Infuse Infuse 1 September 2017 | Page 12

for her staff. It was great to see them “work
hard” and then “play hard” at the post-meeting
dinner.
MF: I’ve been invited to present or speak on
five continents. Because of this, I’ve visited
destinations such as Singapore, Thailand, India,
New Zealand, Portugal, Scotland and much of
the USA - and of course, Australia.
I witnessed all the qualities of a true leader
in Dr Shankar - qualities that I myself strive to
emulate and to promote:
Infuse: What advice would you give to a
dietetics student who wants to follow in your
career footsteps?
• a vision for greatness;
• a clear understanding of the importance of
research and professional networks;
• the ability to motivate her team to greatness,
and to recognise a job well done;
• support for ongoing professional
development; and
• a strong emphasis on lifelong learning.
MF: Definitely consider doing a PhD; you can
get paid to see the world. There are so many
opportunities to present your research at an
international conference -- and then take extra
time for holidays. Alternatively, seek out a job
overseas, and then explore that part of the
world on your weekends or short holiday trips,
which are less expensive than traveling from
Australia. And remember, while your starting

salary as you first establish

your career may not be

high, you can balance this

by seeking out ways to get

“paid” in life experiences!
Infuse: What were your top takeaways from
this trip on a personal level?
MF: India is truly breathtaking,
and photos do not do it
justice. This was my second
trip there. It is an infusion for
the senses, and served as
inspiration for the very name
of this magazine! I was
overwhelmed every day by
sights, scents and sounds. I
was often out of my comfort
zone (including sitting atop of
an elephant, hanging on for
my life). And yet I embraced
this. It was a good challenge
for me to get comfortable
with being uncomfortable.
“I witnessed all
the qualities of
a true leader
in

Dr Shankar
–
qualities
that I

myself strive
to

emulate
and to

promote...”

Infuse: How important is it
to commit to lifelong
learning, as your career
advances and your
responsibilities increase
[and your time seems to
decrease]?
MF: I have the same
commitment to lifelong
learning today as I did as a

new graduate. We need to
continue to learn and grow. What I am
learning today is vastly different from what I
was learning as a new graduate. These days,
my learning is focused on business and
technology innovations, rather than dietetics.
Infuse: How far along were you in your career
when you first found a way to travel while
enriching yourself professionally?
MF: Judy Bauer, my first dietetic manager
and associate PhD supervisor, shares my
passion for travel and lifelong learning. She
encouraged me to submit an abstract on
my PhD research, malnutrition screening,
to the American Dietetic Association (now
AND) conference. As a result, I was offered
a position to work in a nutrition company in
the USA, where I worked in research, product
development and marketing for eight years.
This “dream job” then led to many other trips
around the globe.
I take every opportunity possible to learn
something new. This could be by reading
a business book, attending a blogging or
overseas conference, or traveling to another
country (who would have thought travel is an
acceptable form of PD?). Travel takes you away
from your usual everyday activities, and opens
you up to new experiences and novel ways of
doing things. After an overseas trip, I come
home refreshed and buzzing with new ideas.
It’s a combination of my mind being free to
think, combined with observing new ways of
looking at the world.
Infuse: What are some of the other incredible
destinations that your career has taken you?
interview continues overleaf...
© Dietitian Connection
12
Infuse | September 2017