Dr Agnieszka Konkolewska was awarded a PhD in molecular biotechnology for her work on Zn, Cd, Pb uptake and transport in Brassica juncea at the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan (Poland). She is currently in a postdoctoral research position with VistaMilk and Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics (Ireland), working on pasture improvement for higher quality. She is interested in employing biotechnology, bioinformatics, and machine learning for development of sustainable agriculture. She is always keen on finding new ways to communicate science.

What advice would you give to other women who are just starting out in research?

Get out of your comfort zone.

If, like me, you have a shy introvert personality, but love to talk about science, use every chance possible to practice giving talks, presenting in front of a crowd, even engaging with strangers during poster sessions. It will get easier with time, and will take you further than you could have dreamed, if you chose not to practice what terrifies you.