Career Spotlight Interview with Dr. Nisha Ajmani and Dr. Manisha Ajmani

Could you tell us about the fields of STEM you're involved in and what drew you to them?

Manisha Ajmani: I started with my undergrad in Electronics and Communication Engineering and I have done my PhD in wireless communication. After finishing my PhD, I moved to Winnipeg, and started working as a Project Manager in the digital agriculture field. So, specifically in terms of STEM, I'm working in engineering.

Nisha Ajmani: Mine is different. I have a background in biology, but with my love for computers, I opted for bioinformatics. In this field, you make a meaning out of biological data by using a computational system. In terms of STEM, my field is an amalgamation of biology, statistics, computer science, and engineering, all under one umbrella. 

Dr. Nisha Ajmani, what advantages do you see to being in bioinformatics in comparison to other medical fields? 

NA: COVID-19 came as a big surprise to everyone. Being a bioinformatician, I had this advantage of sequencing the SARS virus and seeing the potential regions which could be further used for developing a vaccine. Now, because of bioinformatics, I can see the genome of COVID-19, which can be used for designing antibodies. I think that’s the advantage of being in a field where you can see the exact picture so clearly with the help of computers.

Can you explain some specifics of university when going into your fields? For example, how many years of university does one generally need for the field?

MA: After you finish school, you take a four years engineering course, and you can choose different fields of engineering, whether it's computer science, electronics, or chemical. After finishing your bachelor's degree, you move to a Master’s degree, which takes two years. When obtaining your PhD, it depends on the country, but it generally takes three to seven years.

NA: If you want to get into bioinformatics, then during your bachelor's program, you can always take bioinformatics as a subject. There are also many different branches in bioinformatics, like designing tools or analyzing data. So, if you know what your ambitions are, it is helpful. For developing softwares, I would suggest going for several programming and computer courses. But if you want to analyze the data, you just have to be efficient with the computers, as well as have a good background in biology. After that, you can pursue your Master's degree, PhD, and postdoc, like Manisha said. You also don't have to take any competitive exam, like the MCAT, for a career in bioinformatics.

Dr. Manisha Ajmani, what does your role as the Project Manager at the University entail?

MA: Well, the focus of the project I am currently working on is to automatically generate a label image data set and use those images to train a machine learning model, which can help identify crops and weeds. This will help in monitoring the crop health and improving the growing condition by eliminating any threats, basically improving the efficiency of farming. My role in this project is coordinating the internal resources coordinated with industry partners to ensure timely and flawless execution of the project, overseeing the budgetary objectives, adjusting project constraints based on financial analysis, and reporting progress to project stakeholders, members of the public government, and the public.

What did you do personally in high school and undergraduate school to help you prepare for this field and what obstacles did you face during your education?

NA: The education system in India, where I did my education, is entirely different. In high school, I took biology as my major subject, so after completing my high school, I had the option of going for a specialization in botany or zoology, with an honor subject. At that time, when I completed my undergrad, bioinformatics was a very fairly new field in India, and I wanted to do something where I could study biology while using computers. So, that was when I opted for bioinformatics as an add-on/elective course. I did my Master's degree in Systems Biology and Bioinformatics from India and after completing that, I served as an Assistant Professor in India for four years before moving to Canada. When I moved to Canada, I enrolled myself in the University of Manitoba, completed my education, and then started working with Fisheries and Ocean Canada to analyze data. That is my step-by-step process from biology to bioinformatics!

MA: For engineering, the major subjects were mathematics and physics, which I opted for. After you finish your schooling you have a competitive exam to get into a university for engineering, which I luckily passed. While preparing for my exams in university, I was also taking some programming courses which pushed me further in my degree, as well as doing summer courses at an electronics company.

What is a day in your life like? What do you do on a regular work day, and how has your day changed due to COVID-19?

