Dr Kira Hughes on lifelong learning at Deakin
Learning doesn’t end when you graduate. Deakin continues to support your lifelong learning journey as you become an alum, go on to postgraduate study or research, or reinvent your career.
We’re highlighting some of the amazing paths that Deakin students, researchers and alumni have taken, starting with Honorary Fellow of Deakin, Doctor Kira Hughes.
Kira went from almost failing her chemistry class to completing a PhD at Deakin and developing a life-saving sensor that detects the risk of thunderstorm asthma.
Kira’s journey to Deakin
Kira didn’t even always want to be a scientist:
‘I was really into fantasy books and wanted to be a writer.’
By being open to new opportunities, a chance encounter helped shape her decision:
‘Near the end of high school I got interested in science and decided, “why not study science at university?” … then I was talking to a cashier and she immediately said, “oh, you should study biomedical science at Deakin … that’s what I’m doing and I love it”. So, I changed my whole decision … and here I am!’.
Learning and overcoming obstacles
Like many students, Kira began her studies and research without knowing all the answers:
‘I didn’t know thunderstorm asthma existed until the end of my undergrad. I almost flunked chemistry in high school. I had no basis in technology. There’s a lot of statistics that goes into it, a bit of programming.’
She didn’t let this hold her back:
‘A lot of this I had to learn on the spot … to take time for myself to figure out how these things worked. There were stages where I almost gave up … the key thing is you have to persist … eventually you’ll get there. If I didn’t have such an amazing support group at Deakin … I wouldn’t have been able to create this sensor in such a short amount of time.’
Kira’s invention
In 2016, a thunderstorm asthma event in Melbourne caused ten deaths and hospitalised thousands. At the time, identifying risk factors was a slow and manual process.
Inspired by this, and her own struggles with asthma and hay fever, Kira developed a faster solution: small, highly sensitive sensors that detect the risk of thunderstorm asthma in under an hour, enabling quicker warnings and reducing danger to communities.
Career opportunities and experiences
Beyond her research, Kira found opportunities to grow professionally and personally:
‘My supervisors have been incredibly supportive of me wanting to take on a lot of opportunities to advance my career. I’m passionate about science communication as well as advocating for women and underrepresented groups in STEM. I’ve been able to do a lot of talks … career and professional development workshops … and science communication competitions.’
‘It’s helped me learn to engage with people outside of my little research bubble … and so many transferable skills that I can take with me.’
A lifelong home for learning at Deakin
Kira remains open to where her path might lead next:
‘I don’t even know what I’m going to be doing in two years.’
Whatever she does, her connection to Deakin will stay strong:
‘It’s been eight years now that I’ve been at Deakin. It does feel like a second home. I do not regret my decision at all.’
Stories of Wonder
Find out more about Kira’s learning journey, as well as many others, in the Stories of Wonder series:
‘Stories of Wonder’ is a multimedia series celebrating the impact Deakin students, alumni, researchers and staff are making in the world hosted by Deakin alumni Don Hennequin.
Keep an eye out for future lifelong learning stories published here on the Deakin Life blog.
Continue your Deakin learning journey
If you’ve been inspired to continue your own learning journey, Deakin offers many pathways beyond graduation:
- Join Deakin’s global alumni community to make lifelong connections and celebrate your achievements.
- Find the right postgraduate degree to gain the skills, recognition and confidence to reach your next professional goal.
- Browse our range of research degrees to benefit from our world-class facilities, experts and strong industry partnerships.
Take the next step in your journey now and you might find yourself in places you never expected.