Agnieszka Swiatek
A few words about me...
I am a UWr Biotechnology alumni 1998. Back then DNA sequencing was done by Sanger and NGS was yet to be invented. PCR was an exotic novelty and GMO’s were going to revolutionize agriculture and manufacturing and eliminate world’s hunger.
At the same time, the youth unemployment in Poland was around 20% and many young people looked to the west not just for opportunities but survival. My journey started in 1997 with an 6 months ERASMUS Scholarship in Antwerp the was a life changing experience. I moved back to Belgium in 1998 to start a PhD in plant biochemistry and never really stopped studying. After a few postdoc projects in Belgium and Netherlands, I moved to private sector: clinical research, banking, European institution, until I found the niche that turned out to be a perfect fit: medical devices.
I currently work as QARA Manager at XEOS Medical, a Belgian start-up specialized in micro PET-CT. I work with a team of young, bright and very dedicated scientists who developed and continuously improved the products and that of course includes AI-based pattern recognition algorithms, that existed long before Chat-GTP. What I like the most about my profession is that it is never routine and (almost)-never boring. Every single day there are new problems to solver, new standards to learn, new technologies to explore and the most rewarding part is helping new technologies to reach patients and impact their lives for the better.
What I want to work on with a mentee is...
If you are a Life Sciences student and ask yourself what is my diploma worth and where can do after finishing Uni, I will be very apply to share my experiences and my network with you.
I will help you find your why: what gives you joy and energy; which professional career would fit best your character, your values and passion.
How I imagine my cooperation with a mentee...
I live in Belgium, so I am only available for remote sessions. We can meet once a week online for app 60 min. To start, I want to get to know my mentee: what drives him or her, what are their strengths, interests and ambitions. Based on that we will work out a plan together of what we want to get out of our meetings: schedule, agenda and the assignments.
In relations with the other people I focus on...
In relations with other people I highly values self awareness: knowing your strengths and limitations and the ability to choose your battles is an important factor in professional life. It helps not only to focus on the goals, but also to maintain sanity when working under pressure. Another and equally important piece of wisdom that I gained from project management is that everyone us unique, with their own perspective, culture and baggage. We all see the world differently and facing with the same facts does not guarantee we reach the same conclusions.
I invite to cooperation students who...
I welcome students who are curios of different cultures, consider studying abroad or any other international experience.