Where did you go and what did you do?
I did my PIPS at Random42. Random42 specialises in creating scientifically accurate animations to communicate mechanism of disease and mechanism of action for the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry.
I was part of the Science & Project management team, who are involved with pretty much the whole process of creating an animation! We first meet with clients for an initial call to set out the objectives and expectations for the project. Then we write a referenced script with description of the animation. The script and scene description go through a couple of rounds of feedback with the clients, and then we draw up a simple storyboard for the Random42 production team to create an animation. During the production, we sometimes need to record scratch voiceover audio for the production team to time their animation. Again, this goes through several rounds of feedback with both the production team and the client.
I was involved with several projects at various stages, in which I was able to write some first draft scripts and storyboards. I also got to brief the production team with my storyboard draft, which I found very fulfilling.
In addition to animation, Random42 also produce other forms of media such as slide decks, VR experiences, and websites. There is a website project that I contributed to the basic layout and content, which led to Random42 ‘winning the bid’ for this project that is still ongoing!
Many animations are for internal or conference use only. However, here’s a still image of liver disease that we repurposed from an animation to use in a website. I was involved with drafting a storyboard for what the disease should look like for the production team to create.
What made you want to do that particular placement?
I’ve always had an interest in scientific communication, whether it’s for my parents, lay audience, or professionals. I am also enthusiastic about portraying scientific ideas in ‘art’ – whatever form that may be. I take part in science festivals within the university, which is science communication for lay audience. So for my PIPS, I wanted to try scientific communications for professional audiences, but I definitely don’t want to be in medical writing. Random42 sits at a great intersection of medical communications for healthcare professionals through visually appealing animations.
How did you go about finding and planning your PIPS?
Like many other White Rose students who had completed their PIPS at Random42, I looked through the case studies and the PIPS opportunities page. Random 42 immediately caught my eye. I emailed Elly, the medical director, to discuss the opportunity. Then we met for an initial meeting and I wrote a test script with scene descriptions: this is to try out script writing and I didn’t need to ‘pass’ to get a position. After that it was very flexible on when I could start. I planned to do it just before third year starts so I could enjoy the summer in London!
What have you gained from doing your PIPS?
I really enjoyed working in Random42 and I can definitely see myself in the Science team in the future. The proximity to artists meant that we get to hang out with people from different backgrounds who provide a different perspective on visualising cell biology. Needless to say, the personal relationships with science and production team are truly invaluable. On a technical level, I think storytelling is one of the most important skills that I honed during PIPS since this is also applicable to communicating my PhD project. Customer service skills was something I didn’t expect from this experience. Although I didn’t talk to clients much, sitting through meetings and seeing correspondence showed how to maintain a good relationship with clients, and sometimes setting harsh boundaries but doing it nicely.
How would you sum up your PIPS experience?
I loved it! The team is welcoming and super friendly. I felt like I fit in well with the team and their work culture. The team is made up of all PhD graduates so it was nice to chat about everyone’s PhD journey.
Random42 being a startup-esque company meant that the overall vibe is very energetic. I got to partake in some company-wide events as well which helped to build relationships with people outside of the science team. Being in the peak of summer was great for general wellbeing as we were able to socialise on the roof after work.
What advice would you give to other PGRs about PIPS?
Do your PIPS as early as possible! Not to say you need to get PIPS out of the way because it’s mandatory… but you do need to get it out of the way because it will get harder and harder to block out 3 months from your PhD. PIPS is an amazing opportunity to try working in an industry that you may or may not like, but either way you learn more about yourself and where you want to go/avoid afterwards.