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Category Archives: Community
Spring 2023 Innovators and Motivators Podcast with Dr. Kajal Gupta
Written by Kajal Gupta and edited by Christina Nowicki.
Check out the Spring 2023 Innovators and Motivators Podcast with Dr. Kajal Gupta! (scroll to the bottom of this page to listen now)
Dr. Kajal Gupta discovered her passion for science at a young age. She has always been naturally inquisitive and eager to learn new things. While she decided to become a research scientist early on in her life, picking a specialty was not as obvious. Born and raised in a small town in India, Dr. Gupta received her Ph.D. from one of India’s premier schools in infectious diseases. Her desire to learn more and further her education led her to relocate to the United States, where she chose the University of Notre Dame to pursue a post-doctoral fellowship.
She had no idea what the future held. Immigrating to the United States on a J1 visa made it difficult for her to obtain an independent research position in academia. In her pursuit of a fulfilling academic career, she decided to pursue various post-doctoral fellowships at major U.S. schools such as the University of Notre Dame, the State University of New York, and Rush University Medical Center to keep her visa status while simultaneously climbing up the academic ladder. Despite all the obstacles, Dr. Gupta’s resilient character landed her an independent position, and she is now an Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at Rush University Medical Center. Her research focuses on the development of new immunotherapies for breast and pancreatic cancer. She is well-published and well-funded, and she is well-known for her unwavering dedication to her job and students.
Dr. Gupta’s career at the crossroads of science, technology, human contact, and intellectual problem-solving is both gratifying and fascinating, although she sometimes finds portions of her job difficult due to the unique hurdles of being a woman in science. Her strongest advice to young women is to never compromise and to never let someone tell you that you can’t attain your aspirations. She also suggests compartmentalizing, prioritizing time management, and, most importantly, finding outlets for relaxation.
Dr. Gupta is pushing the edge by participating in efforts that encourage more women to pursue careers in research, in addition to juggling family life and the rigorous demands of her jobs. Dr. Gupta also aims to help her trainees develop the skills needed to allow them to navigate through the uncomfortable situations that arise during the course of their career, for which little formal training exists – imparting wisdom on everything from daily work ethics to dealing with unwelcome comments as part of her casual teaching style.
Spring 2023 SOTM: Barbara Adaikpoh, M.Sc, Ph.D.
Written by Elodie Kadjo
Barbara I. Adaikpoh is a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Illinois Chicago. Her research focuses on developing a bacterial host for natural product discovery and development.
Dr. Adaikpoh decided to study pharmacy because of her fascination with the use of plants and microorganisms to produce therapeutic compounds. She obtained her Pharm.D. from the University of Benin (Nigeria), followed by an MSc. in Pharmacognosy from the University College London (UK). Insatiable for knowledge, she went on to get a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Mississippi.
Barbara describes her journey as exciting and very rewarding. The most gratifying part of her work is experiencing the developing curiosity and excitement of her mentees during their research projects. Nonetheless, she does sometimes face difficulties. Recounting one of those difficult moments, she said: “While in graduate school, my first application for a travel grant to attend a conference was rejected. I was very disappointed and questioned my ability to be successful in my chosen career path because I had invested a lot of time and effort into preparing the application. Rather than give up, I decided to improve my writing skills by attending writing-focused workshops organized by my institution. I also attended workshops that focused on improving mental health and overcoming imposter syndrome – I wanted to better deal with future rejections. In addition to being successful in my next application for a travel grant, I developed skills that would enable me to better navigate my future career.”
Barbara often uses her experience to encourage her co-workers and mentees. She has benefitted from various mentorships and has been shaped by unique experiences while developing her career path. Now, Barbara wishes to pursue an academic career. This will provide the opportunity to give back by serving as a role model and a mentor to inspire confidence and scientific curiosity among underserved groups and help facilitate their success in their chosen careers.
Outside of work, Barbara loves to run and visit new cities.
Chicago Women in IP Scholarship
More details and the application can be found here.
AWIS Announces 2022 ‘Shooting Star’ Chapter Awards
The Association for Women in Science (AWIS) has designated nine ‘Shooting Star’ Chapters in recognition of their initiatives throughout 2022 that supported the AWIS mission of advancing women in science. These chapters include Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, East Bay California, New York Women in Natural Sciences, Notre Dame, Philadelphia, Sacramento Valley, and Seattle.
The winning chapters were determined by AWIS’ Chapter Advisory Committee based on the information submitted in each chapter’s annual report. Each of these chapters will receive a $350 grant for use in chapter activities that impact their community and raise the profile of women in science.
Meredith Gibson, AWIS CEO, stated, “Once again, AWIS members and chapters have showcased their abilities to have a significant impact on their communities, regardless of the chapter size. We are fortunate to have many dedicated members and volunteer leaders working to advance women in science.”
