Women and Business with Professor Kim Dale
“Finding your passion is the key,” Professor Kim Dale told senior pupils at Kilgraston School, “finding that work/life balance is absolutely vital.”
The Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology and Assistant Vice Principal (International) of the University of Dundee, was speaking to girls as part of the School’s Women and Business industry insider lecture series.
A world-expert in Notch Signalling Pathways, the research scientist detailed her own career pathway, starting with a BSc Hons in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the University of Southampton before progressing to a PhD in Developmental Biology and Embryology at London’s UCL: “This was a very tough course,” she told girls, “however, I cannot tell you how exciting it is to be asking a question no-one else in the whole world knows the answer to and you’re going to find!”
This passion for science saw the Professor pursue her interest to sunny southern France and the Campus de Luminy at the CNRS Faculté des Sciences at the Aix Marseille University. Here, she took a post-doctoral position, as an independent scientist, asking “really exciting biological questions.”
Professor Dale investigated embryonic Somite skeletal development and timeframes for different species – in a mouse it’s two hours, in a human eight! For the very first time, the presence of a gene ‘clock’ was established, discovering that if the Notch Pathway was interrupted (the ‘clock’ going wrong) normal development would be hampered.
From here, it was off to mid-west America to a brand-new Science research facility. While here, Prof Dale not only became a mum but developed her own independent research questions and pilot data which allowed her to apply for and secure funding to establish her own research laboratory back in Scotland and to the University of Dundee’s Faculty of Life Sciences.
Upon returning, several new skills had to be learnt - budget responsibility, people management and recruitment. “The biggest key to making it work is employing the right people,” the Professor emphasised, “my success was their success and their success was my success.” Key to success with the cutting-edge research in stem cell development was the team: “We’re all always learning from each other.”
Professor Dale concluded her talk by describing how her career had moved into management, last year accepting the position of Assistant Vice Principal where she draws on her international connections and experience: “Open your eyes for a great mentor at every step,” girls were advised, “always make sure you are passionate about the job.”
Professor Dale was given rapturous applause from all year groups, one pupil commenting: “She was just so inspiring!”
Ewan Connolly, Head of Science at Kilgraston, said: “Being presented with industry experts goes a long way to helping pupils with both tertiary education and career choices. We were very privileged to have someone of Professor Dale’s calibre visit the School.”
Kilgraston School is very proud of the fact that, on average, every year over 60% of Sixth Form leavers pursues an undergraduate STEM subject including, in 2022, to read Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge.
3.2.22
“At a time of enforced separation, Kilgraston School is very much together.”
Hyperbole is frequently misused. On this occasion, I feel justified in saying that the speed of unfolding events has been almost incomprehensible for each and every member of our community.
However, I am extremely proud to report that, at the end of our first week of the new working arrangement, every part of Kilgraston has more than risen to the challenge.
Plato said: ‘Necessity is the mother of invention’. Never before has there been a need to reinvent working practice so rapidly.
Every member of our close Kilgraston community has changed their routine, embracing new and unfamiliar arrangements. But despite this, a full roll-call has been maintained.
This is an extremely difficult time; for our community and the entire world. Like never before, working as a collegiate is vital and I feel immensely honoured – and humble – at the way in which pupils, staff, parents, guardians, everybody, have embraced the ‘TEAMS’ technology, enabling us to carry on.
I understand that there are many challenges to having children at home: trying to help teach, trying to work, trying to maintain a routine. I understand the worries of pupils thrown into disarray with exam changes, the possible influences on future education and the ensuing anxiety that this will cause parents and carers.
But please remember that you are not alone.
At a time of enforced separation and distance, we are very much together. From Mexico to Spain, France to Kurdistan, Dingwall to Dorset, we’re still a family and very much there for one another.
There is no ‘I’ in either team nor TEAMS. There is only a collective effort. These changes have been hard for everyone but, together, we will get through this and emerge stronger and more resilient.
Every individual has played their vital part, ensuring our Kilgraston School will continue to be the unique and precious community with which we are all so familiar.
Despite these extenuating circumstances, many, many parents and guardians have taken time out of their busy day to write and thank staff for the dedication and ingenuity demonstrated this week, thus ensuring a fulfilling curriculum for their children.
If you will permit, I would like to sign-off with their words, not mine. At the end of this extraordinary week, thank you so much for your assistance and consideration.”
Dorothy MacGinty, Headmistress
from parents & guardians…
- “Can we just say how impressed we have been by the level of support the girls have received this week - much more direct involvement by teaching staff compared with schools in the west. Well done Kilgraston.”
- “From our perspective, the virtual teaching has been going very well indeed. Not unexpectedly, (my daughter’s) have risen to the occasion and fully embraced the new ways of learning. A big thank you to all staff for their creativity and commitment to continuing to provide learning and routine for the girls. A brilliant demonstration of how young people can be supported to cope, even thrive, in the face of adversity. True resilience-building.”
- “Thank you for all your communication and organisation at this difficult time. The ‘Teams’ seems to have worked well and all the teachers continue to provide fantastic support. It is much appreciated at what is a difficult time for the girls with their exams being cancelled. Stay safe and many thanks.”
- “As I sit at my dining table working through this morning’s emails, I am listening to an U3 English class being delivered by Mrs Ramsay on Zoom. The girls are excited by the whole experience and interacting well. I have always had respect for teachers but Mrs Ramsay has gone up a further notch. Great stuff – making me smile and feeling proud to be part of it in some small way!”
- “I just wanted to send a quick email to thank you and your team for implementing an efficient and effective changeover for the girls to continue their learning. Daughter (Upper Fourth) has been really diligent in making sure that she is doing her work and keeping up to date. Thank you, as it cannot have been easy to put everything together in a short period of time and under a situation that was changing every day. Best wishes”
- “A well balanced and pragmatic risk-based approach from Mrs MacGinty. I am sure I speak for many of the parents - if you need any support (as many of us are now working from home) do reach out. More than happy to help out maintain some sort of normality for the girls, brawn or brain offered. Pass on my support.”
- “I just wanted to say thank you for all the excellent communication you have given parents. I feel that in a crazy situation you have led from the front and maintained a real contact with us parents and kept us up-to-date as you have been able. I am so sorry that we have not been able to stay open and I think you and your staff have really kept calm in this crazy time. I am thinking of you all in these difficult days and send my very best to you and your staff.”
- “Thank you so very much for all your communication and I look forward to getting the girls back to school as soon as possible. In the mean time we shall buckle down and keep healthy!! Best wishes, please all take care of yourselves and thank you for what I consider an amazing job that you are all doing.”
