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Lecturer in Biological Physics Theory - Department of Physics and Astronomy
Profile
Profile
Dr Rhoda Hawkins grew up in a Christian family, where she developed a keen interest in studying the world around her through science. Following her first degree at Oxford, she left to do her PhD at Leeds, where she had previously experienced a supportive research environment during a summer placement.
After a number of postdoctoral positions in both Europe and the UK, one of which led her to question her place in science and academia, she regained her love of science and discovered a passion for teaching - a chance to step back from research and do something positive. She applied for a variety of fellowships before it was suggested to her that she should apply for a lectureship, as this was not necessarily more difficult to achieve.
The balance between teaching and research is still important to her now in her lectureship and, while balancing the pressures and expectations of the role can be challenging, she enjoys every aspect.
“If a career in academia is really what you want then persevere and you'll get there.”
Career timeline
Career timeline
2000
Second author paper
‘Linear melt rheology and small-angle X-ray scattering of AB diblocks vs A(2)B(2) four arm star block copolymers’ D.M.A. Buzza, A.H. Fzea, J.B. Allgaier, R.N. Young, R.J. Hawkins, I.W. Hamley, T.C.B. McLeish and T.P. Lodge. Macromolecules 33 (2000) 8399-8414.
2001
Second author paper
‘Linear rheology of diluted linear, star and model long chain branched polymer melts’ D.R. Daniels, T.C.B. McLeish, R. Kant, B.J. Crosby, R.N. Young, A. Pryke, J. Allgaier, D.J. Groves, R.J. Hawkins. Rheol. Acta 40 (2001) 403-415.
2002
MPhys(Hons) in Physics, First Class - St Anne’s College, University of Oxford.
Second author paper
‘Rheology of three-arm asymmetric star polymer melts’ A.L. Frischknecht, S.T. Milner, A. Pryke, R.N. Young, R. Hawkins, T.C.B. McLeish. Macromolecules 35 (2002) 4801-4820.
2004
First author paper
‘Coarse-grained model of entropic allostery’ Rhoda J. Hawkins and Tom C.B. McLeish. Physical Review Letters 93 (2004) 098104.
2005
PhD in theoretical physics at the interface with biology, University of Leeds.
Postdoctoral researcher, FOM Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics, Amsterdam.
2006 to present
Peer reviewer for international journals (eg PRL, PRE, EPL, JPCM).
2006
First author paper
‘Dynamic allostery of protein alpha helical coiled-coils’ Rhoda J. Hawkins and Tom C.B. McLeish. Journal of The Royal Society Interface 3 (2006) 125-138 *award winning article*.First author paper
‘Coupling of Global and Local Vibrational Modes in Dynamic Allostery of Proteins’ Rhoda J. Hawkins and Tom C.B. McLeish. Biophysical Journal 91 (2006) 2055-2062.
2007
Postdoctoral researcher, Université Pierre et Marie Curie/CNRS & Institut Curie, Paris.
Second author paper
‘Structures of Smooth Muscle Myosin and Heavy Meromyosin in the Folded, Shutdown State’ S.A. Burgess, S. Yu, M.L. Walker, R.J. Hawkins, J.M. Chalovich and P.J. Knight. Journal of Molecular Biology 372 (2007) 1165-1178.
2008
Book contribution
Chapter in ‘Geleerd & Gelovig’ (Dutch for Scholar & Believer) editor Cees Dekker, Ten Have, ISBN 9789025958947.
2009
Invited talk - Statistical Physics of Active Matter, IHP, Paris, France.
EC-funded HPC-Europa2 visitor programme, University of Edinburgh, UK.
First author paper
‘Pushing off the Walls: A Mechanism of Cell Motility in Confinement” R.J. Hawkins, M. Piel, G. Faure-Andre, A.M. Lennon-Dumenil, J.F. Joanny, J. Prost and R. Voituriez. Physical Review Letters 102 (2009) 058103.First author paper
‘Rebuilding cytoskeleton roads: Active-transport-induced polarization of cells’ Rhoda J. Hawkins, Olivier Benichou, Matthieu Piel and Raphael Voituriez. Physical Review E 80 (2009) 040903(R).
2010
Fondation Pierre-Gilles de Gennes personal postdoctoral bridge funding.
