Alina Guo
What drew you to science?
Science captivated me because of my endless curiosity, which felt insatiable even as a child. It was never enough just to accept things at face value—I always wanted to dive deeper, ask questions, and connect the dots between observations and explanations. Science provides an ever-evolving framework to explore these questions, pushing boundaries of knowledge in ways that never quite end. This constant sense of discovery and challenge is what keeps me committed and excited about my field.
What are the strengths and challenges of a science career?
Science offers unique strengths that can be very fulfilling. At its core, a career in science allows us to contribute to deeper understandings of complex systems, whether that's uncovering the molecular mechanisms behind cognitive function or pioneering new approaches to medical treatments. This work demands creativity and critical thinking, often leading to innovative solutions and discoveries. However, the path of a scientist is not without its challenges. Scientific research requires resilience and perseverance, as much of the work involves trial and error. Experiments can take weeks, months, or even years, with no guarantee of conclusive results. In fact, "failure" is a common companion in science, as many hypotheses don’t hold up under testing, or projects may hit roadblocks due to technical limitations. This reality can make it difficult to maintain motivation and can feel disheartening, especially when facing tight deadlines, limited funding, or competition within the field. Despite these challenges, the joy of discovery is worth the effort in my pursuit of a career in science.
Did any aspect of your upbringing or culture have an influence on you?
My mother instilled a strong sense of independence in me from a young age. Rather than simply providing answers to my constant questions, she gave me the tools to discover answers on my own such as buying me science related books and magazines. Looking back, it was almost like I was doing my own literature searches. This sparked a natural curiosity and a love for research, which pretty much mirrors the work I do now in science. Those early experiences taught me that learning is a journey—one that takes patience, persistence, and a bit of creativity. These values have definitely influenced how I approach my work today.
What do you research and is this what you wanted to study?
I research synaptic adhesion proteins in the hippocampus, which are crucial for cognitive function and intelligence. When these proteins become dysregulated, it can lead to various intellectual deficits, such as autism and Jacobsen’s syndrome. My work focuses on understanding how these proteins interact to create functional synapses using biophysical and structural techniques like x-ray crystallography and cryo-ET. This field has captivated me from the start. As an undergrad majoring in Psychology, I learned a range of mental disabilities and disorders classified in the DSM-V. I was struck by how much we still don’t know about the underlying mechanisms behind these conditions. I wanted to get to the root of what drives mental illnesses by studying them at the molecular level aiming to uncover the intricate biological processes that might contribute to these conditions.
Is there anything else you would like to share that might be encouraging to prospective trainees?
My advice to prospective trainees is to truly embrace the journey of graduate school. This period is an incredible time for growth—not only in terms of academic knowledge but in developing critical skills like resilience, time management, and problem-solving, which will serve you well in any career path. It’s also an opportunity to discover what inspires you, what challenges you, and ultimately what will keep you motivated through difficult times. Science is not always a straightforward path, but finding meaning in each stage of the journey can make it immensely fulfilling.
Jessica Pita Aquino
What drew you to science?
My draw to science was fueled by a curiosity to understand the unknown and uncover how the world works. During a Zoology class as an undergraduate, my passion for science truly crystallized. I was captivated by the remarkable adaptations of various species and how they evolved to overcome global challenges. Learning about these fascinating evolutionary processes not only inspired me but also solidified my commitment to pursuing a career in science.
What are the strengths and challenges for a science career?
As a Puerto Rican Latina, I have faced the unique challenges that individuals from underrepresented communities often encounter in their scientific training. When opportunities for research outside of Puerto Rico surfaced, I realized how few role models there were in science who shared my background. This lack of representation made it difficult to envision my own success in the field and to find mentors who could guide me. These experiences motivated me to get involved in outreach and public engagement programs, as well as organizations dedicated to advancing diversity, inclusion, and equity. My goal is to inspire others from similar underrepresented backgrounds to pursue careers in science.
However, the greatest challenge in my journey has been being away from home and family while pursuing my career. Leaving Puerto Rico for my graduate studies was a difficult decision, but it has also been incredibly awarding.
One of the strengths of pursuing a career in science is being at the forefront of scientific knowledge. Our curiosity drives us to generate new insights that can lead to significant impacts, such as novel therapeutics and interventions to address global challenges. This aspect of science continually fuels my passion and commitment.
Did any aspect of your upbringing or culture have an influence on you?
As a Puerto Rican, our history has instilled in us a deep sense of resilience and adaptability. Growing up, I was surrounded by stories of perseverance and overcoming challenges, which are integral to our cultural identity. The collective spirit of overcoming adversity and striving for progress has been a driving force for me. Additionally, the value placed on education and intellectual curiosity within my family has inspired me to seek out opportunities to expand my knowledge and contribute to scientific advancements.
What do you research and is this what you wanted to study?
I am fascinated by the ability of organisms to adapt to a changing world and how these changes enable them to live in different environments. Our world has been constantly changing for millions of years, forcing organisms to keep up by quickly adapting to survive. Through previous research experiences, I have explored different aspects of global change and their impact in animal species in an ecological and evolutionary approach. But what are the impacts of global change on human health? Environmental change can influence the emergence, proliferation, and dynamics of infectious diseases.
As a graduate student in the Sigala lab, we study Plasmodium falciparum parasites, which cause malaria, a devastating disease that continues to affect thousands of people around the globe. More specifically, I am studying the molecular mechanisms involved in mitochondrial Rieske protein maturation and its importance for the regulation of Electron Transport Chain Complex II activity and biogenesis in Plasmodium malaria parasites.
Is there anything else you would like to share that might be encouraging to prospective trainees?
Everyone's journey in science is unique, and its important to embrace your own path. Stay curious and pursue what genuinely excites you and contributes to your growth. Surround yourself with supportive mentors and peers who uplift you, and never lose sight of why you began this journey. Your dedication and enthusiasm can lead to incredible achievements and breakthroughs.
Onyeka Obidi
What drew you to science?
My major pull toward science was sheer curiosity. Right from high school, I became fascinated that natural phenomena could be explained: why the sky is blue, why we can only walk and not fly like birds. The answers to most of these questions came from my science classes, and I wanted to know more and be able to apply scientific reasoning to answer questions about nature. As I progressed, I became more interested in biological sciences, especially having lost loved ones to heart diseases and cancer. I felt that there were a lot of questions to be answered in health and diseases, and I wanted a career in science.
What are the strengths and challenges for a science career?
A significant strength of a science career is that it creates some satisfaction for the curious mind. It also gives satisfaction that one contributes to improving the world. Another strength of a science career is that science is broad, and one can move from one area of science to another. One major challenge in a science career is the metric in which productivity in science is assessed. Scientific productivity, especially in research, is often tied to the results; a failed experiment does not count, no matter how much effort or energy was put in.
Did any aspect of your upbringing or culture have an influence on you?
I am the product of my environment. Growing up in Nigeria instilled a high degree of resilience in me, which has been helpful in my scientific journey. In the early part of my life, I lived with Catholic missionaries. This exposed me to Philosophy, which has influenced how I think, my perspective on life and even how I ask and think about scientific questions.
What do you research and is this what you wanted to study?
I work on an understudied adhesion protein resident in the brain. This protein plays both adhesive and signaling roles to ensure the proper functioning of the brain. Just like other adhesion proteins in the brain, dysfunction in this protein is linked to autism, schizophrenia, epilepsy, and other neurological disorders. My research focuses on structurally, biochemically, and biophysically characterizing this protein and its interacting partners to help a possible future of drug development targeted at this protein for treating neurological conditions.
Is there anything else you would like to share that might be encouraging to prospective trainees?
Science is beautiful! If you have found love in science, keep it close to your heart. Embrace your curiosity, nourish it, believe in yourself, then do it! If you fail, slow down, relax, think about it, adjust and redo. Success is just around the corner.
Aaron Ferrell
What drew you to science?
Growing up, I didn't always want to be a scientist. However, I think I exhibited characteristic traits that would steer me in this direction: innate curiosity, creativity, and persistence. If I had a question I wanted to solve, I wouldn't stop until I obtained an answer. I was always active in my science classes and would say that it was my favorite subject. My decision to become a scientist started when I took chemistry in high school. Not only did I realize I had a natural affinity towards the subject, but I realized that it was something I really enjoyed! Not to mention, I had one of the best and most engaging teachers I've ever encountered. Before becoming a teacher, she worked in industry at a pharmaceutical company and was always willing to answer any career questions I had. Her encouragement along with my curiosity about the biological function of small molecules kickstarted the path I am on today.