Shooting Star for Mentoring
- AWIS Chicago added a “Speed Circle” to their successful Summer Mentoring Circles program that allowed participants to meet more mentors and mentees. They also had AWIS leaders engage rising high schoolers and create a podcast interviewing their middle school science teacher.
Click here to read the full article!
Fall 2022 SOTM: Amrita Iyer, PhD
by J. K. Wenderott
It is clear while interviewing Dr. Amrita A. Iyer that communicating is one of her passions. She exudes excitement as she discusses her job as a science writer at Tempus Labs in Chicago, IL, as well as her path to choosing a career in science communication. “In my job, I get to drive [scientific] papers forward so that they do see light and get published. That is the most satisfying part of my job.”
Amrita grew up in India and attended Vellore Institute of Technology for her Bachelors in Biotechnology and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras for her Masters in Biological Sciences. During this time, she became well acquainted with genetics research, and continuing on this path, she joined Baylor College of Medicine for her PhD in Molecular & Human Genetics. It was while she was a PhD student, though, that she started to explore other interests. “Once I was done with my qualifying exams and those formalities, I started doing science communication as a stress-beating strategy,” she explains. Her PhD research was in a niche area – genetics of the inner ear – and being able to discuss it in more general terms with an audience and teach them something they did not previously know was exciting. “The response I was getting when people understood something new, that response made me feel good about my research.” This perspective-building (that can often be lost when being too close to a research topic), as well as the opportunities to speak at workshops and other events that started to snowball, pushed Amrita to seriously consider a career path in science communication. In 2021, when presented with the fork between continuing research and transitioning to a career in science communication, Amrita “took a leap of faith” and joined Tempus Labs as a science writer, which she considers now to be “one of the best decisions” she has made for herself.
Tempus Labs applies data and artificial intelligence to solve healthcare challenges for patients, and Amrita’s job as a science writer there consists of many roles. Beyond interfacing with marketing, medical affairs, and sales teams, she prepares, edits and reviews research communications including abstracts for conferences and manuscripts for publication. She is quick to note a key difference between her job now and her time as a graduate student: while she was working on one or two manuscripts or abstracts as a graduate student at the same time, now she handles more like eight abstracts and three manuscripts simultaneously. “There’s a lot of project management, as well, because each project is at a different stage,” she explains. Amrita believes the base skills required for her job – writing, editing, project management, organization, asking questions of researchers – were honed naturally during her time as a PhD student. When thinking about career advancement, Amrita brings up seeking out certifications through organizations like the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA), International Society for Medical Publication Professionals (ISMPP), and Board of Editors in the Life Sciences (BELS).
For those considering science writing, Amrita has several pieces of advice. For those in the early stages of their PhD, she recommends starting to build a portfolio as soon as possible by pursuing avenues to enhance your CV like serving as a teaching assistant for a medical writing class, checking LinkedIn for volunteer opportunities, and reviewing papers. Besides also seeking out these opportunities, those later on in their PhD can target certain certifications and credentials; for instance, BELS accepts PhD work as relevant experience, so students can apply and take the certification exam immediately. She also notes there are a variety of career branches in science communication. Within the industry, there are opportunities to work primarily on scientific publications, medical writing catered to pharmaceutical businesses, and regulatory writing. Other paths outside of industry can be found at non-profits, in academia as a grant writer, or through freelance work on a project-by-project basis.
Outside of her job, Amrita has many hobbies and interests like gardening, cooking, and writing fiction. Additionally, she has served in several mentorship capacities, including as a mentor for the AWIS-CAC Mentoring Circles program which consists of small intimate groups that meet over the summer to discuss mutual topics of interest. Speaking of her roles as a mentor and mentee, Amrita says, “It goes both ways. I learn a lot when I mentor. Mentees have so much to offer from the perspective of where they come from, what their background is, the way they ask questions, the way they understand things.” Her willingness to be a mentor is apparent beyond her commitment to these formal programs. She emphasized she is more than happy to hear from folks that have interest in science writing, would like her to review their resumes, or simply want to connect. You can reach Dr. Amrita A. Iyer by LinkedIn message.
Summer 2022 SOTM: Lisa Utschig, PhD
By: Nora Grasse
Dr. Lisa Utschig balances being an award-winning chemist and a mom. She is the Lead Principal Investigator of Natural Photosynthesis at Argonne National Lab with the Solar Energy Conversion Group. Dr. Utschig has defined her own path and stayed true to herself as she has brought novel bioinorganic chemistry approaches to the long-established field of photosynthesis research while being the mother of three.
