What is the best piece of career advice you’ve received?
As a younger scientist, I was frequently struck with “imposter syndrome”, as I imagine other young scientists (including those without PhDs), often are. When I once told someone I always felt like I was making things up as I went along, they pointed out that if we already knew the protocols and the answers, there wouldn’t be much need for the research! My previous PhD major professor also used to like to say that if the research was easy, it would already be done, so of course it seemed hard.
Do you have a mentor that has helped you in your professional career? How have they helped you?
I have been fortunate enough to have had many mentors over the years. Especially in my early career, they were all men, because when I was first starting, there were fewer women in my field. These men were incredibly supportive and encouraged me to apply for things (scholarships, graduate school, jobs, etc.) that I wouldn’t have thought I could get, so wouldn’t have tried for without their encouragement. And usually, I did get them! I still seek mentors when starting new positions, and so I have mentors now, who are helping me learn my new position and make the indispensable contacts needed to get my work done in a highly collaborative field.
As a woman, what is a challenge/obstacle you have faced in your career?
A big challenge that many of us face (still!) is finding the time and energy to raise children while working in rewarding but very demanding careers. Despite recent improvements, it is still women who spend more time and energy as primary caregivers to children, and the Covid19 pandemic has exacerbated this. Many of my successful female colleagues have managed well as parents and scientists with the support of fantastic spouses or other family members, but when one has children, they require so much attention and you can’t (and certainly shouldn’t want to) let others do all the work of raising them! Since this is not a challenge specific to scientists (or teachers, or agricultural leaders), I guess I am disappointed that we as parents are still struggling to find the resources and balance needed to excel at work and also parenting.
What does Women’s History Month mean to you? How does it fall into the context of your industry?
I have always enjoyed reading about successful scientists who are women. Some of them had to work SO hard to be taken seriously! There are even books about women in past centuries who disguised themselves as men; or married scientists and allowed their husbands to take credit for work they had done; or gave up the dream of having a spouse or children in order to continue their studies or work. I’m always inspired by their stories and count myself as lucky to be a woman in science now, when the obstacles I face are real but SO much smaller! These stories are inspiring, but maybe more important are stories of women who are more like me, who were able to have careers AND families, and not have to hide. Which makes me think, if they could do it, so can I! Women’s History Month can show me the extraordinary women, who I can be proud of for my gender, and the more ordinary women, who show me that the path isn’t so impossible.