What are the strengths and challenges for a science career?
I would say one of the most important strengths for a science career is a passion and curiosity. For me, this curiosity is what drives me. The desire to understand on a deep level how something works coupled with the tenacity to commit yourself to the understanding. However, I would say that it can be challenging to find this question. The field is so vast, you have to be able to narrow down your focus to find a question that really interests you, and this can be difficult as often times your research is limited by funding. Therefore, it is necessary to be open-minded in order to pursue something that interests you within the scope of possibilities.
Did any aspect of your upbringing or culture have an influence on you?
While we don't have any other scientists in my immediate family, both of my parents have highly analytical perspectives. Growing up, they taught me to approach solving problems this way and I think this synergized well with my natural curiosity.
What do you research and is this what you wanted to study?
Currently, I am studying 2 mechanisms of "ribosomal hijacking". These mechanisms are employed by viruses to alter the canonical translation pathway allowing for enhanced translation of viral mRNA during infection. I have always been fascinated with the interactions between proteins and ligands, and through my career, have shifted from an organic chemistry emphasis to structural biology. I am collaborating with a lab that has developed a small molecule inhibitor for one of these projects and it is critical to understand the mechanism by which the target protein functions in order to truly understand the mechanism of inhibition. These types of projects are ideal for satiating my curiosity and building the skills necessary for my next chapter in science!
Is there anything else you would like to share that might be encouraging to prospective trainees?
Everyones journey will be different, but the most important thing is to keep an open mind and continue progressing. As scientists, our job is to continuously learn and you can apply that knowledge to almost anything! Don't be afraid to try something new as this is a very effective way to form novel perspectives and bolster your creativity! Lastly, don't be afraid to ask other student/postdocs/professors for insights. Our department is very inclusive and communicating with other scientists is a great way to develop new ideas, you don't have to do it all alone!
Adam Acevedo
What drew you to science?
As I reflect on my life, there were several events that led me to pursue a scientific career. From a young age, I was captivated by the ways in which animals adapted to survive and hunt. In high school, I attended "lab summer camps" where I conducted basic experiments, providing my first exposure to a laboratory setting. This experience led me to choose Biology as my undergraduate major.
Initially, my goal was to study animal behavior, with a particular interest in whales. I pursued scuba diving lessons and other courses to further this path. However, during my second year of college, I was introduced to biochemistry and molecular biology. The intricate chemical processes that occur on a molecular level left me amazed. I became particularly fascinated with structural biology and have since dedicated my scientific career to understanding the structures of molecular machines.
What are the strengths and challenges for science in Mexico?
In Mexico, the science and graduate education in biochemistry is competitive with other international programs. This is due to the well-established biochemistry programs offered by various public or private universities. Furthermore, most mentors have received cutting-edge scientific training and experience from abroad. Despite generating valuable scientific knowledge and new discoveries, the rate of production in Mexico pales in comparison to that of the USA, China, or European countries. This is largely due to the Mexican government's lack of interest in funding science, resulting in limited space and resources for the scientific community. As a result, many researchers seek opportunities outside the country to continue their work. Despite these challenges, the Mexican scientific community persists, driven by their passion for new discoveries. I am so grateful for my mentors who stayed in the country and created opportunities for people like me.
Did any aspect of your upbringing or culture have an influence on you?
I would say that creativity and dedication are some of the characteristics from my culture that have helped me persevere and seek new opportunities as a scientist. During my training in Mexico, I also learned the value of collaboration, and as a result, feel that I am able to work well with others. These abilities have made it easier for me to become a part of the friendly and supportive biochemistry community within this department.
What do you research and is this what you wanted to study?
My research area of interest is structural biology. Understanding the structure and function of enzymes and other proteins at an atomic level is exciting for me and requires a multidisciplinary approach in which the knowledge of the three-dimensional structure is important.
I am currently a Postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Sundquist's laboratory. My current research involves the biochemical and structural studies of multi-protein complexes involved in the Hippo Signaling pathway using Cryo-EM. These protein complexes dictate organ size and regeneration, participate in stem cell self-renewal and expansion, and are often dysregulated in many human cancers, making them a leading target for anticancer therapeutic development.
As a result of all my experience, I am interested in studying molecular machines and integrating diverse techniques of structural biology into my work to determine the structure and mechanism of action of these molecular machines. Also, I am always looking for new challenges and the acquisition of new skills.
Is there anything else you would like to share that might be encouraging to prospective trainees?
Always remember that science should be enjoyable. If you ever feel stuck in achieving your goals, keep in mind that there are many other ways to approach and overcome obstacles. That's one of the beauties of science - there's no defined recipe or pathway for conducting it.
At the University of Utah, the Biochemistry Department thrives on cooperation between skilled researchers who oversee exceptional projects. The scientific community is highly engaged and prioritizes the welfare of students and postdocs. Moreover, the location boasts breathtaking scenery and experiences all four distinct seasons throughout the year.
Daniela Tamayo Jaramillo
What drew you to science?
I did not grow up in a science-oriented family. But I always felt intrigued about biology, chemistry, astronomy, and physics. Since I was in first grade, science and math were always my favorite subjects in school. I have always been a deep thinker and science fueled that natural thirst for understanding things.
What are the strengths and challenges for science in Colombia?
Academic research is not a priority in the national agenda or budget. Therefore, there is not enough infrastructure, funding, or even the culture to do research as a career. The amount of research labs that are in only one university here in the US is just unimaginable in my country.
We have the enormous strength that we are the third most biodiverse country in the world, so there is just too much out there to discover. We are also known to be very resourceful and perseverant people, which are very good skills to have in science.
Did any aspect of your upbringing or culture have an influence on you?
The school that I went to when I was a kid and teenager educated me as an empowered woman, not afraid of pursuing my dreams even if that meant taking positions in fields in which we are traditionally under-represented. Additionally, my culture has helped me to be very resourceful and creative in all aspects of my life. We are also very embracing people, and that has helped me to build strong and positive interpersonal relationships here in the US.
What do you research and is this what you wanted to study?
I do research in the field of structural biology. I use cryo-EM to understand at a structural level how protein complexes work. Specifically, I am studying the mechanism of ribosome recycling after translation in eukaryotes.
When I was choosing my major, I was debating between physics, chemistry, and biology. I decided to major in chemistry since it was the central science among the three, and by being a chemist I could branch out to physics or biology more easily. When I graduated high school, I was very sure that I wanted to be a quantum chemist because I wanted to understand nature at the highest level of detail. And, during most of my years in college, the electives I chose were oriented to theoretical chemistry. However, when I took a required course in biotechnology it changed my perspective. I started to actually like biological chemistry a lot. My undergraduate thesis was on theoretical and computational chemistry, and that experience made me realize that I was missing something. I wanted to really combine my old love for physics, biology, and chemistry all in one. When I realized that there was something called structural biology where you could understand biology at the atomic level, I felt I found my place.
Is there anything else you would like to share that might be encouraging to prospective trainees?
Do not try to follow anyone’s path or common pre-established careers. Your talents and dreams are unique, and you can create for yourself any career you want. Don’t be afraid to combine different interests (even if they seem unrelated) because you may be surprised how in the end it can lead you to your unique dream job.
Ahmed Abouelghar
What drew you to science?
Honestly, my main motivation to go into science isn’t a grand dream of curing cancer or ending world hunger (even though the former is more of a political problem rather than a scientific one), but I’m simply driven by curiosity. Since I was a kid, I have always been interested in how things work, and the biggest two mysteries for me were how life works and how the universe works. In my first year of undergrad, I debated studying molecular biology or physics. I clearly choose what is arguably the more exciting question (just kidding).
What are the strengths and challenges for science in Egypt?
Sadly, there are a lot of challenges with doing science in Egypt. Of course, lack of funding is one of them, but this isn’t even the most significant issue. One big issue, in my opinion, is the lack of a good scientific infrastructure. For example, working here, if I need to sequence a plasmid, I get that done in a couple of days. If you want to order primers, an antibody, a chemical, etc., you can do that pretty quickly. In Egypt, these things can take up to months.
Did any aspect of your upbringing or culture have an influence on you?
My favorite TV channels as a kid were National Geographic and Al Jazeera documentary. I’m unsure if that made me curious or if I liked them because I was curious.
What do you research and is this what you wanted to study?
