Dr Kelsey Pool’s postdoctoral research with The University of Western Australia’s School of Agriculture and Environment focuses on animal reproduction and has already achieved breakthroughs resulting in real outcomes for industry.

The Lefroy Fellowship Research Associate is currently working with industry producers to understand how oestrogenic clover causes infertility in sheep, investigating the impacts of climate change on livestock and exploring how in-utero interventions could improve twin lamb survival. Beyond the farm, Dr Pool uses fruit flies to model how our environment can alter the fertility of future generations.

She recently joined a group of young science educators on a neuroscience roadshow tour to Broome and Esperance, holding a series of lectures, workshops, and interactive demonstrations to introduce young people to the possibilities of a career in science. Dr Pool also recently won the WA finals for Famelab, the world’s largest public-facing science communication competition in the world, and was a national finalist.

In the latest episode of Research on the Record Dr Pool talks about the challenges of dividing her time between farm and lab for her hands-on research, as well as constantly expanding her skills to meet the demands of her investigations – such as learning foetal lamb surgery.

Dr Pool also shares her advice for navigating the often-demanding world of Higher Degree Research, where you are “always dispensable” – and why she believes academia needs an impact measurement system that acknowledges skills and work beyond scientific publications.