Growing up, Dr. Utschig’s favorite subjects were art and math, so she decided to attend a small liberal arts school in Iowa, Cornell College, to explore her interests. She started classes thinking she might go to medical school and be a doctor. “I didn’t even know what graduate school was at that point or anything, coming from where I grew up,” she recalled. Her advisor at Cornell College was a chemist, who recommended exploring chemistry and encouraged her to try summer research at University of Iowa. Once she had her own research project outside of a classroom setting, she started to enjoy lab work. From there, Utschig applied to graduate school and attended Northwestern University for her PhD in Chemistry. Her focus was bioinorganic chemistry, specifically metalloregulatory proteins. She studied the effect of mercury on gene response.
After graduate school, the balance between work and family life started to help shape her career. Looking for a postdoctoral research position that could also be near her husband’s work, Utschig presented a poster at an Argonne National Laboratory event for women in science. There, she met Dr. Marion Thurnauer, who offered her a postdoc position in photosynthesis research. Thurnauer would go on to become her mentor at Argonne. Thurnauer advocated for Utschig so she could work part time, as Utschig wanted flexible hours to find her best balance of work and family life. Before starting her postdoc, Utschig envisioned herself becoming a professor at a liberal arts college like the one she attended, but her career goals changed as her love of research grew at Argonne.
Switching from her work on metalloregulatory proteins to photosynthesis was a big transition at first. “I used to joke that I didn’t even know what a chlorophyll was.” Photosynthesis research is a huge field with a rich history. “Interestingly enough, the differences in the fields led to my first discovery as a postdoc.” While studying the structure of photosynthetic reaction center proteins, which convert light to chemical energy, she discovered a zinc site on the protein that regulates an important electron transfer process. She elaborated, saying, “Other groups around the world picked up on that and actually proved that where the zinc binds is the entry point of the proton.” Coming from the fresh perspective of bioinorganic chemistry enabled her to make a new contribution to the photosynthetic research field. A key takeaway from this experience was to trust your instincts. After seeing something small and unexpected, she pursued it and asked more questions.
Some of her more recent work involves modifying photosynthetic proteins for hydrogen fuel production. Plants convert sunlight to chemical energy at near unity conversion; no artificial system comes close to this efficiency. “Part of my research is understanding how nature does it.” How do photosynthetic proteins capture the light energy? How can we use the light capture and conversion capability of nature to make solar fuel? Currently, Utschig is studying the production of clean hydrogen from sunlight and water. Her group has coupled synthetic chemistries and natural capture and conversion capabilities, adding a catalytic component to photosynthetic proteins. In 2020, Utschig won University of Chicago’s Distinguished Performance Award for her hydrogen research. Future direction for her work includes carbon dioxide research. She continues to bring an inspired approach to photosynthesis research through her bioinorganic chemistry expertise. Her experience binding metal complexes to proteins in graduate school still informs her work today.
Natural photosynthesis research is unique, so it requires hands-on mentoring in the lab. When asked how being a mom has impacted her mentoring style, she said, “I try to really listen, respond, and help best I can.” She prioritizes being approachable. She raised her children to be humble and kind, and she applies these values to her scientific work, too. Utschig aims to instill confidence in her mentees and push them so they can do the work.
Dr. Utschig offered advice to other women in science. She said that it’s important to remember that everybody’s different! She encourages folks to define their own path: “You can do good science and you can have three kids while you do it. You can be the mom you want to be.” Whenever making a big decision, she passes along advice her dad once offered her. “Always follow your heart and your mind. It’s gotta feel right and it’s gotta make sense.”
Winter 2022 SOTM: Esther Ngumbi, PhD
by J. K. Wenderott
The first thing I notice about Dr. Esther Ngumbi when she joins our Zoom room for her interview are her earrings: vibrant sunflowers. “I bought them on Etsy,” she says smiling. Dr. Ngumbi, an assistant professor of Entomology and African American Studies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), radiates joy and excitement as we discuss her career path and passions that stem from her experiences growing up in a rural farming community along the Kenyan Coast. Describing her journey that has led her to study and research insects, ecology, food (in)security, and sustainability, Ngumbi says, “The more I learned, the more I wanted to learn. It was this treadmill that kept me going.”
Ngumbi attended Kenyatta University in Nairobi, Kenya, for her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees of Science. She then completed her PhD in Entomology from Auburn University, becoming the first woman from her hometown to obtain a PhD degree. Describing herself as a young girl growing up in Kenya, Ngumbi says, “I could not imagine a career in science, because I did not know what science was all about.” She had role models that were teachers, doctors, and accountants, and so she originally thought she would be an accountant when she grew up. The results of her secondary school exams, though, pointed her in a different direction: “Science chose me.” Once she started to do experiments in the lab, she was hooked. “I became very, very curious… I wanted to spend more time in the lab, and I was enjoying every moment.” Ngumbi recalls some early practicals with insects in the laboratory, as well as the proximity of the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology to her University, that laid the foundation for her interests and future research in entomology.
