At just 23, Joburg-based Kristen Burgess has been selected for a scholarship to Cambridge! We sat down with the PhD candidate to talk all things big dreams:
Johannesburg, South Africa (2 May, 2023)—Kristen Burgess is a young South African woman making waves in the science world. Recently, she was selected for a scholarship to Cambridge, where she’ll be part of the Cambridge class of 2023.
We sat down with the Rhodes Scholar to chat about all things big dreams, chemistry and Cambridge:
What was the strongest feeling you felt when you learned that you’d achieved the Gates Cambridge scholarship offer?
“I honestly cannot even express the surge of emotions I felt when reading the email with the scholarship offer. There was this overwhelming feeling of relief and excitement. The emotions were quite overstimulating and I had to compose myself to finish my work in the lab before I could go home and tell my friends and family.
“Their responses just made everything so much more exciting. It took some work to convince myself that I was not an imposter and I worked hard to be awarded this scholarship, but these feelings always have a way of creeping up.”
You’re still in your early twenties. How does it feel to be on the path to your PhD at this phase of your life?
“The thought of having the opportunity to be pursuing my PhD by the time I am 24 is very exciting and I feel privileged to be in the position I am to exploit this opportunity. Since I am still relatively young, I know I will have the necessary energy it takes to tackle the challenge of this degree and remain curious and inquisitive.
“It is quite strange that I will likely only be 27 when I have my first full-time job, but still, the pursuit of knowledge is the goal in this next phase of my life.”
You’re opting to explore both chemistry and biochemistry further. Rewinding a little, were you always scientifically inclined as a kid?
“I have always been curious about how things in the world work, inside and outside of science. I did not initially know that this would translate into a career in the sciences, but once I knew what science was and developed a passion for it, I started realising that this was what I wanted to pursue for the rest of my life.”
Tell us a little more about what you hope to achieve through your research. What sparked your interest in the underlying mechanisms of cancer in particular?
“My aim is to explore how cancer has the devastating effect that it does. This disease is so complex and convoluted and there are gaps in the current knowledge that are hindering us from designing effective and selective therapies against it.
“Over my PhD, I will explore how glioblastoma multiforme modifies its extracellular environment to further enhance its invasion. Upon developing a better understanding of the extracellular matrix of brain cancer, a more intelligent molecular intervention can be designed. I have always been interested in diseases, in general, but cancer in particular.
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“There is something so fascinating about cancer and its intricacies. Someone very close to me recently was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, but this was when I was already in my BSc honours year and doing a small research thesis on cancer therapies. This did not ignite my passion for research on this disease, but it did fuel my curiosity.”
If you could give one piece of advice to other young South Africans looking to focus on a similar future, what would you tell them?
“My advice would be to chase your dream, give it 150% of yourself and believe you are capable. And in between all the hard work, make sure you have fun with your friends and family, give animals cuddles whenever you can and chase other dreams as well.
“The journey that I have taken to get here has been far from linear and definitely, the most difficult challenge I have ever taken on. However, it has already been incredibly rewarding and it hasn’t even started yet. I am pursuing my dream; 5 years ago, if someone told me this would be where I am in the future, I never would have believed them.”
What are you most excited about in light of of the scholarship programme and your future?
“I am most excited about this path my life is taking and that all my hard work is manifesting into an opportunity I have been dreaming of. I am also eager to interact with other great thinkers of our time, in and outside of the sciences, and to be inspired along the way. I am delighted that I will have the opportunity to inspire other young academics to pursue their dreams and to be brave enough to tackle global issues.”
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