Profile
Malwina Niechcial-McKenna
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About Me:
I teach students and study for a PhD in Edinburgh. I love music and own three instruments, but cannot play any of them to save my life!
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I’m from Poland and moved to the UK when I was 13. I found moving to a new country as a teenager a difficult. But made some friends pretty quickly, so it was ok. I love music! Although rock is my favourite, I listen to lots of different types of music. I love Disney movies and I’m not ashamed to admit it 🙂 My favourites are the classics, like Lion King and Beauty and the Best, but I also like their more recent films, like Brave and Princess and the Frog. I also love food in any way, shape or form. I often cook at home and love trying new and foreign recipes! I normally never order meat dishes when eating at a restaurant – I love trying vegetarian or vegan dishes I would never normally cook myself! I also love watching crime documentaries and if I wasn’t such a chicken, I’d love to be a forensic psychologist, working with criminals in prison. But I’m not tough enough for that 🙂
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My pronouns are:
she/her
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My Work:
I am currently researching my PhD, looking at what leisure activities (like learning a new language) can help us keep our brain sharp as we get older.
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In my work, I see a lot of older adults. I have been part of a project with 336 of them for the last 6 years, where they come to the University to have their brains (and other things) tested. The session lasts around 3 hours, so I always make sure we have a good laugh together 🙂 Making a nice cup of tea and coffee is my special superpower 🙂 I have also previously worked with older adults with dementia (this is where their brains are not so healthy, and they often forget things). Alongside my PhD work, I also teach students at University and enjoy talking to those really interested in psychology.
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My Typical Day:
I start my morning with some Nutella oats and coffee. I like to put fruit like blueberries or mango in my oats to make them more interesting. I normally try to get to work for 9am but I also sometimes work from home. While at work, I do some teaching, experiments and writing. I usually have my lunch around 1pm, and will often have that with friends. I normally finish work around 5pm and go home. I then have dinner and watch some crime documentary or an action film if my husband is not watching football!
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From September to May, I teach students at University a couple of days a week. That’s normally my busiest time and I get a bit stressed, so my husband always makes sure we go on a short break in October and then again around April because he knows I need it 🙂 I usually spend the rest of the week (and summer months) working on my PhD. I have done lots of experiments with older adults over the summer, so I am now putting everything onto the computer and will be looking at my results soon. Although not a typical day, I also go to conferences to present my work. I recently went to Belgium and had the most delicious waffles!
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What I'd do with the prize money:
We do a lot of cool stuff at the University, for example, some of my friends work with robots. I would use the money to get school-aged children to come along and see some of those things in action and hopefully inspire them to think about a career in research!
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Education:
I started school in Poland and then moved to the UK when I was 13. I went to high school and sixth form in Rochdale. I moved to Wolverhampton to study Psychology when I was 18, and then to Edinburgh to do some more studying. I then worked for 7 years before starting my PhD in Edinburgh two and a half years ago.
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Qualifications:
I have done my GCSEs at Wardle High School in Rochdale. My elective subjects were French, Art, Media Studies and Textiles and Design. I then did my A-levels at Oldham Sixth Form, taking Psychology, Law, French and Maths. I then went to Wolverhampton University to do my first degree (BSc) in Psychology, and continued with a masters (MSc) in Human Cognitive Neuropsychology (learning about the brain in a lot of detail) at the University of Edinburgh. I am currently studying for my PhD in Psychology at Heriot-Watt University, also in Edinburgh.
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Work History:
I started work as a barmaid in a pub in Rochdale while studying for my A-levels. I worked in similar jobs throughout University, as well as being a Residential Assistant at the student halls, where I lived while studying at University. I got a job in a bank after finishing my masters degree. Two years later, I got a research job at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. I have since worked at the Student Service Centre and Human Resources, and I’m now working at the Department of Psychology (all at the same University).
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Current Job:
Graduate Teaching Assistant (I teach students and do my PhD)
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Employer:
Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Tests people's brains
What did you want to be after you left school?
A psychologist, although I wanted to be lots of different things as a child.
Were you ever in trouble at school?
Once...
If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?
Forensic scientist helping solve crimes. I love watching them on telly!
Who is your favourite singer or band?
There are too many good rock bands! But I would say Trivium are my favourite.
What's your favourite food?
Any type of pasta. Yum!
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
1) Have more money, so I could visit lots of cool places. 2) Be able to fly. 3) Have Michael Jackson over for dinner.
Tell us a joke.
Did you know that Bruce Lee had a vegetarian brother? His name is Broccoli!
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