Biochemist, marine biologist and chocolate supplier – Romaric Bouveret is someone around campus you need to get to know.

His early years of work and study saw Rom travel the world. After completing an Honours degree in Biochemistry in France, he worked as a Marine Biologist in Tahiti, before moving to Switzerland to complete his PhD studies in Natural Sciences.

Rom then relocated to Sydney in 2006, with a postdoc position at the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, where he studied the genetic and molecular mechanisms that lead to early cardiac defects such as ‘hole-in-the-heart’.

After completing an MBA at the University of Sydney in 2015, he became the Business Strategy Manager at the EMBL Australia Node at UNSW. That prepared him for his current role at Macquarie University Hearing, where he works with a great team as the Director of Strategy and Operations.

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1. Something you’d like staff to know about
Macquarie University Hearing (MU Hearing) is on a mission to be the go-to independent leaders in hearing health research, education, and services. We cannot achieve this alone and are very keen to engage and collaborate with diverse colleagues from arts, business, science, engineering, medicine, industry and government.

2. Something you feel proud of
Macquarie University Hearing recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with major local and international organisations from the corporate, government and non-for-profit sector. The MoU is a small step towards a formal arrangement, but it has been an incredible team effort. Importantly, it will bring people and organisations together to help patients and families.

3. A person you admire at Macquarie, and why
Since I started at Macquarie last year, I have been really impressed with the professional, positive and ‘go’ attitude from so many people. It is such a privilege that I don’t take for granted.

4. What you need to do your best work
Coffee and chocolate… Now you know what my bribe is!

5. The coolest bit of equipment you use in your work, and what it does
A candy machine currently dispensing M&Ms. It sits on my desk and it’s there if you want to have a chat.

6. Something you’ve read recently that has had an impact on you
I recently read what Churchill said in a speech to the House of Commons in 1947: “It has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time; but there is the broad feeling in our country that the people should rule, and that public opinion expressed by all constitutional means, should shape, guide, and control the actions of Ministers who are their servants and not their masters.”

7. Your definition of success
Making someone smile

8. The first person you go to for advice (and why)
My previous supervisor and mentor, Kat Gaus, with whom I worked for four years until she sadly passed away a year ago. She made people better and I sometimes ask myself: What would Kat do?

9. A website or app you can’t live without (and why)
seabreeze.com.au – I’d go out for a paddle every morning if I could. Before I go, I know whether to expect rain or sunshine.

10. A personal quality you value in others
I really like it when people ‘keep it simple’.

11. Something you’re trying to do differently in 2022
I am trying to show more gratitude – it is surprisingly easy to forget to be grateful.