In the Miller lab, we study the kinetochore (which is objectively the coolest protein complex ever). My work is interested in understanding the essential function of a conserved microtubule-associated protein called Stu2. Stu2 has many functions in the cell, including kinetochore-associated functions. We are trying to figure out what essential function Stu2 carries in the cell and how does it mechanistically carry out this function.
Regarding the second part of the question, I didn’t have a specific thing I wanted to study. I have had things I didn’t want to study, but other than them, I was pretty open-minded. That being said, I have found the kinetochore to be very cool since many years ago, so as soon as I found that Matt studies the kinetochore, I decided that I needed to rotate with him. Long answer short, I love my research.
Is there anything else you would like to share that might be encouraging to prospective trainees?
It is not the easiest thing in the world to do a Ph.D., and you probably can go get a master’s and get a job that pays three times better than what you would be getting here (as some of my friends did). So, if you are going to do a Ph.D., it better be something you enjoy. Be careful about the personalities of your PI and your colleagues (it makes a huge difference; you want a nice collaborative environment) and work on a problem that you find interesting.
Rachel Torrez, PhD
What drew you to science?
Generally, the sheer number of areas and topics to learn about is what really drew me to science. I can remember going to biology or chemistry class and always being surprised by what new and exciting thing we would be learning about on that day. It felt like there was an endless list of things to discover and that is what really made it fun. Ever since then I have continued to expand my scientific scope of knowledge jumping across and in between scientific disciplines and subject matter. I started my scientific journey doing synthetic chemistry in a medicinal chemistry lab and now I am combining my graduate school knowledge of structural biology with my new passion for molecular animation.
What has been your biggest challenge in pursuing a science career?
Unsurprisingly to me, my biggest challenge thus far has been maintaining focus. With so many topics to study or fields of research to explore I find myself falling down the rabbit hole a bit too much. Now this is not always the worse thing in the world to do, as it often leads me to uncover an alternative way of doing things, it can sometimes consume too much of my energy and progress towards the goal directly in front of me. As I progress in my scientific career, my goal is to be better at recognizing when it’s okay to fall down the rabbit hole and when I should put all my focus into one task at a time.
Is there anything else you would like to share that might be encouraging to prospective trainees?
To future and incoming trainees, don’t put yourself in a box. There is absolutely nothing wrong with falling in love with one specific research area, but I highly encourage you to push yourself out of your comfort zone. You never know when a past random research endeavor might aid you or your fellow scientists in answering a challenging research question. Additionally, a willingness to try new things is what drives novel discoveries and will make you a highly versatile scientist.
Tanya Espino-Sanchez
What drew you to science?
I have always loved a challenge. However, I did not know I wanted to be a scientist until I started college. In college, I was guided by amazing teachers that showed me how amazing discovering something felt. I realized I really enjoyed learning about how things worked and how they were created, and it was amazing to understand things I had questioned before. During college, I was guided by amazing, diverse scientists which also made me realize I could be one of them in the future.
Did any aspect of your upbringing or culture have an influence on you?
I am the oldest daughter of young immigrants. I was taught resilience and perseverance. My parents have always been goal driven and even though they did not have the opportunities I did, they always pushed me to do more. They taught me not to quit when things got hard and always pushed me to do things with passion.
What has been your biggest challenge in pursuing a science career?
One of my biggest challenges has been that my science career has not been traditional. I did not grow up like many of my colleagues, knowing I wanted to be a scientist. I was not exposed to science as a career early in my life, I wasn’t exposed to science until I started college, which always made me feel as if I was behind. Secondly, I lost my mother during the beginning of the pandemic which led me to adopt my 2 younger siblings when I had just given birth to my first daughter. This came with responsibilities and life adjustments that no one ever expects. I worked to juggle everything which led to things falling down the cracks, like my project. During this period of my graduate career, I really questioned if science or a PhD was for me. Thankfully, I had a great support system that allowed me to get back on track and push forward with my graduate career.
What do you research and is this always what you wanted to study?
My research is focused on plasmodium falciparum, a parasite that causes malaria. I work with a cytochrome c homolog, cytochrome c2. This cytochrome is one of the most divergent eukaryotic cytochrome c reported and it is unclear why the parasite has retained such a divergent cytochrome c, as it not essential in the parasite’s life cycle. I have always been intrigued with studying diseases, so it is something I always wanted to study. I have been lucky enough to be exposed to different branches with this project, for example, molecular biology, biophysics, and chemistry, which makes my project even more fun.
Is there anything else you would like to share that might be encouraging to prospective trainees?
I would tell prospective trainees that even though you hope to dive into a project and really move things along, life is too short to not have balance. Enjoy research, enjoy your family and friends, and always make sure you find a support system that will help you when things seem rough.
Luis Cedeño-Rosario, PhD
What drew you to science?
I was always very curious as a kid, and wanted to understand how thing works. However, did not know I wanted to do research until I participated in a science fair during high school and later on in a summer research program as an undergraduate student. Good mentorship definitely made me fall in love for science. I always wanted to give back to my community, and this is my way to contribute and make science more accessible to people from underrepresented backgrounds.
What are the strengths and challenges for science in Puerto Rico?
As a Puerto Rican scientist, I believe one of the biggest strengths is the dedication and love for doing science. You can definitely appreciate this when you see many undergraduate and graduate students around the Island with a genuine interest for making new discoveries that would move Puerto Rican science forward. We have very smart and intelligent researchers in our beautiful 100x35 mile island. One of the big challenges is dealing with natural disasters and severe weather due to hurricanes, but we have developed resilience and protocols to work on this (to some extent).
Did any aspect of your upbringing or culture have an influence on you?
Our culture has taught us to be resilient and passionate for the things we do, which has helped me to be a better scientist and mentor. We are also very caring people, and that has influenced me a lot in a positive way.
What do you research and is this what you wanted to study?
I have always been passionate about biomedical sciences. I am currently working at the intersection of cancer metabolism and cell signaling in the Rutter Lab. I think my passion for these fields comes from personal experiences and exposure to people that have suffered from cancer. My goal in the future is to help these patients to have a better quality of life by understanding the basic mechanisms by which normal cells become cancer cells.
Is there anything else you would like to share that might be encouraging to prospective trainees?
Keep your eyes on the goal, and never doubt yourself. Find those mentors and peers that care about you and will help you achieve your own goals (both personal and professional). Science is not just about good research, it is also about good mentorship.
Julio Fierro
What drew you to science? Did any aspect of your upbringing or culture have an influence on your career?
What drew me into science? I guess it was because my parents were super into science growing up. Specifically, they were big into chemistry and marine biology in high school back in Mexico. When we moved to the United States, they saw that I had a strong interest in science early on and chose to foster that by buying me lots of child science textbooks and kits. As I got older, I started taking AP / IB stem courses. Finally, in undergrad, I got the opportunity to do research, which pushed me into biology. Surprisingly, I actually hated evolution in undergrad because I had a terrible teacher, but I heard about lots of interesting subjects from friends in the evolutionary field, so it was in the back of my mind. Then, when I came to Utah and I rotated with Nels Elde, he exposed me to the breadth of big open-ended questions available in the field of evolution. As for culture, Mexican culture and a lot of other cultures have a very interesting relationship with science because there is more of a mix of traditional medicines combined with modern science. The more I delved into the history of science as an undergrad, the more I came to realize that a lot of contemporary science bases itself on traditional medicine. My family is also part Mayan, and historically, as a people, they did a lot of astrology, math, and science. My parents always said that my passion for science likely came from that part of my family history.
What do you research and is this what you wanted to study?
I study the evolution of cell-substrate adhesion machinery, basically the evolution of nano structures that cells use to adhere to things in their environment. I use Dictyostelium as my model organism of choice. It wasn’t always what I wanted to study. When I joined the lab, I thought I would study tumor evolution. But then COVID happened, and when I joined the lab, I wasn’t actually physically in the lab most of the time, so I spent some time toying around with different genomes using skills I had picked up from other research experiences. From there, we zeroed in on Dicty and then the party just took off from there and focused on the evolution of focal adhesions.
Is there anything else you would like to share that might be encouraging to prospective trainees?
For trainees, We have a very tight-knit and diverse community for trainees interested in the department. The research is quite diverse, which is a big strength of the department. More generally, the advice I have for trainees is to not feel like you have to know everything. Don’t be afraid to mess up and make mistakes or ask questions, even if it can feel daunting. You’ll miss all the shots you don’t take, and it's important to remember that you’ll get something out of every experience (mistake or not).
