Category: North America
Humans of HBI: Caroline Palavicino-Maggio
Caroline Palavicino-Maggio: "During my childhood, I watched violent crimes transform my neighborhood. Now as a postdoc, I aim to understand the origin of aggressive behavior that underpins violent crimes. Though my work is rooted in neurobiology, I hope it will...
Humans of HBI: Rockwell Anyoha
Rockwell Anyoha: "I just love animals. I grew up surrounded by nature and spent a lot of time interacting with both wild and domestic animals. We are always taught how “special” humans are, but in my childhood experiences of being...
Humans of HBI: DJ Bambah-Mukku
DJ Bambah-Mukku: "The hardest part of experimental science in general is learning to cope with failure. Perseverance and grit are probably the most important traits that one learns in experimental biology. Having a supportive mentor and fun colleagues can make...
How Studying the Brain Transformed my Brain
Lori Saxena: "I began to understand that I didn’t love neuroscience because of the medals and acclaim it gave me, but because of its universality. Because it can be studied and tested and corrected—an ever-expanding, ever-improving existential philosophy."
Growing Up in Science: David M. Schneider
David Schneider: "When I finished my masters, I applied to 11 PhD programs and was rejected by all of them. The next obvious step (to me) was to cold-call the director of graduate studies at Columbia (where I had just...
How Much Poop Does a Worm Make When They Only Eat Zuccchhiinnniii?
Vivekanand Pandey Vimal
Finding Clarity in Chaos
Hazal Uzunkaya: "If you asked me what I wanted to be at the age of five, I would say a Veterinarian, which later turned into an Astronaut Veterinarian, and then became Prime Minister Astronaut Veterinarian. I dreamed big, however scattered...
Building Self-Confidence Through Science
Lauren Tereshko: "I realized I had stopped putting positive energy into myself, and grew angry and restless. Ashamed of my stagnation, in a moment of catharsis, I made the decision to apply for grad school."
The Role of Cystic Fibrosis in my Life
Ella Balasa: "It’s always challenging, daunting, but the reward of feeling being understood through words is liberating, fulfilling, and worth it at the end. That’s why I do it."
Bringing the Bench to Life
Steven J. Del Signore: "As a basic cell biologist who uses fruit flies as a model organism to investigate the causes of neurological disease, the gap between my science and its potential impact on human health at times feels very...
Take A Chance
Inna Nechipurenko: "I switched model organisms and shifted the focus of my research to cilia – microscopic signaling “beacons” of our cells. Specifically, I wanted to understand how they form and function in specialized sensory neurons."
From Poverty to Science: Becoming a Scientist Amidst Financial Adversity
Gabriel Reyes: "Part of me wants to be angry and frustrated that no matter how hard I work or how enthusiastic I am, the socioeconomic class I was born into will be a hidden barrier."
An Unexpected Path: Discovering my Passion for Science Outreach and Administration
Heather McKellar: I have been lucky to follow in the footsteps of strong mentors and lean a supportive network of peers. They have all taught me to step outside of my comfort zone and take advantage of the opportunities to...
The Journey Never Ends
Heather Metallides: I felt a great sense of pride that although I was told I couldn’t “do science,” I did it. Not only did I do it, but I did it well.
Finding a Direction in Science
Staci Amburgey: "I might have liked animals from a young age, but I tried a lot of different ways to study animals before I got to where I am now."
Wandering Across Fields in Science
Irv Epstein: "Reluctant to accept the result of an undergraduate’s accident over the published wisdom of senior investigators, I told him to redo the experiment under controlled conditions. He did so, and returned to tell me that he had obtained...
Paying it Forward Matters
Dr. Avital Rodal: "There are many reasons to pour your heart into helping and supporting others, including the knowledge that you are doing the right thing, and the appreciation and gratitude that it brings back to you. I discovered that...
From Volleyball to Neuroscience
Nicolas Tritsch: "I might have not sought a postdoc if it weren’t for my thesis advisor, Dwight Bergles, who (kindly) pushed me out of the lab after 6 years."
Finding My Own Way in Science
Milka Kostic: "I was making discoveries. I was publishing my research results. I was enjoying research. But somewhere along the way, I lost my passion for doing science, and I found myself facing a real conundrum."
If You Give An Artist A Data Sheet…
Maya Sokolow: "What I began to understand that day on St. John was that science needs to be experienced, lived, and felt. For those who do not have the opportunity to have feet on the field or in the classroom,...
When Trauma Changes Your Life and Research
Prof. Dan J. Mallinson: "It can be difficult to change a research trajectory. We, especially in pursuit of promotion and tenure, are expected to present ourselves as a nice neat package. “This is who I am and what I do.”
Iridescence in a World of Noir
Parin Shaik: "I sacrificed my hobbies and interests for the sole purpose of becoming the epitome of perfection. I became afraid that if I couldn't live up to their expectations, I would be nothing but a failure."
Undeterred: My Journey Continues
Lauren Neal: "Representation in science is of the utmost importance to me at this point in my life. I hope to contribute to changing the idea of what a scientist is supposed to look like or where they are supposed...
Learning to Know Myself
Carol Shoshkes Reiss: "A few years ago, when three sequential grant applications went down in flames, and funds were exhausted, I made the decision to close my lab. I do not regret the decision."
Lessons Learned Late-ish
David Poeppel: "I appeared in a number of plays and directed a few, as well. I toyed very seriously with the idea of pursuing this line of work, because I had great fun in that milieu and did not feel...
Open Heart Surgery: Let Me Tell Y’all A Quick Story
Dr. Jenn Jackson - I grew up in Oakland, CA with my single mom. My dad was in and out of my life. Mostly out. We struggled a lot. My family struggled and continues to struggle.
Studying and Experiencing Mental Illness
I feel very grateful to have found this path. But it hasn’t been easy. Academia is incredibly stressful, and I am an anxiety-prone perfectionist who tends to over-work. - Mariam Aly
My life in butterflies: How a childhood hobby shaped my career
Citizen scientists — as biologist Caren Cooper writes in her book, Citizen Science — can be anyone, often not trained as a scientist, who collaborates with trained researchers in “collective scientific endeavors.” It can be a way for people to develop hobbies, learn new...