Five minute profile: interview with Vicki Madden

What’s a highlight and a challenge of your role?

I joined RDS just before we began a complete overhaul of our website, which meant there was a lot of rapid learning and upskilling in my first few months. I love working on fast-paced projects, and it’s been really rewarding to see the concrete impact that our work has made in just a few months. I love that the purpose of our work at RDS is to improve systems to genuinely help real people. I think that’s special.

That said, there are also challenges! A lot of our work is across multiple teams and partner organisations, and there are lots of moving parts involved. What we’re essentially doing is co-design. You don’t want to design content in a silo – but it can be difficult to keep everyone on the same page and to slot everything together. It’s a challenge, but the end goal is worth it! 

What difference do you hope RDS will make? 

I think people who aren't familiar with the research landscape don't always have an appreciation for how complex and convoluted the current processes for accessing data can be. And I think making that process easier for everyone – not just people who are applying for data, but also people who control the data – can only be a good thing.

I also hope that we can help people who are often undervalued and underpaid. For example, if your PhD has funding for three to four years and it takes two years to get hold of the data you need, it can only increase costs and stress for everyone. I’m hopeful that we can speed up these systems and make it a little bit easier for cutting-edge research to be done.

What would be your "Mastermind" specialist subject?

A couple years ago I would have said ‘celebrity heights’. I have a weird, uncanny memory for the heights of famous people. Otherwise it would be anything gothic, or A24 horror films.

Who, real-life or public figure, has inspired or motivated you in your career or life?   

In terms of a public figure who’s had some kind of impact on my life, that would have to be Stephen King. On Writing and Danse Macabre are brilliant and beautiful, but I really admire that regardless of what kind of day he’s having, he writes something like 2,000 words every day. His work ethos is really inspiring.

The other person who’s had a massive impact on my life is my mom. She was only 12 years old when the Red Guards came to her house and took everything during the Cultural Revolution in China, but she has the most optimistic worldview of anyone I know. Nothing fazes her, and she always has a Chinese adage for every situation.