What do you enjoy / miss from your home (country)?
We moved here to Salt Lake from Mexico when I was 5, but I’m an undocumented immigrant here as part of the DACA program. This means I’m here legally now, but I’m not allowed to leave the country. This means I haven’t been able to go back to Mexico. I miss the idea of being back home in Mexico and have distant but distinct memories of it. I like Salt Lake and love having the mountains nearby, as I grew up running in the foothills. I left Salt Lake for undergrad, and one of the biggest reasons I decided to stay and do grad school here was that I didn’t want to give up the mountains again.
What do you think folks should know about the challenges facing graduate students who are in the DACA program like yourself?
One of the obvious ones is that we can’t attend any international conferences, which is unfortunate as I would love to travel and attend the larger international meetings. The other big one is funding; while there are specific fellowships I have access to, I can’t apply for any public ones like the NIH or NSF. And since my project’s nature is more basic science, not being eligible for NSF grants is a huge loss. It’s also important to remember that with DACA, you’re constantly in limbo. I basically have to renew my visa every two years. Furthermore, the legal landscape associated with DACA is constantly changing, bringing a lot of stress. The only way to ever get actual citizenship is if you have someone sponsor you. I try not to think about it too much because I know it stresses me out, but it’s always at the back of my mind.
Erica Hastings
What drew you to science?
My parents are biomedical engineers so I have grown up being surrounded by people that are involved in medicine and engineering. In college, I chose to become a chemical engineer because it was a field I was familiar with but plot twist: I didn’t really like the courses and I didn’t want a traditional chemical engineering career. I found a lab at the NIH that did vaccine production for infectious diseases like Ebola, malaria, and HIV and I’ve been hooked ever since. I decided to come back to grad school because I wanted to learn more about the basic science behind vaccine discovery and development.
Did any aspect of your upbringing or culture have an influence on you?
My parents and most of my family do things in the STEM category (as opposed to arts and humanities) so I think I’ve always been influenced toward that direction. I was also fortunate that my parents gave me opportunities to figure out what interested me when I was super young. For example(s), they sent me to stay with my aunt and uncle one summer of high school so that I could see how a research lab worked, I went every year with my dad to bring your child to work day, and I was able to shadow an oncologist for a day in middle school.
What has been your biggest challenge in pursuing a science career?
I’ve realized that my personality sometimes makes it difficult to take me seriously. I’ve been frustrated in my adult life trying to figure out how to balance my playful side with professionalism. I want people to respect me and, ideally, think I’m funny AND smart.
What do you research and is this always what you wanted to study?
I study this weird crystal motion inside malaria parasites and I’m trying to figure out why the crystals are moving. I’m not sure I’ve ever known what I’ve “always” wanted to do. In elementary school, I wanted to be a doctor but was terrified of blood. In high school, I wanted to work in a research lab but couldn’t kill mice. In college, I wanted to be a chemical engineer and make lots of money. At the NIH, I wanted to learn more about infectious diseases - so I guess I’m studying exactly what I’ve always wanted to study (an idea that popped up 4 years ago). For the past week, I’ve been thinking of becoming an architect after this little research stint is completed. We’ll see what happens.
Is there anything else you would like to share that might be encouraging to prospective trainees?
Hmmm maybe don’t take life too seriously? This is my current advice for myself. I’m going into my fourth year and still feel like I don’t know what I’m doing but I’m hoping that if I work hard and follow my goals, eventually everything will come together. I’m also trying to enjoy my time here doing exactly what I want to do. Jobs might give me more money and won’t require me to work outside of 9-5 but I also won't get to choose what I get to think about. Sometimes I feel like people approach grad school as a race to get out and that seems like a stressful way to live. We live in the mountains and we do cool research, this seems like a pretty good life to me.
Deji Aderounmu
What drew you to science? Did any aspect of your upbringing or culture have an influence on your career?
As a kid I thought I wanted to be an accountant, but I found the business classes in high school boring. I found myself drawn to Biology and Chemistry in science class instead. I was also a very sickly child so I spent a lot of time in the hospital sick with malaria or typhoid fever. I ended up studying Pharmacy for my undergraduate degree because it combined my love for Biology and Chemistry with a front-facing role where I could observe how medical science affects the lives of patients, having been one for long stretches of my childhood. As part of my training, I came in contact with inpatients in the hospital wards who were beyond the limits of modern medicine or at least the fraction of modern medicine available in Nigeria. I also worked at the bench on the chemical analysis and quality control of medications for my undergraduate research requirement. This unique blend of experiences helped me make a connection between basic science in the lab and the patients who end up depending on these medicines to live healthy lives. It also spurred me to want to do research to understand how to expand the repertoire of tools available in modern medicine. I had planned to do this in the field of small molecule drug discovery but sometimes science takes us down a different path for the better. I currently study RNA Biochemistry, a field that involves development of RNA-based therapeutics for different genetic and metabolic diseases, but also includes studying RNA viruses like the notorious COVID-19, and here I get to indulge my first love of Biology and Chemistry.
What has been your biggest challenge in pursuing a science career?
Leaving my family behind in Nigeria to move to the US to pursue this dream of becoming a scientist is difficult. Being an immigrant also limits the grant and funding opportunities available as a PhD student, while exacerbating the social isolation inherent to working as a scientist.
What are the strengths and challenges for science in the country you came from?
There is virtually little to no funding for academic biomedical research in my country. Graduate students have to work a second job to make ends meet while they pursue a Masters or PhD as there is no infrastructure of financial support at any level of the academic ladder. This makes it difficult to do any real science outside of a few government research institutes. One advantage of doing science in Nigeria is the potential to discover novel small molecules of therapeutic or industrial benefit from the understudied indigenous fauna and flora.
Is there anything you would like to share that might be encouraging to prospective trainees?
Comparison is the thief of joy. Embrace uncertainty. Every scientist’s individual journey is unique and because of the inherent uncertainty baked into interesting scientific questions, effort and competence will not always be commensurate with success and productivity in terms of positive data. Planning for this eventuality and finding ways to work around it makes a world of difference. Also, prioritize your mental health at all costs.
What do you enjoy / miss from your country?
I miss the food from my country the most. One can only approximate the taste of home so much with the ingredients available so far away from their source. I also miss the absence of the concept of race. Because everyone in Nigeria is black, race as a socioeconomic concept is meaningless. This is very different in the US.
Jesse Velasco
What drew you to science? Did any aspect of your upbringing or culture have an influence on your career?
I am a first-generation Mexican immigrant. I grew up in a very Mexican traditional family that always encouraged and gave me the freedom and support to pursue whatever career I wanted. As far back as I can remember, I have always enjoyed wondering, playing, and exploring nature. Despite the challenges of being a first-gen college student, I feel fortunate to have had multiple professional experiences and academic accomplishments, such as research internships, trainings, and shadows at a prestigious research institution that helped me to explore and understand the scientific method. These experiences and my personal background helped me identify my altruistic character and establish my aptitude and direction for my vocation to confirm my interest in becoming a science researcher, communicator, advocate, and STEM ambassador. Through those experiences, I realized and became fascinated with the fact that by doing scientific research, I would have the opportunity to travel, network, build bridges among nations, and learn new languages and other cultures.
What do you research and is this always what you wanted to study?
I study the fundamental metabolic processes in mammals regulating amino acid metabolism across the fed and fasting cycle. I also study the metabolic alterations that contribute to hypertrophy and heart failure. In both projects I perform isotope tracing in vitro and in vivo, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. I always knew I wanted to do research in metabolism, and today I enjoy studying the fundamental concepts of metabolism in mice and human serum and tissue samples.
Is there anything else you would like to share that might be encouraging to prospective trainees?
Be open-minded! Share and celebrate your culture and traditions with the people around you, this could be a great tool for you (as it is for me) to cope with the challenges that you may face during grad school. Learn from others and be open to feedback to improve as a professional and to gain new knowledge continually. Trust yourself, enjoy your science, learn from failures, and do not forget to take breaks- it is a beautiful and exciting world out there waiting for us to explore!
What do you enjoy / miss from your country?
