A woman with many hats
Professor Clare Collins . Unrivalled in the dietetic world . Researcher , media commentator , mentor , and innovator . Dietitian Connection founder Maree Ferguson was lucky enough to sit down for a chat and to ask the burning questions – like just how does she fit everything in ?
Maree : You ’ re a National Health and Medical Research Council senior research fellow and lead the largest team of research dietitians internationally at the University of Newcastle here in Australia . How did it all start ?
Clare : Well , many years ago , when I was a teenager , I had this wonderful teacher who took it upon himself to give us career advice . I remember him telling us to take a piece of paper , and on one side write the subjects that we were good at , and on the other side , write what we liked best . Then we had to head off to the library and thumb through the A to Z book of careers until we found a job that embodied them both . I got to ‘ D ’ for ‘ dietitian ’, and that was it . I went home and told mum that I was going to be a dietitian , and I was going to do a science degree and then go to Sydney University , as there was no course in Queensland at that time . I was one of nine kids growing up in a house with parents who had never been to university , but they encouraged me to do what I loved . Basically , I would give that same advice to anyone - pursue what you love , and it ' ll come together down the track .
© Dietitian Connection 10 Infuse | November 2020