The Third Degree
Jenna Stevens-Smith is a final year PhD student in Human Metabolism and Engineering Materials. Pro-active and visionary, Jenna has found a passion for science communication and actively sought to gain experience and create opportunities for others in Science Communication and Public Engagement at the University of Sheffield. A founding member of Science Brainwaves alongside Rebecca Hill, Martin Turner and Michaela Livingstone, the quartet have run multiple events and recruited fellow enthusiastic scientists on their mission to take the wonder of science to everyone. Jenna will be leaving academia in October to begin her career in science communication as the Media and Events Executive at the Society of Biology.
What’s the best bit of advice you’ve ever received?
Be the change you want to see in the world.
Who or what inspires you?
My dad, success and working hard to achieve my goals
What makes you get out of bed in the morning?
The dulcet tones of John Humphreys on the Today programme on BBC radio 4, …and the knowledge that it is a new day and something amazing could happen.
What’s your favourite comfort food?
Dark chocolate or chocolate digestives biscuits
What do you do to unwind or relax?
Play volleyball, watch movies, and cook. I especially love baking; I think it is the process of following recipes, and producing something (hopefully) delicious at the end.
What was the last thing that made you laugh?
My very much non-science friends playing with the science busking kit, science is fun for EVERYONE!
What was the last thing that made you swear?
Hitting a ball out at training the other day, to anyone with an understanding of volleyball it was a great set at 23-24 and I hit it long.
What would you never eat or drink?
Peanuts, I can taste even a trace of them.
Who would you invite to a fantasy dinner party?
That’s a tough one it would be between Nelson Mandela, Russell Howard, Barack Obama, Albert Einstein, Madame Curie, Florence Nightingale and Denise Lewis. They are all inspirations to me, and Russell Howard’s hilarious and would provide an amusing commentary throughout the dinner party.
What would you never be without?
My family, friends and music
Favourite song or piece of music?
A Beautiful Mind-James Horner, Sunscreen by Baz Luhrman and Proud by M People, I love inspirational music which makes me feel good and capable of anything!
Where’s been your best holiday destination?
There’s been too many, but my last ever family holiday to Corfu was fantastic, I hadn’t seen my family for ages and it was brilliant to be able to spend quality time with them all. However, holidays to Texas to see my Uncle, skiing in Italy over Christmas one year, and staying in a millionaires villa near Puerto Banus, Spain are all up there too.
What’s your party trick?
I can touch my nose with my tongue
What information about Sheffield would you want to tell a visitor?
It has seven hills, like Rome, and there is a great Italian coffee shop near Cathedral called Gusto Italiano.
What’s been your biggest fashion mistake?
A pair of turquoise suede strappy 6-inch high cork platforms when I was 14, they were so horrendous they would now be fabulous.
If you had absolute power, what would you change?
Motivation, it amazes me when people have no get-up-and-go about them and are just not motivated to do things. If I had absolute power I would motivate everyone to be the best that they can be.
What irritates you?
Bullies and mean people, people who try at all costs to get one over on others, take advantage of weaker people and those who are motivated by the wrong things.
What qualities do you admire in others?
Ambition, determination, kindness, and a love of life
What was your favourite childhood programme?
I was a big Blue Peter fan, but my brother, sister and I never missed an episode of Round the Twist, Sister Sister and Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
Tell us something that not many people know about you.
I used to play volleyball for Great Britain and England but retired following four knee surgeries.
Who would you least like to be stuck on the Arts Tower paternoster with?
The grumpy man I was stuck on a train to London with a couple of years ago, he spent the whole journey moaning about the London 2012 Olympics and what a waste of money it was, this was while I was still part of the Olympic Squad so did not enjoy listening to his ranting.