I have dual citizenship (Mexico/USA), this is a great opportunity for me to be involved in both countries’ social and political decisions, but what I enjoy the most is comparing and contrasting both cultures, languages, and traditions. Doing this helps me realize how lucky I am to be part of two nations that are geographically close to each other but way different in their cultures. From Mexico, I definitely miss the “buenos dias, buenas tardes, and buenas noches”- everyday’s charming greetings and customs that have a positive impact on the rest of my day. As well as the smells and sounds that let me know I am home. Of course, I also miss the cuisine, traditions like Día de Muertos, Semana Santa, Navidad, and the endless list of holidays, rituals, and family reunions. When I am outside the US, I miss the language diversity and feasibility to find a career and/or job opportunities.
Yeyun Ouyang
What drew you to science?
I had a substantial influence from my family and opportunity to be exposed to science early. My dad is a professor in China, and some of the most vivid early impressions of being a scientist from him is that you get paid to travel around the world for your job. Motivated by opportunities to explore the outside world, I knew I was interested in science, but not so sure which exact kind of scientist I wanted to be. My grades for different science classes were okay but not at top of the class, and I was quite stressed that I was not good at it at all until when I entered college. During my freshman year, I took a fantastic chemistry class where I felt for the first time I completely understood why each reaction happened the way it does, and everything just suddenly made sense to me. Pretty soon after I realized that, I switched my major to biochemistry and took off from there. Not only did I get to study science in the US but got to travel to other places during my undergraduate degree for a summer internship, and then in graduate school for international conferences, which fulfilled my imagination of being a scientist when I was a kid.
What are the strengths and challenges for science in the country you came from?
I think China's strengths are also tied to some of its current challenges. Despite the enthusiasm for research, modern biology was established quite late. Some of the major biology breakthroughs in China only happened decades ago when a group of young and talented scientist returned to China after their training abroad (some were already full professors when they returned). They built everything from ground up and had vision and plans. At the same time, that also means that China is at this exciting time where there are a lot of possibilities, but the realization of these possibilities will require a lot of hard work, especially to build an efficient structure and system. People in China tend to overwork because there are limited resources and infrastructure, which is less ideal. It will require a lot of effort to address this issue for more sustainable development of this field in China in the future.
Is there anything else you would like to share that might be encouraging to prospective trainees?
Although it feels like doing science is always about you, where everything you do is to get yourself closer to your goal, the journey is much more enjoyable when you get to share and discuss ideas and data with others. There are more than one time that I felt frustrated or got stuck during a project and did not feel motivated. During my most frustrating time in graduate school, I happened to attend a conference. Although most presentations there are unrelated to my exact field and interests, most of the discussions I had with others were completely out of the box. This experience reminded me about what I was really excited about, which was thinking and talking about science. Often, while waiting for samples spinning or loading a DNA gel in the lab, I started chatting with lab mates about random observation or ideas and ended up with an energized mind. Sharing and talking with other talented people always keeps me motivated and excited about science.
What do you enjoy / miss from your country?
For me, it is not anything specific, but just simply the concept of home where I can do nothing or just smell the familiar food in the air. I feel like while in the US, I always want to explore more during my time off, going hiking/skiing etc. But when I go back to China it is very easy for me to just relax and I feel okay with doing nothing. Beyond that, I am just like any other Chinese living outside China missing Chinese food or the celebration our traditional festivals.
Ping Guo
What drew you to science?
It all started with my dad bringing me to his lab once. I was 5 or 6yrs old, not sure where I was or what I was looking at, just vaguely remembered seeing my dad doing something to the lab rats. I was curious about why those rats looked different from the rats running around on the streets. My dad told me they were special rats, and they were carrying important missions. That’s why they were albino. That was the first time and the only time I regretted not being born albino. Of course, years later, I found out my dad lied to me. I got disappointed but also felt relieved from not being born albino. Having the chance to see cages of albino rats definitely planted a little seed of curiosity in me. I started to wonder the true reason behind the existence of albino rats, and what “important missions” they were carrying. That was when I started to get interested in what biology is; what lab stands for; how do you do experiments and science in general. So long story short to what drew me to science: lab rats!
Did any aspect of your upbringing or culture have an influence on you?
I was born in the era when Chinese government was enforcing the one-child policy. Unfortunately, I was the second child of my parents after they gave birth to my older sister. My parents really wanted a boy, so giving birth to another girl after risking everything was like preparing so hard for an exam but got 0 score on it ----- very upsetting. They tried their best to not let me feel that way, but the whole gender bias in every aspect of the society did not help it. I remember my elementary school math teacher would say: some girls might be able to catch up with the boys now in Math, but it’s going to get harder and harder as you grow ---- because boys are naturally smarter. This was the first sexism talk I’ve ever heard and coming out from a female teacher made it worse. I started to go through this rebellious stage: I would never wear dresses or keep my hair long, and most obviously, I would always try my best to get better score in science subjects than most of the boys in the class. I think that is part of the reason why I am in the science field right now: to show females can do as good science as males. Noticeably, the growing number of female trainees from the Bioscience PhD program have definitely proved that point. In my class, there were more females enrolled than males! In addition, many great female scientists in our department are doing spectacular sciences and coming up with the most fantastic ideas every day, I couldn’t feel more proud and grateful to be able to work with them and learn from them!
Is there anything else you would like to share that might be encouraging to prospective trainees?
In the end of the day, it all works out. Getting a PhD is just a small fragment of your life journey. From time to time, you feel upset, disappointed, mad or like a failure during this period. But life is too short to contemplate on these things. All you need to do is to pick up and move forward one step at a time. Eventually, you will reach the end of the tunnel ---- and trust me, you won’t even remember those tiny bumps on the road. One of my favorite lines from a movie is that: Humans keep chasing after what they cannot have. They call it dreaming, but I call it not knowing how to be happy. Well, as humans, we can’t stop dreaming, but we gotta learn how to be happy. And here in Utah, you can definitely do both!
What do you enjoy/miss from your country?
Everybody knows Chinese food is the BEST! Haha, just kidding, but I miss the food and my family the most in China. Due to the pandemic, I haven’t gotten the chance to go back to China and visit home for almost 5 years. Everything is changing so fast in China; I don’t even know if I could recognize my neighborhood anymore. The other day, my mom told me the breakfast place I had been going since a kid got closed. That was sad because their food was the first thing I would get every time I went back home. Now that taste is gone, all I have left with are the memories of going there, nodding my head to the owners and casually saying: The usual, please.
Jennifer Madrigal
What drew you to science?
As far back as I can remember I loved learning about nature and the world around me. I loved the idea that there was a logical method to learn about physical aspects of our world and get concrete, evidence-based reasons for so many of the processes and phenomena I wonder/ed about.
Did any aspect of your upbringing or culture have an influence on you?
My grandparents were my biggest advocates for continuing education. On my dad’s side, my grandma was in love with learning and got a “full-ride” scholarship to go to college (at a whopping $25/semester). However, she got married, and with 7 children to care for she never finished school. On my mom’s side, my grandpa never finished 3rd grade but taught himself to read anyway, and he always stressed the value of getting an education.
Family made a big influence on my development as a person. My parents are both youngest of 7 kids, we were a family of 6, and the importance of family was a core value growing up. Some not-so-awesome aspects of upbringing that I accepted growing up but that were really damaging to me were gender stereotypes I thought I had to fill, and the belief that outward appearances and socioeconomic status were good indicators of a person’s value.
What has been your biggest challenge in pursuing a science career?
I’m a non-traditional student and have had quite a few challenges, but the biggest in pursuing science and education would have to be the financing, with maintaining a family a very close second. I fell through a lot of cracks trying to finance college. I remember in community college asking advice from a professor about whether he thought it would be worth it to go into debt for school. His answer was a vehement “absolutely”, but we had always struggled with money growing up and I was well below the federal poverty level threshold, and spending money I didn’t have felt terrifying.
I dove in anyway, and soon after got a pregnancy surprise. I was due to give birth the same month I was set to transfer to a university. I thought prospects of finishing a bachelor’s degree were over. I knew no one who had gotten a degree while having a baby or balancing a family. Most of my friends in high school didn’t go to college, and I didn’t know anyone in my community college who had a kid. My son’s dad promised to support me so I could continue, so I forged ahead. I had won a 2-year full-tuition scholarship from my community college when I transferred, but even so debt was the only way to pay for childcare and go to school, and I still barely had enough to pay for unlicensed childcare with people I didn’t know. We were trying to get my husband’s immigration papers in order so looking for public support was out of the question for us. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to WIC and the UCR student food bank that really supported me at this time.
