. I also write factual reports about what we have done and also need to use persuasive writing to try and win money to run new exciting projects that we think up.
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Education:
I went to school in Helston, a town in Cornwall. I left to go to University in Glasgow. I wanted to experience living in a big city and it was a big change.
I studied Immunology (how the body fights disease) for 4 years to get a Bachelor of Science degree. Then I decided I liked the practical work and I enjoyed living in Glasgow so I studied for a PhD for another 4 years. This is where you try and find out something no-one has ever found out before. I researched a poison that is produced by bacteria that normally live in your mouth and nose but can sometimes make you ill. It was a lot of hard work, sometimes it was really exciting when things were going well but there were times when it was boring as you have to repeat the same things a lot and sometimes it was very difficult and frustrating when things didnโt work or go to plan.
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Qualifications:
GCSEs in Maths, Double Science, English (language and literature), Spanish, French, Geography, Home Economics: Food & PE
AS levels in Psychology and Maths, A-levels in Biology and Chemistry
BSc (hons) Immunology
PhD in Infection and Immunity
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Work History:
When I was at secondary school I had jobs as a tour guide and a lifeguard. When I was at university I worked at weekends and holidays as a waitress. I also spent one summer in America working in a lab.
I moved to the North East in 2005 and love living here. I have had quite a few different jobs hereโฆat Sunderland and Teesside Universities, at the Institute of Physics and I ran my own business too called Dr (Re)Search taking science activities into lots of schools. I have worked at the Life Science Centre twice!
I like the variety of my job and the different skills it requires. I use a lot of problem solving skills and creativity to develop activities and fix things. I also write factual reports about what we have done and also need to use persuasive writing to try and win money to run new exciting projects that we think up.
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My Interview
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What did you want to be after you left school?
I didn't really know what I wanted to do
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
Coaching running and swimming
Who is your favourite singer or band?
I like most pop/rock music, favourites include Pulp, Wet Leg & CMAT
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