Cosmo Scientist

Scientists aren’t the medias’ favourite people. They’re not exactly renowned for either their social graces or their mainstream appeal. Shut away from the world and soured by its ignorance, cliché tells us they’re best left to seethe in silence. If you’ve noticed a lot of super villains have PhDs.

So it’s a surprise that the frilly, pink sorority that is Cosmopolitan magazine has chosen one of the same for their highest honour - the “Fun, fearless woman of the year.”

To hear Dr Tu’uhevaha Kaitu’u-Lino talk removes a portion of the shock. She’s a far cry from a Valley girl of course – a PhD will weed out the ‘like’s’ and the ‘whatever’s’ - but you can tell she’s never been a geeky wallflower; her tone is too relaxed and bubbly. Not to mention she’s very patient. She doesn’t know I’m conducting my end of the interview in a rooftop car park but she’s probably guessed and never complains. Perhaps she understands my lack of experience, being only 27 herself. As I scramble for something to write with, I ask her how she enjoyed Cosmo’s A-List award ceremony.

“It was so different to anything I’ve ever done before,” she laughs, “Flashy, glitzy red carpets aren’t something I’m used to doing as a scientist. My husband and I were so confused as to what we should do, where we should stand – but everyone was so understanding - it was a really lovely evening.”

Did she expect the win?

“Not at all. I’m pretty competitive, so I was hoping I might win my category, but when they said they were announcing the overall winner I couldn’t have been more surprised! I’d just taken the camera from my husband and was all ready to take a photo, and then it was me.”

It’s not a surprise she might have wanted to take a picture. Tu’uhevaha is the first non-celebrity ever to be awarded the prize, and it didn’t happen for a lack of competition. The pool included names like Kate Ritchie, Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Delta Goodrem and Jennifer Hawkins. Tu’uhevaha’s work isn’t exactly what most people would see as glamorous. She’s mainly interested in why some women suffer prolonged, heavy or painful menstrual periods.

While it’s not a fun problem to discuss, it’s a fairly common one. Period problems affect up to ten percent of Australian women, and are one of the leading causes of referral to gynaecologists. Tu’uhevaha says a major part of her job is to try and find out how women’s bodies function normally, to help try and return a normal cycle to women with problems that can otherwise cause significant pain and disruption.

“The ultimate aim is to improve women’s quality of life,” she says.

It’s not the sort of thing you dream of doing as a little girl but it’s something Tu’uhevaha is passionate about. Despite plans to be a medical doctor, she says her initial university studies in the field of Biomedical Science led her in a new direction, and she completed her honours year in her favoured field of men’s health. The idea of studying only occurred after spending a year working in the industry. She completed her PhD in 2007.

“It [the study of women’s health] is more common than perhaps you’d think though, because it’s widespread, research is being done all over the world.” She says, “We have international conventions, the whole works.”

But just as important as her scientific achievements, Tu’uhevaha is also a mother. Daughter Katokakala turns three on Christmas day and there’s another baby on the way in March. Despite the demanding nature of her work, Tu’uhevaha’s family seems a tight-knit clan. She is half-Tongan, which explains her interesting name and perhaps some of the emphasis she places on the importance of family ties. She says the help of her father in raising her daughter has been instrumental in allowing her to continue and advance her career.

“It can get tricky, handling it all” she says. “I’m very lucky to have a very supportive family and husband. My husband and I juggle our working hours so that we don’t require child care, and my Dad, who’s retired, cares for my daughter a couple of days per week.”

She says even though it can make life more challenging, it’s well worth young women knowing they can have it all.

“What I have hoped to do is give some recognition to science and the area of women’s health,” she says, “but also to inspire young women, [teach them that] the sky’s the limit. Whatever you set your heart on you can do it.”

Before I go, I do ask one more question. There is the small matter of the 10,000 dollars in prize money - it is after all, a celebrity competition with a celebrity price tag. So what’s a Melbourne mum to do with all that cash?

“It’s such a lot of money. I’ll put a significant portion of it towards my children’s futures,” her tone changes, she laughs, “But my husband is at me to buy something for myself – so maybe also some new shoes.”

By Jill McCann