Episode 25: Professor Claudia Vickers

Focus and Chill - productivity tactics for AuDHDers and other neurodivergent folks

Welcome to episode #25 We're thrilled to be joined by Professor Claudia Vickers, an esteemed expert in metabolic engineering and synthetic biology. With a strong track record in science excellence and securing competitive funding, she focuses on using microbes to produce valuable substances for industries. Professor Vickers has held influential positions in various organizations and even served as the inaugural director for CSIRO’s synthetic biology group. Her expertise and leadership continue to drive scientific innovation, making a positive impact on both people and the planet.

Welcome to the show Claudia!

Questions

1. Can you tell us about your experience with neurodiversity? When did you realize that you weren’t neurotypical? What challenges did you face? What is it like now?
   1. Had two children with ADHD and then connected the dots
   2. Superpowers
      1. Hyperfocus
      2. Pattern recognition - connecting the dots
   3. Challenges
      1. Time blindness
   4. Strategies
      1. Walking treadmill
      2. Timers and alarms
2. What "work" projects are you concentrating on?
   1. Taking a pause to reflect on where to create impact
   2. 3 days per week as adjunct professor
   3. Now focusing on climate-carbon sequestration
      1. Designing microbes to pull carbon down:
         1. Cellular Ag
         2. LandTech: feed Carbon Monoxide/Methane to clostridium
         3. Enzymatic breakdown plastic
         4. Carbon sequestration (e.g. enhancing Rubisco)
         5. Construction materials (bio cement)
      2. Other projects
         1. Consulting with startups
         2. Software company AI-powered academic writing
         3. Construction company using bio-based materials
      3. Work history:
         1. Last 18 months worked for startups (e.g. Eden Brew)
         2. Previously led CSIRO’s synbio lab
         3. Academic for many years prior to that
3. How about the rest of the time? What do you enjoy doing in your off time?
   1. Reading (paper) books - Sam Neil’s memoirs
   2. Hanging out with kids (coaching son’s soccer team, daughter’s touch team)
4. What does your morning routine look like and how has it evolved over time?
   1. Getting the kids out the door (lunchboxes, brush teeth)
   2. Start work
5. What do you do to optimize productivity during your working hours?
   1. Walking treadmill
   2. List with priorities
   3. Introspection: look at how to improve
   4. Communicate working preferences + expectations
   5. Noise-canceling headphones
6. COMMERCIAL BREAK
7. What is one habit you'd like to remove from your life (either a bad habit or one that takes up too much time)?
   1. Time blindness: magnify estimations by 2x
8. How do you switch off at night?
   1. Need to tire self out
   2. Identifying hyperfixation (e.g. workplace issues) early in the evening - “What’s the worst thing that can happen?”
9. What resources (books, philosophies, apps, sensory toys) do you find most helpful for productivity and habit formation?
   1. Noise-canceling headphones
   2. Walking treadmill (use during meetings)
10. Where can people connect with you or find your work?
    1. LinkedIn
    2. Twitter: claudiaevickers
11. Do you have any final words or asks for our audience?
    1. Life is special and wonderful
    2. Learn about your own mind
    3. Use

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