I will always laugh about this, but when I decided I still wanted to try to get a PhD my husband was sick wondering how on earth we were going to pay bills. He didn’t believe me when I said I would actually be paid to do a PhD until the first payment hit my bank. There are a lot of aspects of academia that my immediate and extended family do not understand, and it can feel invalidating and isolating.
Trying to balance my family and succeed in science is so complicated and difficult, and I very often second-guess my priorities regardless of what I’m prioritizing at the moment. Unlike in a well-executed scientific experiment there’s no clear methodology available to guide me on how I should handle the dynamics of my particular family and work, and no clear-cut way to analyze whether or not I’ve made the right decisions. My values often seem to conflict with each other and it gets tough to navigate. I don’t have mentors to guide me on certain aspects of my life but it makes me more determined to succeed so that people who will come after me will be able to see that it is possible to live one’s scientific dreams without sacrificing core personal values.
What do you research and is this always what you wanted to study?
I study the biochemistry and structural biology of a E3 HECT ubiquitin ligase that seems to have a mysterious role in the nucleus (it actually seems to have many mysterious roles, none of which have been well-characterized). I hope that by understanding this proteins structure and dynamics we will be able to more precisely investigate it’s various roles, see if/how they relate, and understand precisely why mutations in this molecule in humans are present in several disease contexts.
When I first started college I didn’t even know biochemistry was a thing, let alone crystallography, cryoEM, molecular modelling, etc. I only knew that the more I studied chemistry the more fascinated I was, and the more I learned about smaller and smaller parts of biology, the more fascinated I was. I was always fascinated with transcriptional machinery in the nucleus, but when I was in my early stages of school, “DNA dark matter” was the explanation for non-coding DNA, and there was still so much unknown about the function of nuclear components (not that there isn’t still infinitely more out there to discover!). I am so happy that I found a field that combines pretty much everything I am interested in- protein-nucleic acid interactions, molecular dynamics, structural biology, biophysics, transcriptional regulation… I’ve been pretty lucky!
Is there anything else you would like to share that might be encouraging to prospective trainees?
One mantra I told myself to get through my undergrad with two babies is that I will never go forward if I don’t put one foot in front of the other, even if it’s at a snail’s pace and sometimes I end up going two steps backwards. When I started grad school my new motto became “get comfortable with being uncomfortable,” and I think that has helped me push myself and grow a lot. And long before college I adopted my grandpa’s motto that he lifted from a friend’s high school slogan (since he never went to high school himself)- “I can, and I will!” It’s good to have simple positive affirmations handy for the hard times.
Representation and community is important. While it is likely the case that some of our differences in identity or values may be dismissed or looked down upon, or even thought of as incompatible or taboo by the in-group culture, it doesn’t make them any less valid or important as part of our individual identities. If you start thinking that you don’t belong, remember that we all have the same intrinsic value as human beings and no one should be excluded from the scientific table, or any other tables of leadership where decisions and discoveries are being made.
Jinliang Wang, PhD
What drew you to science?
I have always loved nature since I was a kid. Watching ants hunting for hours, fishing with friends, planting flowers, gave me so many good and fun memories of my childhood. Frankly speaking, I never thought I would be a scientist, or at least go this far in academia. By my family's influence, I always dreamed to be a novelist or journalist. Even now, I still keep that dream in my heart. Maybe I will be a science fiction writer or a science communicator, who knows. Even I was conscious about science, I started to develop strong motivations to become a scientist when two events happened. The 2002–2004 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) made people in my hometown scared and hopeless because there was no vaccine or effective treatment at that time, just like at the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak. The second event was my grandmother’s death due to cancer. These two events directly drew me to the journey of science. During that time, I was starting high school. Both high school nightmares intensified my curiosity in science and made me decide to be a scientist to develop drugs to cure human diseases.
How is science in the country you came from?
China used to be a world leader in science and technology until the early years of the Ming dynasty. Four Great Inventions: papermaking, printing, the compass, and gunpowder contributed to world economic development. Due to some historical issues, China is far behind western counties for a long time. Science and technology in China have developed rapidly since the 1990s. The Chinese government has placed emphasis through funding, reform, and social status on science and technology. China has made rapid advances in education, infrastructure, high-tech manufacturing, academic publishing, patents, and commercial applications. In some areas, such as space science, 5G technology, quantum communication, China is even a world leader. However, there are still some roadblocks ahead of China. In some areas, such as semiconductors, there is still a long way to go to become a world leader. Fortunately, China is now increasingly targeting indigenous innovation and aims to reform the remaining weaknesses.
Is there anything else you would like to share that might be encouraging to prospective trainees?
Persistence will not necessarily be successful, but renouncing will absolutely result in failure. Working harder and smarter will let you be much closer to success. Also do not be afraid of failure. An ancient Chinese proverb says, “Failure is the mother of success”. I cannot agree with that more. We learned experience from failure and we use the experience to approach success in our research. I do appreciate the “Failure wall” in our Department of Biochemistry. The failure wall is not intended to disappoint people, but to encourage, inspire, and remind people that we should learn from the failure since we have paid the price.
What do you enjoy/miss from your country?
I miss almost everything from my hometown. Since the pandemic, I have not gotten the chance to visit my hometown and see my family. I really miss everything in my hometown, the people, the food, the mountain, the river. Although there are many Chinese restaurants in America, I still don’t get a feeling of hometown taste. Being far away is a bitter taste, let alone during this pandemic era. I miss the Chinese New Year celebration. All the family members gather from all corners of the land, having an annual reunion dinner. Not only the food, but I also miss the atmosphere.
Bernard Scott
What drew you to science?
I was interested in a wide variety of disciplines growing up including the social sciences, and unlike a lot of those I see in science, I suspect I may have been a late bloomer. I realized I had potential in STEM in high school, but can’t say I fell in love enough to start a real journey as a scientist until both my senior year of high school and freshman year in college. I was very fortunate to have an amazing human physiology teacher that was very effective at teaching the course in a way that integrated different disciplines in science to explain physiology and I became particularly interested in the interface of chemistry and biology.
Taking organic chemistry as a freshman in college sort of completed this picture for me. The knowledge and problem-solving skills derived from the course gave me a very strong foundation to further understand this interface. It also didn’t hurt that organic chemistry showed how beautiful chemistry could be even from an artistic standpoint. I was never really interested in organic synthesis, but it was one of the first courses where I really got to see structure-function relationships. It shouldn’t be a surprise that I would take a long, windy journey to structural biology. And I was very fortunate to have great mentors along the way that kept me on this path which has been very challenging at times.
Did any aspect of your upbringing or culture have an influence on you?
While there are no scientists in my family and even relatively few people in my extended family who have even completed college, the few (mostly cousins) that did serve as role models. My parents, who did not have a college education were very supportive and tried to make sure that I performed the best I could in grade school regardless of any financial or personal challenges we faced in the household. I think this is one of the reasons that I have somehow made it this far despite my familial background.
What has been your biggest challenge in pursuing a science career?
There have been many personal challenges in my journey to and through science. For example, I was certainly not the best (or even good) student as an undergraduate and didn’t get research experience until an NIH PREP post-bacc program, and then also found that the discipline that I did my post-bacc research in wasn’t a good fit. And then once I had begun to find a fit while pursuing my MS in chemistry (computational chemistry/structural biology), I really began to experience imposter syndrome.
Not only was I African American, but my class background usually does not match that of successful African Americans in STEM and it certainly does not match that of most other demographics that are well-represented in STEM. It always makes me 2nd guess myself and wonder: “How did I get here, and why am I still here. I’m imperfect academically, don’t have the right class background, and I can’t keep up with these people and don’t have as much support and potential as they do to do ANY career having to do with science”. Carrying this baggage has often led me to sell myself short or wholesale avoid applications for certain opportunities due to the pre-emptive assumption of failure. At some point, I had to let some of this go. The very first time I began to chip away at it is when I applied for a summer scholarship during my MS that was apparently quite competitive.
I just went for it on a whim and somehow was selected. It was an excellent experience that ultimately convinced me that I could potentially pursue a PhD. And part of this was because one of the conferences affiliated with the program had many great scientists that also took more off-beat paths to their career and had imperfections in their academic pasts or atypical class backgrounds. At that point, I knew I wasn’t completely alone. And while I still continue to fight imposter syndrome, I’ve learned to be at least a little bolder going forward.
What do you research and is this always what you wanted to study?
