Career Profile - Robyn Phipps
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Robyn Phipps is
a Lecturer in Building Technology. The job entails teaching property students
“how a building functions” and doing research in the design of healthy
building systems.
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I have a slightly unusual profile for a women scientist, in
that I entered science through the back door. I’m sure my Physics teacher
will be astounded at the work I am currently doing, as I was not one of
her top students.
I started my tertiary education at Victoria University, with degrees
in Building Science and Architecture. I was not the highest performing
student in my intermediate year but as the course progressed I became very
inspired, worked long hours and graduated with honours.
While I was studying I spent two years working as an assistant designer
in an architectural practice. Juggling full time work and half time
study was difficult – but it paid my fees and gave me lots of real project
experience and contacts that helped kick start my career. When I graduated
I had enough experience to start my own architectural practice, which
was very profitable but difficult to manage a steady workload.
After several years doing commercial architectural work, I couldn’t
help notice that a lot of common building practices were making the building’s
occupants very sick. I observed a new office building in Nelson where
three very pregnant women miscarried within six weeks of moving into their
new premises; the cause was found to be formaldehyde released from the building
materials, such as carpet, furniture and paint. The office design was
similar to work that my architectural peers and I were designing and then
I knew I had to do something different.
If you believe in luck, you could say that I was very lucky to be
offered a job at Massey University as a Lecturer in Building Technology.
The job entails teaching property students “how a building functions” and
doing research in the design of healthy building systems. I have since
completed a PhD developing a design tool to support building designers design
healthy office buildings.
My research has required that I gain a lot of science knowledge
that I wish I had learnt earlier. I have had to teach myself not only
how to spell formaldehyde, but how it and many other toxic chemicals behave
in the built environment. I have had to learn some microbiology, such
as the ecology of fungi and bacteria and methods to quantify microbial
contamination. I have even dragged out my old physics texts to learn about
moisture and heat transfer and the interactions of very fine respirable
particles with other elements of the indoor environment.
I’m currently a Senior Lecturer and my job has more research opportunities
than I have time. I have researched methods to control fungi and bacteria
in damp homes and office buildings. I have helped research the health
effects from fluorescent lighting, and the concentrations of respirable
particles found in office buildings. I derive a lot of satisfaction from
developing design tools to help other building designers make healthier
buildings, and two companies are currently looking at commercialisation
of my system. Teaching students and the public about ways to create a healthier
environment is also very rewarding. It is a good feeling that my work can
make a practical impact on many peoples lives.
My research has featured on TV news twice and radio numerous times.
I meet many interesting people through my work and I balance my time between
working in my office, the lab and getting out into the community. When
you work with buildings, you are always meeting chances to put theory into
practice and everywhere you go is your laboratory.
Several years ago I was given some management responsibilities,
and it has been an interesting learning curve finding ways to lead my
colleagues, many of who are senior to me in years and rank, and are male.
I have young twin daughters, and can to some extent juggle my office
hours to spend time with them, although this means working in the evenings.
I couldn’t manage both young children and my career without the support
of my family and an excellent nanny.
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