NA: I'm on maternity leave right now. So, my day consists of juggling the homeschooling of my kids, and also managing my set work schedule, since I’m publishing papers, giving talks, and attending seminars. Before COVID-19, I would go to the university to deliver lectures and attend classes. COVID-19 has definitely brought forward the hybrid culture, where people can stay at home while they work. It's challenging, but I think it's doable. I also miss seeing students in person, since I’m now taking online classes and giving them online lectures. That one-to-one connection is so important, but this is our new normal and everybody is learning to accept it. 

MA: Working from home is actually more flexible, since I can start my day early and sometimes finish it early too. I don't have to travel so I'm saving some time there as well. But, I’m also missing in-person interactions with my colleagues and manager. Before COVID-19, I would also go to the university every day and my work involved collaborating with different organizations, having lots of meetings, talking to different vendors and communicating about my research, and doing presentations.

What are some projects you have been or are currently involved in and what are some of the most important takeaways you took from them?

NA: In India, I was involved in projects where I studied the effects of music in patients suffering from aphasia and stroke, or those facing memory loss. When I came to Canada, my projects completely changed. With Fisheries and Oceans Canada, I studied, sequenced, and annotated the genome of lamprey, which is a jawless fish that evolved approximately 550 million years ago. This project has been my favourite, because after doing RNA sequencing and analyzing the data, we found a couple of new genes which were not in the genome. We published a paper on this, and even submitted our sequences to NCBI. This was a life-changing project where I not only got a chance to discover some new genes, but that also opened some doors. Because of this project, I became the lead bioinformatician at Fisheries and Oceans Canada and showed my skills more widely.

MA: I have always wanted to work on projects in which I can use my technical skills to make people's lives easier. During my PhD, I got a project in Scotland where I designed a tracking system which can track people who are suffering from dementia. During that project, I got a chance to interact with patients and see how they feel and what we can do to make their life easy. When I moved to Winnipeg, I started working on digital agriculture projects, which has the potential to increase the efficiency of the farming future.

Both of you were involved in the organization of a very successful Virtual Soapbox Science event that advocated for women's education in STEM. 

What has been your experience like organizing such an event?

NA: The Soapbox Science organization is an event that runs all across the UK, and it helps women define themselves by showcasing their talents. It was a fabulous experience because when you organize these kinds of events, you get to see a lot of women who are doing fantastic jobs, and after a potential break in their careers, can use the event as a comeback. It’s also great that you can stand anywhere and speak about your research. We even found that a lot of women from Winnipeg who are doing fantastic research have to travel all the way to other provinces, so we wanted to bring it to our city. Also, nowadays, a new field is coming up every day , and high school students are unaware of this terminology that they might base their careers on.

MA: I was one of the speakers at the event too. When I participated, I communicated my research, and I realized that it’s just talking to the general public in a layman language. So, the event helps researchers collaborate with different industry partners who are interested in their project. Along with that, it encourages young kids to pursue the field in which they are interested. When I moved to Winnipeg, I thought that we should bring Soapbox Science to our city, and Nisha and I took on the initiative, and we are even going to organize the second event this year in August!

o you believe that there is a need for more female representation in STEM?

NA: Yes, I do believe that we need more women in STEM. There’s still gender bias in the field, so we need a lot of women for women empowerment and for the advancement of their careers. This initiative and events that Let's Talk Science hosts helps young girls, and provides a platform for women in research.

MA: I agree. If a boy in a village does something big, everyone looks up to him and wants to be like him. This way, if a woman in STEM does something, young girls can also look towards her and say that they want to opt for a STEM field. It is very inspirational.

How do both of you feel about being a female in STEM? Do you think that due to your gender there is a difference in perception in regards to the work you do? Or have you never felt that way?

NA: In some cases, yes, there is a gender bias, and I sometimes feel like I can see it. Maybe not openly or visibly, but it’s still there. But, especially with these kinds of events, it is getting reduced. 

MA: To some extent, if I talk about engineering, some people believe that the engineering profession is just for men. Thankfully, times are starting to change and women are able to prove themselves.

Dr. Nisha Ajmani, is there anything that surprised you when you first started out as a bioinformatician?

NA: Initially, it was surprising because people were not aware about my field in India, but then with the advancement of technology, people started to get an idea about what bioinformatics is. 

