Against all odds: finding my own path to science

Professor Vicki Clifton is a National Health and Medical Research Council Senior Research Fellow and Professorial Research Fellow with the Mothers and Babies Theme at Mater Medical Research Institute in Brisbane, Australia. She leads the Pregnancy and Development team, focusing on the impact of maternal asthma and other health complications during pregnancy on placental function, fetal growth, and childhood development, with a specific interest in allergy.

About the Researcher

Professor Clifton’s journey into science was unconventional. Raised in a low socioeconomic area of Australia, she overcame significant societal and personal challenges to pursue higher education. With the support of her family—particularly the strong, motivated women who balanced careers and family life—she attended university when tuition was free in Australia. Her academic path was shaped by personal experiences, including a miscarriage at 20 weeks gestation, which drove her passion for placentology and fetal survival research.

Balancing motherhood with her studies, Professor Clifton completed her undergraduate and postgraduate degrees part-time while caring for her children. Her career was further supported by a group of male mentors who encouraged her postgraduate studies, provided her first job, and guided her through her PhD and postdoctoral work. She attributes her success to a love of challenges, competition, and resilience in the face of failure.

Her advice to aspiring scientists is to pursue a PhD in a topic they are passionate about, embracing the intellectual and personal growth it offers. Despite the difficulties, she describes the PhD experience as transformative, fostering a sense of accomplishment and capability.