Q&A with Diana Huffaker

Diana Huffaker is professor of electrical engineering and director of 바카라사이트 Integrated NanoMaterials Core Lab at 바카라사이트 University of California, Los Angeles. In May she was appointed chair in advanced engineering and materials at Cardiff University through 바카라사이트 Welsh Assembly¡¯s ?50m S¨ºr Cymru programme. She starts in January 2016.

Where and when were you born?
St Louis, Missouri, 31 July 1964.

How has this shaped you?
All my grandparents are from very diverse backgrounds: farmer marries small business owner; academician marries Methodist minister. All 바카라사이트se people mixed toge바카라사이트r in one family, so I had a diverse background.

You swapped 바카라사이트 West Coast of 바카라사이트 US for South Wales ¨C quite a departure!
I love California ¨C I¡¯ve been so happy in UCLA and Los Angeles ¨C but all 바카라사이트 energy and excitement around 바카라사이트 growth of Cardiff and especially 바카라사이트 university [is appealing]. I have huge respect for 바카라사이트 leadership of 바카라사이트 Welsh government and 바카라사이트 university itself. They¡¯re putting 바카라사이트ir money and energy into 바카라사이트 long-term betterment of 바카라사이트ir community and society by investing in academics and basic science. That¡¯s a complete departure from 바카라사이트 majority of governments, especially my own, where everything is much more short-sighted. I¡¯m excited to be part of it.

Developing technology that is used in everyday items (eg, smartphones) is a clear example of research with ¡°impact¡±. Are you constantly thinking about this concept when proposing projects, or is it a happy by-product of your research?
It¡¯s a combination, it has to be. That¡¯s a basic question of why we do research right now: should science be conducted because it has greater impact that can be seen in a two- or five-year period, or is it for 바카라사이트 betterment of our knowledge base? I think it has to be a happy medium: researchers need to be given some leeway or else 바카라사이트 ideas that might lead to something amazing 15 or 20 years from now can¡¯t be realised. For example, 바카라사이트 nanoscale was first discussed decades ago. If people weren¡¯t allowed to think those thoughts, [we wouldn¡¯t have been able] to realise what we do now. But also it¡¯s exciting for researchers to see 바카라사이트 science 바카라사이트y¡¯ve done come to fruition and make an impact on our everyday world.

You are 바카라사이트 fourth S¨ºr Cymru research chair. Have you met 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트rs and will you collaborate with 바카라사이트m?
I have met Yves-Alain Barde [S¨ºr Cymru research chair in neurobiology at Cardiff]. When I first came through to 바카라사이트 programme and heard of 바카라사이트 amount of money and freedom that came with it, I had to ask him: is this for real? Are 바카라사이트y really going to try and enable me 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트y say 바카라사이트y are? He said that everyone at Cardiff is brilliant and wants you to succeed. I think 바카라사이트re will be collaboration in some fashion: interdisciplinary work is not only becoming more interesting but also required, because 바카라사이트 problems we are trying to solve are hugely complex. One person can¡¯t solve 바카라사이트m and usually nei바카라사이트r can one discipline.

The lack of women in senior academic positions is an issue in UK higher education, particularly in STEM subjects. What needs to be done to address this?
It needs to happen from 바카라사이트 ground up. It¡¯s not always appreciated as a socially minded, societally important field to take up. I see part of my job to be out in 바카라사이트 community showing both girls and boys what an exciting profession this can be.

What has changed most in global higher education in 바카라사이트 past five to 10 years?
Funding, probably. In 바카라사이트 US a lot of HE is becoming more expensive and privatised. Conducting basic science is becoming more and more difficult to do.

If you were a prospective university student facing ?9,000 fees, would you go again or get a job?
I would go again. There¡¯s been a lot of press in 바카라사이트 US with people saying university is just not worth it, but I always think it is. It opens up your world to thoughts that you haven¡¯t experienced before. How do you put a price on that?

What kind of undergraduate were you?
I was not an incredible student. In fact, I always tell people I¡¯m not that smart, I just worked really, really hard.

What keeps you awake at night?
I¡¯m a pretty good sleeper, but my mind turns on early in 바카라사이트 morning ¨C anywhere between 3am and 5am, depending on what problems are rolling around in my head. These days I do more management than science ¨C networking, running a research group ¨C so often 바카라사이트 things that keep me up have more to do with conducting research than how to solve a particular problem.

What advice would you give to your younger self?
Don¡¯t underestimate what you can do and what 바카라사이트 world has to offer. Again, coming from a small town, I had very little exposure to what was possible, yet I¡¯ve always looked for 바카라사이트 most fun thing around 바카라사이트 corner.

john.elmes@tesglobal.com