Meet the … technician: Lynsey Finlay

What’s on your bookshelf?

I really like psychological-thriller type novels – I recently read The Housemaid and Never Lie by Frieda McFadden. I also have Education in Chemistry and New Scientist on my bookshelf.

What is your favourite experiment to set up?

I really enjoy flame test practicals. These types of experiments with smoke, flames and colourful reactions or patterns are exciting and engaging for both technicians and students. It is great seeing the students’ faces when they produce flames with a rainbow of colours. They also don’t require a lot of clean-up, which is always a bonus.

The microscale chemistry practicals that our department have started using are also enjoyable (for both students and technicians) because of their inherent simplicity, effectiveness and minimal resource requirements.

Are you involved in any STEM clubs or extracurricular activities?

I am a STEM ambassador and run a STEM club at my school with teacher colleagues.

Imagine you can only share one piece of advice with your fellow technicians, what would you say?

Be organised and plan ahead as best you can. Sometimes teachers require things ad hoc but for a smoother running of your lab I would say organise, organise, organise.

… And imagine you can only share one tip with teachers about making a technician’s life easier, what would you say?

A good 24–48 hours’ notice for practicals is always useful.

How do you relax?

I love going on family holidays and last year we had the trip of a lifetime to Disney World in Orlando. My two children keep me very busy, attending my daughter’s football matches and my son’s golf competitions.

I also love watching movies with the family on a Friday evening (with copious amounts of popcorn and other snacks).

What’s one piece of kit in your lab that you couldn’t live without?

My lab trolleys. I would have literally nowhere to set the practical equipment for each day otherwise.

If budget was no object, what’s one piece of kit you would love to have in your school?

A proper ducted fume hood in all our school labs.

What do you wear to school? Do you have a favourite outfit for work?

I wear comfortable, smart casual clothing to work (navy trousers and blouse is the usual) with trainers, or at least flat shoes. I need to be able to move around easily, as I’m usually running from lab to lab. I’m usually wearing my white lab coat over my outfits, to make sure chemicals don’t come into contact with my clothes.

Who’s your hero?

Marie Curie, the pioneering physicist and chemist renowned for her research on radioactivity and the discovery of the elements polonium and radium. Today her name is also widely remembered through the Marie Curie charity, the leading end of life charity in the UK.

Curie’s career as a scientist flourished because of her ability to observe, deduce and predict. She is arguably one of the first women to have her contributions to science widely recognised.