At UIUC, Ngumbi’s research focuses on the challenges agriculture faces to bring food to the table, brought about by stressors like climate change and insect outbreaks. How are plants defending themselves? How are plants recruiting the help they need? How can we manipulate crops to ensure they are defending themselves? These are key questions that Ngumbi is investigating. Her motivation to pursue these studies comes, in part, from formative experiences as a young girl watching farmers in her community struggle with insects and persistent drought destroying crops. These forces that led to food insecurity in her community and across the globe are ones that Ngumbi is also seeking to understand more. As an assistant professor with appointments in both Entomology and African American Studies, Ngumbi straddles the social and natural sciences. In African American Studies, she teaches classes related to food (in)security. Ngumbi feels her work in both departments influences each other, and she notes the important work of connecting her research in the lab to the impact it has on people, especially people of color in the US and across the globe.
Ngumbi stresses the critical importance of mentoring throughout her life: “I am a product of mentors who held my hand when I did not know anything about entomology and science.” These mentors range from her teachers that believed in her scientific abilities to her research supervisors that helped her see how experimental results tell a story to her current colleagues and department chair that are helping her navigate the tenure process. Having seen the impact of mentoring on her life, Ngumbi is passionate about giving back. She serves as a mentor for her graduate students and through entities like the Clinton Global University Initiative and President Barack Obama’s Young Leadership Program: “As women [in science], we are few in numbers and we cannot afford to have anyone that wants to be in science walk away because they lacked a mentor.” Ngumbi is also dedicated to being a role model that she did not have for young girls in her community and inspiring more young girls to see themselves as scientists.
When asked what advice Ngumbi would give to her younger self, she says, “Do not edit any of your aspirations and dreams… Be you and do not silence yourself.” As we wind down our interview, I cannot help but again notice the vibrant sunflower earrings as Dr. Ngumbi shares a final piece of wisdom: “Allow yourself to bloom where you are planted.” If you’d like to learn more about Ngumbi and her work, please visit https://www.estherngumbi.com/ or https://sib.illinois.edu/profile/enn.
AWIS Chicago Selected as a 2022 Shooting Star Award Winner by AWIS National!
The AWIS Chapter Advisory Committee awarded AWIS Chicago with a Shooting Star for our chapter’s unique initiatives throughout the last year, including our expansive mentoring circles program, successful awards event with expansive award options, and our internship opportunities!
Call for Scientist of the Month and Innovators & Motivators Volunteers!
AWIS Chicago is seeking volunteers to support the creation of their Scientist of the Month (SotM) written features and their Innovators & Motivators (I&M) podcasts for 2022. In 2022, there will be quarterly SotM features and I&M podcasts. Volunteers are welcome to support the creation of one or multiple SotMs and/or I&Ms depending on their interests and availability, and there is the option to start volunteering right away and/or later in the year. Descriptions for each opportunity are found below. University students and postdocs are especially encouraged to volunteer to gain valuable scientific communication experience! All duties will be performed virtually. If you are interested in volunteering, please reach out to us at awiscommunications@gmail.com as soon as possible to discuss the opportunities. In your email, please include your past scientific communication experience (this is not a requirement to be a volunteer), if any, and if you are specifically interested in volunteering for the SotM or I&M opportunity (or both).
SotM opportunity:
The SotM series features a person with scientific training who promotes or embodies the advancement of women in the fields of science, technology, or engineering (STEM) from the Chicagoland area. The SotM volunteer will be responsible for interviewing the feature by phone or video chat and then writing a short article (1-1.5 pages in length) that will be published on the AWIS CAC website and social media. Sample questions are provided to prepare the volunteer for the interview. It is anticipated that each feature will require ~5 hrs each to perform the interview and write and edit the feature, and the volunteer will have access to an AWIS CAC mentor throughout the process.
I&M opportunity:
The I&M podcast features a scientist who has demonstrated the ability to innovate and/or motivate in their chosen STEM career trajectory. In the podcast, the scientist is invited into this conversation with their mentee to afford for rich conversations that matter. Typically, each podcast is recorded in about 30-45 minutes, and editing is performed to bring the total podcast to around ~15-20 minutes. The I&M podcast is published on the AWIS CAC website and social media. The I&M volunteer will assist in the podcast production and editing process. It is anticipated that each podcast will require ~5 hrs each for preparation, recording, and editing, and the volunteer will have access to an AWIS CAC mentor throughout the process.