What is the most exciting part of your day?

MA: In the times of COVID-19, it is a luxury to have a conversation with people. In my day, I look forward to having a conversation with my team, and also with different collaborators to see what they are working on. I always feel very excited when I have a conversation with my manager or others.

NA: Initially, I used to hate video calls, as I would wonder why we have to do those when we can meet in-person. But, because of COVID-19, I have become used to them, and connecting through Zoom and other platforms is actually exciting. It’s also exciting that I can spend more time with my family and work at my own pace.

What kinds of challenges do you encounter and what kinds of decisions have you had to make?

NA: Coming to a new country and getting accustomed to it was a very big challenge, because although we made a decision to come to Canada, after coming here you miss your hometown. But, I'm glad that Canada is a land of diversity and that there are a lot of immigrants coming here. Getting into a university program, even with a scholarship, was another challenge, and you have to start everything from scratch. For example, I was working as an Assistant Professor in India, but when I moved here, it took me two to three years to get back into the field. Nonetheless, everything has been worth it. I don't regret coming here at all.

MA: When I moved from India to the UK, it was my first time moving from one country to another, and I didn’t have any friends or relatives there. It was also difficult for me to understand their culture, their language, and their accent. As time progressed, though, I was able to adjust to the culture and learn their dialects. 

Dr. Manisha Ajmani, have you done anything in regards to genetically modified food growth in Winnipeg? And if so, could you please tell us more about that? This question comes from a high school student in Winnipeg and was sent to us through our social media.

MA: As I mentioned, my role is more into management, and I have not actually done this yet. But, I would love to do this in future.

Both of you are sisters and both of you are also involved in STEM. Because of how connected your fields can be, do you often work and share your projects with each other?

MA: When Nisha started working on her Master’s, she used to talk to me about the projects she would work on. To be very honest, I am not a fan of biology. So one day, she asked me if I knew what she worked on, and I told her that there are two types of fish, and that after some time, one fish becomes violent, and that she is researching the reason behind this. She was totally shocked that I was listening! So yes, we do share our research with each other, and as we get mature, we are more able to understand what the other person is working on.

NA: We do share our projects and our research areas, and I even take her help sometimes for coding, since she has a computer science background. When we share, we can help each other grow.

What do you think is an important skill that professionals in your field should possess and what skills do you possess to make you successful in your field?

NA: Curiosity. If you're curious about a field, just go ahead and try it out. For example, if you're curious about how something works, get yourself involved in a lab that is doing that kind of work. Curiosity is my main driving force, because when I started bioinformatics, that curiosity of combining biology and computer science was the starting point of my career, and that skill has helped me with the passage of time. Because if you’re not trying something new, how would you know whether that thing is interesting or not? 

MA: I agree with Nisha. You can learn each and every skill, so always keep learning. If you find something interesting, don't hesitate, and just pursue what you like.

In what ways can we advance or move forward in STEM? What are some things that you would say to the next generation of STEM researchers, STEM project managers, and STEM professionals?

NA: Don’t follow the traditional approach. If you think you have a brilliant idea, share it with the peers who are doing that kind of work, and sometimes a small idea can inspire a new project. Moreover, there are a lot of funding opportunities available from the government, so I would suggest exploring that.

MA: Don't restrict yourself, and always explore different fields and see what interests you the most. For example, if you're a researcher, don't restrict yourself to research, and try to explore finance, commerce or world trade, which can also help you get an idea of where your research can help.

What advice would you give to a high school or university student who is unsure of whether or not your individual fields, and to a larger extent the field of STEM, is the right fit for them?

NA: Once again, if you are even slightly unsure, just look for online courses, which can walk you through the field. The second point would be to look for universities, funding options, and labs who are doing that kind of work. You can go for some internship programs and lab training, and that will give you more of an idea of whether you are fit for that field or not.

MA: Just try it out. There is no hard and fast rule that you cannot switch later. Always keep learning and explore what interests you most. As I mentioned before, do more of whatever interests you.