First author
‘Mechanisms of cell motion in confined geometries’ Rhoda J. Hawkins and Raphael Voituriez. Mathematical Modelling of Natural Phenomena 5 (2010) 84-105.Second author paper
‘Survival of the aligned: ordering of the plant cortical microtubule array’ Simon H. Tindemans, Rhoda J. Hawkins, and Bela M. Mulder. Physical Review Letters 104 (2010) 058103.First author paper
‘Model for the orientational ordering of the plant microtubule cortical array’ Rhoda J. Hawkins, Simon H. Tindemans and Bela M. Mulder. Physical Review E 82 (2010) 011911.Postdoctoral researcher, Department of Mathematics, University of Bristol.
2011
First author paper
‘Spontaneous contractility-mediated cortical flow generates cell migration in 3-dimensional environments’ Rhoda J. Hawkins, Renaud Poincloux, Olivier Benichou, Matthieu Piel, Philippe Chavrier and Raphael Voituriez. Biophysical Journal 101 (2011) 1041.Book contribution
Translation of textbook ‘Invariances d’e ́chelle’ by M. Lague ̈s and A. Lesne from French to English ‘Scale Invariance’, Springer, ISBN 978-3-642-15122-4.Visiting lecturer, African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (South Africa 2011, Senegal (2012, 2013, 2014) and Ghana (2016)).
Lecturer in Physics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, the University of Sheffield.
Second year undergraduate tutorials, undergraduate and masters project supervision.
Lecturer and module leader for second year undergraduate classical physics.
2012
Second author paper
‘Analysis of a non local model for spontaneous cell polarisation’ Vincent Calvez, Rhoda J. Hawkins, Nicolas Meunier, Raphael Voituriez SIAM. Journal on Applied Mathematics 72 (2012) 594-622.Second author paper
‘Evidence of a large-scale mechanosensing mechanism for cellular adaptation to substrate stiffness’ Lea Trichet, Jimmy Le Digabel, Rhoda J. Hawkins, Sri Ram Krishna Vedula, Mukund Gupta, Claire Ribrault, Pascal Hersen, Raphael Voituriez and Benoit Ladoux. PNAS 109(18) (2012) 6933-6938.Invited talk - KITP workshop Physics and Mathematics of Cancer, Santa Barbara, USA.
BBSRC BB/K002511/1 with Kathryn Ayscough, Co-I.
2012 to present
Faculty of Science Researcher Development Group committee member.
Department Soft matter physics research seminar series organiser.
PhD viva examiner, internal and external at the University of Sheffield.
2013
Invited talk - Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences Satellite meeting, Leeds, UK.
2013 to present
Department Athena SWAN self-assessment team committee member.
Department Tutor for International students.
Institute of Physics Biological Physics Group Committee member.
2014
Second author paper
‘Active polar fluid flow in finite droplets’ Carl A. Whitfield, Davide Marenduzzo, Raphael Voituriez and Rhoda J. Hawkins. European Physical Journal E 37 (2014) 8.First author paper
‘Stress reorganisation and response in active solids’ Rhoda J. Hawkins and Tanniemola B. Liverpool. Physical Review Letters 113 (2014) 028102.Invited talk - EPSRC Physics of life summer school, Lancaster, UK.
Second author paper
‘Spontaneous motility of passive emulsion droplets in polar active gels’ G. De Magistris, A. Tiribocchi, C.A. Whitfield, R.J. Hawkins, M.E. Cates and D.Marenduzzo. Soft Matter 10 (2014) 7826-7837.EPSRC Grant EP/L026848/1, PI.
2014 to present
Lecturer and module leader, new fourth year MPhys module Biological Physics, the University of Sheffield.
UK national ‘Christians in Science’ committee member.
University Strategic Development Group.
Faculty International Relations Group committee member.
Department UCAS open day organiser.
2015
EPSRC Physical Sciences Prioritisation Panel member.
Institute of Physics Science and Innovation Committee member.
Conference organisation: PhysCell, IOP, IUPAB/EBSA.
EPSRC Physics of Life Network Collaboration Fund with Martin Cann.
Book Contribution
Contributed to a chapter in ‘God in the Lab: How Science Enhances Faith’ by Ruth Bancewicz Monarch Books (2015) ISBN: 9780857215680.Invited talk - Transforming the Mind Christian Postgraduate Conference, Dovedale, UK.
2016
EPSRC SHAMROK Pump Priming fund with Simon Johnston.
Invited talk - OP Topical meeting keynote talk, Higgs Centre, Edinburgh, UK.
CRUK Grant C8525/A21082 co-I (PI Nicola Brown and Jamie Hobbs).
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