Connected Conversations | Viythia Katharesan

Please tell us a little bit about yourself. 

My name is Viyth. I am an education specialist within the Adelaide Medical School and I teach into various courses within the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences. I live in the northern suburbs with my husband, Leny, and two ‘furbabies’ – Maya (Siberian Husky) and Meera (German Shepherd). 

I completed my undergraduate studies at the University of Adelaide in 2008 and, while pursuing my PhD, I got very involved in casual teaching into various courses. That’s when I decided that I wanted to become a part of the furniture within the Discipline of Anatomy and Pathology. I still remember the day that I got my tenured position here as I wept like a baby in my manager’s arms (…it was a very non-COVID-compliant hug). I’ve always felt nurtured by the team and I feel very lucky to be able to call some of these stellar individuals my peers and close friends now! Over the years, I have realised that academics are becoming holistic ‘learning coaches’ rather than pure ‘teachers’ and I’d like to think that a big part of my personality achieves this, using my (some-what questionable) sense of humour — I’m sure my students can vouch for the calibre of it! 

What was your first area of study and what drew you to this space?

I completed a Bachelor of Health Science. I initially thought that I wanted to pursue medicine but realised quite quickly that it was not the case. What drew me into this space was learning that there is a lot more to health and medicine than portrayed in general media. Being in academia meant that I could combine my love for neuroscience and pathology, with my passion for learning, teaching and research and that felt like the perfect fit for me. 

What has been your journey to get where you are today? 

I was born in Singapore and moved to Adelaide with my family when I was young. I then completed high school here before pursuing my tertiary studies, so that is a relatively linear pathway. I was clear on what I did not want, which helped to shape where I wanted to go. Personally, I feel that everyone faces challenges and they exist in every field, but I think that it is a necessary part of growing and reflecting as a human to figure out your identity and other things like your work ethic.  

What are you working on now? 

I started my research journey studying Motor Neuron Disease and, while continuing that, I have branched out to collaborate with some brilliant minds in investigating the enteric nervous system. True to my teaching passion, I have also embarked on evaluating optimal learning and teaching approaches within health-related courses. 

What do you love most about working at the University of Adelaide?

Oh, it is just impossible to pick one thing!

• The campus is a nice blend of contemporary spaces and heritage-sites.  
• I enjoy the close proximity to the River Torrens and love driving down Frome Road every morning through the beautiful wide-spreading canopies of the plane trees.

And, the best parts of my job, in no real order:

• The autonomy in educating upcoming generations! 
• I get to do it with such fun and knowledgeable peers that are some of my closest friends/work family!
• The energy of students when you get to interact directly and they understand what you teach! 
  (I realise how dorky that sounds, but I swear it is like an adrenaline-hit!) 
• The nostalgia of teaching and walking through spaces where I once roamed as a wide-eyed student myself and seeing such places evolve.

What opportunities do you see for the future? 

In the past, I feel that research innovations used to be a little obvious because it often translated to visible products (e.g. medications) compared to teaching innovations. However, as academics that advocate life-long learning, I strongly believe that the only way forward is to constantly adapt and evolve our learning and teaching methods. I think the model of having ‘hierarchical non-evolving teaching’ is well on its way out (and rightfully so). 

What inspired you to pursue a career in health?

• Amazing mentors and supportive family
• Passion for biomedicine
• The opportunity to constantly learn, evolve and upskill.

Why would you encourage someone to pursue a career in health?

I would encourage someone to pursue a career in health only if they are passionate about it. As cliché as that sounds, the long hours and constant evolution of the field means that you really need to be invested in it to enjoy the life-long learning. 

I think it is important to note that such passion may not exist from day one of your undergraduate degree, but reflecting on the courses you undertake and pursuing your field-of-choice accordingly is crucial. I truly believe in pursuing your passion as your career, regardless of how long it takes. 

What are the top three most defining moments of the past year for you?

I had two defining moments in 2020 – a professional and personal one.

I feel like a top moment on everyone’s list would be COVID-19.  I had to find quick ways to transition face-to-face content to an online-learning format that was actually interactive for students. Thus, I made the choice to take my pathology specimens home, borrowed my husband’s DSLR camera and turned my dining table at home into my ‘filming studio’. I was especially proud of doing my own post-production work and transitioning of content into an interactive platform, which the students seemed to appreciate.  

On par with that, was my mother’s sudden diagnosis and excruciating battle against cancer all through 2020. I have always known her to be a mentally strong woman, but as her primary caregiver, I got to witness a whole other level of tenacity and drive that has motivated me in every aspect of life.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Long walks with my husband, Maya and Meera. I also love baking and cooking. Currently, my husband and I are working on small house renovation projects so that has been good fun too (mainly because he does most of the work and I do the ‘executive supervision’). We also recently started playing board/card games!

How do you relax or switch off? 

I always refer to my dogs as my ‘sanity-keepers’ because there have been long workdays when I get home and continue to work after dinner. But, of course, when Maya decides it is ‘walk time’, she will rest her chin on my knee with puppy-eyes and, if that doesn’t work, she’ll use her adorable pink nose to give me a little prod, which typically forces me to step away from work to walk her. There is just something about Mother Nature that relaxes the human brain! 

I also find baking very therapeutic and I love cooking. The final thing I need in order to be relaxed, is a clean space so I tend to clean my house like a maniac at times.  

Which destination is at the top of your list of places to go when international travel returns to normal? 

Honestly, I have so much of Australia, and specifically South Australia, that I’m yet to explore. I’m a little embarrassed that I love Adelaide as much as I do and am still yet to explore SA! There is so much scenic beauty that South Australia offers and I rarely ever make time to go see it myself!