I currently do research in structural biology (I am currently working on a project that is COVID related!), and I had to find my way to this type of research. My first research experience was in pharmacology which I had assumed was the interface of chemistry (especially organic chemistry which I had come to enjoy) and biology I was looking for, but perhaps the project I worked on was not the best fit and did not meet my expectations. However, that experience was certainly not a waste and opened the door to me discovering structural biology as I did eventually become curious about the structural biology of the phenomenon I was studying (We were wondering if and how a certain Cytochrome p450 was regulated by a cysteine within the protein). Unfortunately, I did not get to study a problem from the perspective of a structural biological until I pursued my Master's. At that time, it became clear that I was interested in this field.
Is there anything else you would like to share that might be encouraging to prospective trainees?
Imposter syndrome is real, but if you come from a background like mines and have come this far, you likely have the resilience to succeed and deal with the many ups and downs of graduate school. Do not allow yourself to be paralyzed by constant doubt of how you fit, whether you belong in the environment that INVITED you to join, and if you can succeed. Just go for it, do the best you can, and seek mentorship and camaraderie as necessary to encourage you or help you deal with inevitable challenges. It isn’t enough for faculty in your program to have believed in you upon your admission. You must believe in yourself.
Seyi Falekun
What drew you to science?
My interest in science started in high school when I became a member of a Junior Engineering Technical Society (JETS) club. All members of the club had the opportunity to perform various experiments we read in textbooks. Thanks to my teachers who challenged us to come up with interesting projects. I remember designing and executing a project to generate biogas (methane) from biomass which I presented at one of the nation’s junior scientific exhibitions. These high school experiences intensified my curiosity and interest in science and made me decide to study biochemistry to date.
Did any aspect of your upbringing or culture have an influence on you?
Thriving in all aspects of life is deeply rooted in the Nigerian culture. In fact, most Nigerians have a colloquial motto – “Naija nor dey carry last” (meaning Nigerians succeed under any given circumstances). Due to the high population and very few opportunities, Nigerians tend to be very competitive. I think this has been a major influence on my resilience in life and science.
What has been your biggest challenge in pursuing a science career?
Nowadays, most scientists are judged by how many publications they have and how well they present science and answer questions. I understand these are very important factors but I think we should look beyond that and evaluate scientists based on their relevance, relative qualities, and the impacts they have in their respective fields of study published or unpublished. This has been my challenge.
What do you research and is this always what you wanted to study?
Although studying malaria parasites had always fascinated me, I was not particular about a research topic when applying to graduate school. I was more interested in joining a lab that would teach me “how to learn” and sharpen my critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Currently, my project focuses on understanding the basic and divergent biology of human malaria parasites, Plasmodium falciparum. Specifically, my projects focus on identifying essential pathways in the mitochondrion and apicoplast (a relict non-photosynthetic chloroplast), two critical organelles in the parasite. So far, I have identified a divergent acyl carrier protein in the mitochondrion (mACP), a protein that canonically plays an important role in type-II fatty acid biosynthesis (FASII). I discovered that although mACP has lost all FASII-dependent functions, it retains an essential role to actively mediate iron-sulfur cluster biosynthesis in the parasite.
Is there anything else you would like to share that might be encouraging to prospective trainees?
Although it sounds like a cliché, no one should be afraid to fail! Failure is actually a key ingredient for great success. My past and present failures have brought me this far. The mistake one should avoid is dwelling on failure for too long without making something out of it. I always see failure as a spiral spring that plunges me into great successes. Science is full of failures, so be prepared to take advantage of them.
Faith Bowman
What drew you to science?
I have always been interested in science. I come from a family of healers where my mom, aunts, and immediate family work in various parts of healthcare as registered nurses, nurse practitioners, certified nursing assistants, etc.…Growing up I heard a lot of medical jargon and case management stories on different treatments for various metabolically-linked diseases like diabetes and heart failure. In addition, I have many people in my family with diabetes. Therefore, I was very familiar with the patient experience and management of metabolic disease through medical (e.g Insulin pumps) and community-based interventions (We are Healers initiative). When I entered high school, I joined a biomedical science program, and there my interest in science flourished. In this program, I was able to explore biological systems; healthcare careers; and research processes in depth using the same tools utilized by professionals. I learned basic laboratory skills such as PCR, pipetting handling, DNA extraction, and even conducted ELISA’s before even going to college. I found this very exciting! Being in Biomed sparked my interest in research tremendously! It was there that I honed into the field of genetics and regenerative medicine ultimately leading me to major in genetics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and eventually to the University of Utah.
Did any aspect of your upbringing or culture have an influence on you?
I think my culture had a major influence on me. I grew up in an urban Indigenous community in Milwaukee, WI. I attended an all Native American primary school where culture, arts, and the humanities were integrated into our education to ensure indigenous representation in contemporary America. However, no cultural explanations or connections were made to understand the nature of our physical world, specifically biology. A gene was simply a gene, disconnected from the rest of our body and contradictory to our stories and traditions. As I progressed in my education and attended a non-indigenous institution, I learned more about basic biology and the metabolic mechanisms that sustain us. When I got to college, I began to bridge my indigenous identity with my identity as a budding scientist. I learned of more instances of genetics determining and defining a community without collaboration from the community itself. Unfortunately, there were many more cases of research doing ethical harm in these communities than doing good. As an indigenous scientist, I wanted to help be the change and be an advocate.
Currently, I am passionate about promoting the exchange of ideas across institutional and cultural boundaries, promoting scientific literacy as well as, improving the relationship between and the representation of underrepresented minority (URM) communities in STEM, particularly between the 574 Native Nations encompassing Indian country in the United States. With my PhD, I hope to collaborate with other research professionals in different fields to ultimately create culturally responsive therapies and education workshops that provide scientific and health literacy to URM communities. In addition, I want to help tear down the historical distrust and stigmatization around genetics and research that has resulted in weak STEM education in URM communities and disproportionate representation in the biological sciences. My vision for science is one of greater accessibility, communication, and representation because without the unique cultural capital that we all possess as individuals, medicinal treatment and innovative therapies may remain stagnant.
What has been your biggest challenge in pursuing a science career?
The biggest challenge for me is retraining my brain from thinking as a knowledge consumer to becoming a knowledge producer. This challenge is a typical growing pain of graduate studies, but I have always felt as if my brain processes information differently from others. Perhaps due to my upbringing, I am very accustomed to understanding and crafting big picture narratives. I find these to be similar to the storytelling aspect of my culture. This skill is very handy for writing grants and science communication. However, in other areas of our training as graduate students, it feels as though there is a physical wall in my brain that I am trying to break through, but the wall won't come down. I am lucky to be at the U and in the biochemistry department, because everyone is helpful, collaborative, and open, so you never feel completely alone in that challenge.
Another challenge is retaining connectivity in life; staying connected with friends, with family, and with my culture. Utah is amazing in that there are many places to explore, but it is always more fun exploring with people you love.
What do you research and is this always what you wanted to study?
I am a graduate student in the Schlegel and Holland Labs. I am currently studying the role of FOXN3 in glucagon receptor antagonist (GRA)-mediated beta cell regeneration & cardioprotection. Currently, there is rising interest in the use of GRA’s as therapies for diabetes and heart disease. Preclinical studies have shown that through blocking of glucagon action we can improve glycemia in T1D and control glucose homeostasis in T2D patients. Furthermore, recent exploration of GRA’s in the heart of mice, show that administration following a heart attack or progressive overload event results in blunted cardiac hypertrophy and/or suppressed hypertrophy and possible preservation of systolic and diastolic functions. However, it remains unknown how GRA’s are promoting this change, I believe FOXN3 could be a key player. I have not always wanted to study this topic. Initially I wanted to be a genetic counselor educating families about potential genetic diagnosis; however, I am happy to be conducting research that will impact the world of diabetic and heart disease patients. As I mentioned before I have a lot of diabetics in my family, in fact diabetes is a leading disease affecting my community. So I feel as if the work I am doing could help the next seven generations of Indigenous families. Furthermore, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, of which diabetics are more likely to develop heart disease. Given these comorbidities, it is important to understand the mechanism by which these processes thrive and are disrupted to help generate better ways to maintain glucose homeostasis while promoting cardioprotection.
Is there anything else you would like to share that might be encouraging to prospective trainees?
My main advice to trainees or potential trainees is to lean on each other. The people that you meet take classes with, see at department retreats understand your feelings and experiences the most. They can help you through some of the challenges, and vice versa, you can help them. No matter where you go or what you do with life after your doctorate, you can always lean on this community. You never know, they may be your potential future collaborators.
