Chasing dreams to excel in science

Three women pursue careers in marine biology, driven by childhood love for animals and nature

WOMEN are living in a time where they can pursue any career of their choice.

In the past, it was common to see women taking up traditional roles such as teachers, nurses, secretaries, hairdressers, babysitters in administrative jobs, but these days, there is nothing stopping them from going after their dream job.

In fact, it is not unconventional to see women stepping out of the traditional mould to explore the fields of science and technology, which, at one time, was male-dominated.

StarMetro spoke to three dedicated women scientists who went to great lengths to achieve their dreams.

All three local graduates said their love for science started from a young age by exploring the outdoors and watching nature at work.

It was this love that led them down the road of science, environmental studies and marine biology.

Lab manager Intan Shazlin Tajul Ashikin, 37, said as a young girl, she loved watching plants going through the process of growing.

“I used to observe how from a seedling, a plant would grow and flower or even bear fruit. It fascinated me. As a child, I dreamt of becoming a plant scientist.

“The one thing that made me doubt if I could become a scientist was that I was afraid of rats. When studying science subjects, dissecting animals including rats was something I had to deal with,” she said, adding that she eventually did what was required to fulfil her ambition.

After completing her Form Five at MRSM Terendak in Melaka, Intan Shazlin continued on to Kolej Matrikulasi Perak in Gopeng before applying to Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) and graduated with a Bachelor in Science Biology.

Tan’s team visiting Universiti Malaysia Sabah’s hatchery where seabass are raised in tanks,

During her undergraduate years, Intan Shazlin developed an interest in detecting diseases common to marine life.

“I was keen to help local farmers. In the course of my studies, I realised that farmers use test kits to test shrimps and fish samples to ensure they are disease free.

“Most of these test kits are imported from Europe and other countries, hence, are expensive.

“So I started working with Prof Dr Subha Bhassu from Universiti Malaya on creating the Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) test kits for disease detection.

“The test kit was awarded ISO 17025, which is an accreditation for the product and the standard required,” she said.

Intan Shazlin said recognition for such products was often given to bigger companies but with Prof Subha’s help, the small company she worked for was able to produce locally-made test kits.

Tan showing a healthy white shrimp.

“When we have more scientists creating products locally, we can make test kits affordable.

“Many labs are invited to collaborate with the universities.

“This is opening doors for more women to venture in the field of science,” she said.

Intan Shazlin said it was common to see more men participating in aquaculture exhibitions than women.

“By attending such exhibitions, I learn new things connected to science and technology. It helps me with my innovations.

“I feel the government should support local innovations for test kits for testing purposes. This will help us lower the cost of test kits and enable the science sector to grow,” she said.

Intan Shazlin, who lived in Kajang, is a single mother to a six-year-old daughter.

After sending her daughter to a childcare centre, she drives to Universiti Malaya in Kuala Lumpur where the lab she worked at is located.

Tan holding a grouper and checking for parasites and other health issues.

“When my divorce took place five years ago, I could not complete my Masters (programme)because I was overwhelmed by personal issues,” said Intan Shazlin, who has had good support from her parents.

“I had planned to quit my job but my superiors advised against it. Thanks to them, I am still at the job I love.”

She urged women not to give up on their dreams when faced with life challenges and to surround themselves with people having a positive influence.

Aquatic expert Erin Tan Chung Wei, 45, said her parents encouraged her to pursue her interest in animals and biology.

“When I was a child, my father rescued a lost baby wild boar, which I then raised. I bottle fed the boar but one day, it ran away.

“In school, I listed my ambition as zoo keeper, animal behaviourists or librarian,” said Tan who holds a Bachelor in Science (Honours) in Biotechnology from Universiti Malaya and Masters in Zoology (majoring in Fish Parasitology) from University of Guelph in Canada.

The managing director of an aquatic solution company said to her children that she was a fish doctor.

“I learned about fish parasitology from a parasitologist while I was doing research in Canada.

“I returned to Malaysia after finding a job here,” said Tan, who is also the Malaysia Aquatic Development Association secretary-general.

She is passionate about the health of fishes and goes about detecting diseases to provide product solutions to fish and shrimp farmers.

Tan checking the transparency level of water in a shrimp pond.

“Gone are the days when people merely sold products without expertise in the disease,” she said.

Tan said the job did have its challenges because most farmers were men and some doubted her abilities due to her gender.

“It is not a glamorous job as we are under the sun, visit ponds to catch fish and are often covered in slime,” she said.

“I recall a day when our experiment was a success and we didn’t know that the fish was mature with eggs. As I lifted the fish, its eggs splattered onto our faces.”

Tan attributes her mother, a retired school teacher, as her role model for encouraging her to venture into a male dominated industry.

She said her mother always emphasised that women must be independent and earn an income.

“My mother and her three sisters all had university degrees at a time when women were expected to be housewives.

Sugania (middle) calculating prevalence of leeches on groupers.

“I encourage parents to take their children outdoors. Science is nature. You must experience it. I expose my children to the arts too as it gives us balance in life,” said Tan.

She works with another aquatic expert Sugania Vijayan, 50, a business development director in the same company.

They complement each other’s expertise by working alongside.

Sugania said her interest in marine biology began after watching a television series by Jacques Cousteau where he led hundreds of marine expeditions featuring oceanic life in the 80s.

“I was about 13 years old when I watched these documentaries and was attracted to the marine world. I wanted to live on boats and research on marine life,” said Sugania.

She was just five when her father died leaving her mother, a telephone operator, to raise her and two siblings single-handedly.

Sugania said her mother encouraged her to dream big.

Of course, landing her dream job in marine biology was no smooth ride either.

She completed both her Bachelors and Masters degrees in Science, majoring in Biology at Universiti Sains Malaysia.

Among Sugania’s proudest moments is working with an inventor to develop an environmental-friendly innovation to remove marine leeches from fish ponds.

She was accepted to continue her PhD at Museè de Naturel Histoire in Paris, but she did not pursue it because it did not align with her passion which was marine biology and oceanography.

It was then that she found a job in Malaysia suited to her passion.

Among her proudest moments was having worked alongside a local inventor to develop a marine biology environmental-friendly innovation to attract marine leeches harmful to fishes especially in farms.

With her scientific knowledge, she also came up with marine-friendly products for fish farmers and helped reduce marine diseases through her business development ventures.

“I started my journey in the aquaculture field when I was 29.

“Many study pure science and applied science and leave the industry because the salary is not lucrative.

Sugania holding a healthy 5kg golden snapper.

“I made RM1,600 as my starting pay. The society, too, looks down on people who do not have conventional careers,” said the mother of a 10-year-old boy.

Sugania said initially, fish farmers doubted her ability to advise them, but she eventually gained their trust.

“It is an enriching career. We get to travel and see interesting aspects of nature.

“We get to speak to people of different backgrounds and it is certainly a unique experience.

“I am proud of myself for sticking to my passion regardless of the challenges,” she added.