Career series: Gemma Wooden, EIP

After leaving academia in 2012, Gemma Wooden joined EIP as a trainee patent attorney, before becoming a partner earlier this year. Here, Wooden outlines how she helped discover the Higgs boson and her search for a job which offers a peek into the future of technology.

Why and how did you become partner at EIP?

After finishing my physics degree, I went on to complete a PhD in particle physics. I then began my career as a postdoctoral researcher in particle physics, working in a collaboration of more than 3,000 people. 

I enjoyed the science but found the politics of working in such a large collaboration frustrating, and I wanted to move away from coding (which was a major part of my job in research) so I started looking at alternatives that would allow me to use my science background but also give me more personal satisfaction. 

I have always enjoyed learning about new things and constructing arguments, so IP seemed like a good fit. EIP offered me a job as a trainee patent attorney, which allowed me to train while I worked.