My second advice is to trust your science! You will know your topic best as you progress in your training. In the beginning, it's going to be hard and you may feel like an imposter, but you've earned your spot at the U and you were chosen for a reason. Just remember you are valued and you have value!
Supraja Ranganathan
What drew you to science?
Growing up I always loved biology. Since middle school biology was everything and, during high school, I learned I hated computers. So, I knew I didn’t want to go into engineering no matter what. I did study biology as my major and then I aimed to become a doctor, but then with all the reservation systems in India I did not get the cutoff to get into medical school. Based on that, I decided to try other things and that’s when I stumbled onto biotechnology as a major. I just googled what biotechnology university options there were and joined the school that Google told me was the best in Biotechnology. During my undergrad, I got an Indian Academy of Sciences Fellowship which was my first ever research experience and that’s where I decided research was for me.
What are the strengths and challenges for science in the country you came from?
One strength is that there are a lot of people who are increasingly interested in science. So, you just have a lot more students who want to pursue science. For example, my country is based off traditional medicine like Ayurveda and stuff like that. This is fine, but it’s not proof-based science. The current generation is curious and starting to move towards proof-based science. However, a con would be that there’s limited technological advances, at least there was 10 years ago, so people tend to leave India to pursue science so they can work at institutions with world class technology.
Financial challenges also exist because as a PhD student in India you earn much less than what you earn here. For example, you wouldn’t be able to cover living expenses with the Fellowships they offer in India. Another challenge is that the work culture isn’t great since it is very hierarchy based as far as I know and have experienced. However, this is changing because people have been trained outside India and have come back to India to establish their own labs.
Is there anything else you would like to share that might be encouraging to prospective trainees?
In general, I would just say be curious and be ready to learn and unlearn. Be receptive to learning from anyone around you and be open to suggestions. For prospective students, they should come with an open mind of wanting to explore rather than narrowing their scientific view to one particular outlook that they have grown up with. When you read more research papers and meet new people, you get new perspectives and you can’t gain anything from this without having an open mind. For example, I came here with the view that I would only study cancer biology. However, when I came here, I decided to explore since I had three rotation opportunities. This helped me figure out what would be best for me. I started with only wanting to study cancer biology and now I’m in an RNA lab that is not cancer related.
What do you enjoy/miss from your country?
Definitely the food. I miss it because you get up and you walk outside your house and you see small food stalls all around. You don’t have to go long distances for a lot of food options and it’s cheaper than food options in the United States. Also, I miss hanging out with my family, all the large social events, and the music scene. Being far away has been very difficult, especially since I haven’t been able to visit since the pandemic situation.
Miguel Pereira, PhD
I moved to the United States in 1984 from Lisbon, Portugal when I was seven years old. My father was Portuguese and my mother is American, so during those first seven years I learned to speak Portuguese to everyone except my mom, who only spoke to me in English. After the move to the United States, my father and I continued to only communicate in Portuguese. I think that being raised bilingual from birth had a major positive effect on my mental development and aptitude.
As a kid I naturally gravitated to playing with legos. I also from a young age constantly asked my parents questions about how the world works. My parents nurtured that part of my personality by buying all the legos I wanted when I still lived in Portugal, and they bought me the complete set of the world book encyclopedia soon after we moved to the United States. What drew me to science was this inherent curiosity I had about nature as a kid. As I got older I realized that science is the process by which we try our best to get at the truth, and that appealed to me.
My research is now focused on better understanding the first half of the HIV virus lifecycle. Prior to my current work in the Sundquist lab I investigated how the conformational dynamics of catalytic RNA molecules called ribozymes correlated to their function in the laboratory of Nils Walter at the University of Michigan. My initial interest in virology came about because it was an area that I did not have any direct prior experience in but found interesting, and I felt that virology was similar enough to what I had done before that I would be successful in making that transition.
My biggest challenge in pursuing a career in science has been having to deal with people in positions of power who motivated me to walk away so that I no longer have to deal with them. Thankfully those type of people have been the minority in my career, none of them has caused a major setback for me in the long term, and this is not a challenge that I am currently facing. I think this type of challenge is not unique to science but is something everyone who navigates the professional working world has to contend with.
This also ties into advice I would give to prospective trainees: science is a team endeavor, the people you decide to surround yourself with matter, so take that decision of what team you join seriously. Finally, understand that as great as doing science is, you will generate data that is not what you were hoping for, so it is essential that patience and persistence be a part of your character if you want to ultimately be successful.
Osiris Martinez-Guzmán , PhD
What drew you to science? Did any aspect of your upbringing or culture have an influence on you?
My older sister has been one of the biggest influences on me and my interest in science. She exposed me to science pretty early on; she would talk to me about her research and take me to her lab to show me the instrumentation, which made me curious about the science path as a career. She also showed me what graduate school was like and how it was a great next step for me. I also had an amazing seventh-grade science teacher that sparked my interest in science by performing cool science demos that made science fun and interesting.
What has been your biggest challenge in pursuing a science career?
The biggest challenge for me has been being away from home and family while pursuing a career in the science. Leaving Puerto Rico for my graduate career was by far one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make, but one of the most rewarding too. The experience has made me stronger and more independent, while making me appreciate more the time I spend with my family and making it even more special. I know that my decisions have helped me incredibly in my development as a scientist, but I still find it difficult missing out moments with my family. But thanks to modern technology we have founds ways to stay connected.
What do you research and is this always what you wanted to study?
My research is involved in understanding the importance of nutrient compartmentalization, specifically how cells manage, utilize, and process elevated levels of amino acids in order to combat metabolic overload. The Hughes lab discovered a novel mitochondria protein remodeling pathway called the Mitochondria Derived Compartment (MDC) in which elevated levels of amino acids, especially BCAAs, activate this pathway. Because these MDCs selectively incorporate a group of mitochondrial proteins that are sequentially removed and degraded within lysosomes, I am studying the role of this pathway in the remodeling of cellular and subcellular metabolism. During undergrad, I was very interested in prions and Alzheimer’s disease, so I assume I would lean towards that type of research, but nutrient regulation and organelle communication is a research topic I got heavily interested in during my graduate career and I am very happy I get the chance to work in it.
Is there anything else you would like to share that might be encouraging to prospective trainees?
I would say that it is very important to trust yourself and pursue what you are interested in without any doubt. In the begging of my graduate school, I was feeling very insecure of myself because I came from a different background and studied in a small undergrad program that taught science in Spanish. But after getting settled, I realized that none of that mattered, that I only needed to hard work and dedication to secure success in graduate school.
Aldo García-Guerrero, PhD
What drew you to science?
I would say my interest in research began when I was kid and I felt curious in 2 main topics: Nature of volcanoes and archeology. But, at high-school in Mexico everything changed in my Biology class, I was super excited when I heard for the first time that mitochondria has a bacteria-origin, so I started to develop the interest to understand how scientists are able to reach those type of conclusions. So, I started to search for those careers I could apply to become a scientist. The National University in Mexico offers an undergraduate program in Biomedical Sciences in which undergrad students have their classes, but also, they have the opportunity to rotate at different research labs. I was super lucky and fortunate to be accepted into this program, so my scientific career began at an early age.
What are the strengths and challenges for science in the country you came from?
In Mexico there are many smart and creative scientists. We have excellent graduate programs and I would say we don’t lack people who have a big interest in becoming a scientist. However, Mexico still has a long way to go. We are dealing with 3 major issues: a tight budget, science centralization in Mexico City, and brain drain to other countries. Regarding centralization, in the last years many efforts have been made to create new institutions in different states. Now that we have more institutions outside of Mexico city, it is a great opportunity for the whole Mexican community to approach science.
Is there anything else you would like to share that might be encouraging to prospective trainees?
Do not be afraid to look for graduate programs or postdoctoral positions here in our department. When I arrived, I noticed a friendly and inclusive department. In this place, you’ll find a strong scientific community with a great sense of helping each other.
What do you enjoy/miss from your country?
My country has plenty of traditions and it’s rich in diversity, this can be seen in our celebrations and our exquisite food. I would say what I missed the most is the food and “Día de Muertos” (Day of the Death). On this day, I celebrate with my family. We have the tradition to gather at a family dinner, where I prepare many entrees and we all build our “ofrenda” to offer food to our beloved family members or friends who have passed away.