Nicole Vella, Technical Project Officer in the Faculty of Science and Engineering, still recalls her first trip to Macquarie, when, as a prospective undergraduate student in the 1990s, she visited the Microscopy Unit in the basement of what was the E8A building.

From all the universities she toured, it was her most memorable Open Day experience and the moment that lead her to complete Bachelor, Honours and Master degrees at Macquarie. Little did she know she would go on to spend many years working in that very laboratory, as both a research student and a microscopist, exploring the tiny world of living and non-living things.

Between roles at other organisations, Nicole has now worked at Macquarie for more than 20 years. For much of that time she has worked closely with postgraduate students, teaching them specialist microscopy skills and collaborating on research projects. Subsequently, her work diversified to include contributions to work health and safety policy development and work integrated learning program governance. In her current role as Technical Project Officer, she supports strategic and operational initiatives within the faculty, with a focus on the Technical Operations and Macquarie Analytical and Fabrication Facility groups.

“I have a lot to thank Macquarie for – in addition to education and career achievements, many friendships have sprouted here. I even met my husband at a Conception Day long ago,” says Nicole.

---

1. Something you’d like staff to know about

Astronomy Open Night is on Saturday 23 September. Tickets go on sale soon!

2. A person you admire at Macquarie, and why

Alison Downing, who amongst many admirable things, cultivates an appreciation of botanical diversity through her enlightening Plants of the World stories.

3. What you need to do your best work

Enthusiasm and a view of something natural, whether it be a desk plant, blue sky or trees in the distance.

4. The coolest bit of equipment you have used in your work, and what it does

An ultramicrotome (pictured below), which is used to cut ridiculously thin sections (~70nm) for biological transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

While it is certainly not as glamorous as using the microscope, the ultramicrotome is a far more challenging piece of equipment to master and one that is critical to image sections through TEM.

5. Something you’ve listened to recently that has had an impact on you

The Threads podcast by Veronica Milsom. The figures on how many clothes Australians buy, how little we wear each item and how much is discarded are pretty confronting. Buy less. Wear it more.

6. Your definition of success

Being happy with and proud of the outcome, even if it isn’t exactly what you envisaged or planned for at the onset.

7. Something you can’t live without (and why)

My garden – it saves me a lot on gym fees and is a source of so many emotions (from ‘Wow, I’ve found a hornwort growing!’ to ‘Drat, something has feasted on the pumpkin I was about to harvest!’).

8. A personal quality you value in others

Honesty and openness.

9. Something you’re trying to do differently in 2023

Eat less chocolate!

10. I’m happiest when…

I am outside, sharing my love of the natural world with my children.