Category Archives: Scientist of the Month

November 2021 SOTM: Toyya Pujol, PhD

By Evan Phillips

Meet Dr. Toyya Pujol, an Operations Researcher at the RAND Corporation, a self-described health data scientist, and an ardent supporter of the mission of AWIS. This summer, she served in the AWIS-Chicago area chapter’s Mentoring Circles program as a mentor for early-career level women. The two of us sat down to talk recently about her career path, and in the process, she wowed me with her sage career advice and animated spirit.

Dr. Pujol describes her career as a series of “things I fell into”, but one connective thread through it all has been “using numbers to tell a story”. As a high school student, she always loved math and physics. In fact, it was her AP Physics class that truly excited her about the world, because it used math to tell a story. She realized that while math came naturally to her, this wasn’t the case for everyone. She went on to work as a tutor for several years and completed a bachelor’s degree in Management Science with a focus in Operations Research at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Following her time at MIT, Dr. Pujol’s interest in mathematical modeling and statistics took her to the Department of Defense (DoD) where she worked as a cost estimator for several years while also completing a master’s degree in Operations Research at Northeastern University. As an Operations Research Analyst at the DoD, she was responsible for in-depth analysis and forecasting of costs for the Air Force. Speaking about her time there, Dr. Pujol described the work as mapping programmatic information (e.g. schedules, technical requirements, logistics, etc.) to a cost distribution. In meeting rooms, she was often the only woman and person of color, as well as the youngest. However, she never felt uncomfortable in these situations. By contrast, there were incidents and a culture in academia that would come to frustrate her.

With some work experience under her belt, Dr. Pujol decided she was ready for something new and had developed an interest in healthcare. She wanted to work with “really cool” real-world data that “you can touch because it represents a person or thing” and so she embarked on her PhD in Industrial Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology (GA Tech). Starting out, she thought she wanted to work on a project to optimize radiation therapy for cancer treatment but realized this type of research wasn’t the right fit. She was still looking for that interesting story to tell with numbers. In a new lab with funding from a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Bioinformatics Training grant, she moved her focus from optimization to statistics. The new project centered around applying health analytics and machine learning to improve maternal and infant health. In the area of health data and statistics, there were real-world problems where her research could potentially impact decisions in health policy. She was awarded multiple fellowships during this time, and she credits the support from her peers and mentorship from her doctoral committee. She always felt grateful for the many female professors/advisors who set examples of how to thrive in academia.

Her Ph.D. advisor at GA Tech advocated for her and encouraged her in many ways. In fact, Dr. Pujol came to her after an incident during which a senior author on a paper repeatedly interrupted her in a meeting. This person redirected questions about the statistical aspects of Dr. Pujol’s work to a different author who was not actually involved with the statistics. Her advisor helped her see that this was something that should be reported. While this incident specifically stood out, Dr. Pujol described to me other comments and challenges in academia that “expended emotional energy”, such as people challenging your right to be “in the room” based on race or sex. She mentioned that one of the things that we don’t talk about with intersectionality is the additional stress that comes with not knowing why someone is disrespectful. You can spend hours ruminating over questions such as, “Is it your race, your sex, or does this person just not like you?”.

Toward the end of her Ph.D., she became a visiting scholar at Harvard after being connected to a biostatistics lab through one of her contacts from her undergraduate days. Her advisor at Harvard not only helped Dr. Pujol expand her research into causal inference but also helped her navigate her job search. Most importantly, Dr. Pujol credits her advisor at Harvard for setting an example of how to be successful in your career without working all the time! Indeed, Dr. Pujol loves playing volleyball, salsa dancing, and watching horror movies. She emphasized to me how she heard a lot of talk about work-life balance but there is “a complacency in academia to make changes around it”.

Right after completing her Ph.D., Dr. Pujol became an Assistant Professor of Industrial Engineering at Purdue University. Here, she was ready to embark on new data science research pertaining to healthcare. Working on multiple collaborative projects on topics such as opioid trafficking networks and telehealth, she realized she “was a policy researcher who uses engineering methods versus an engineer who does policy work.” She told me she felt “disconnected from the impact of her work” and wanted to see her work be used to help guide better health policy. Hence, several months after starting, her advisor supported her in moving toward something new. This summer, Dr. Pujol started working as an Operations Researcher at RAND Corporation, a nonprofit research organization that focuses on public policy and decision-making. In her own words, RAND is all about “choose your own adventure”, and unlike academia where you have many responsibilities set by your position (research, teaching, and service), now she has more freedom to focus on growing as a researcher while also having the option to teach courses of her design. Perhaps, most importantly though, Dr. Pujol feels much more tightly connected with policymakers, and she can focus her work on developing methods as well as making an impact. In fact, in her second week at RAND, Dr. Pujol was working again on estimating the number of opioids on the illicit market. In two weeks’ time, she gained access to DEA data, did the modeling, and could go to a policymaker with results. This is the type of work she always enjoyed and could now do in this new position. Dr. Pujol is also invested in doing thoughtful research related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and health disparities. She explained that this research area must move beyond making simplistic comparisons of two groups, showing a difference, and saying the story is over. “Race is not a cause for the discrepancy in diabetes prevalence. It’s your access to healthy food, the stress from systemic racism, socioeconomic status issues… We need to start thinking about the causal mechanisms in these outcomes… I want to put together simulations to show how we can do this analysis more thoughtfully and bring that to the community.”

Wrapping up our conversation, I was curious what her advice is for students considering graduate school: “A lot of people do it [graduate school], because they don’t know what to do! Unless you are 100% certain with NO exceptions, you want to be a Professor, I strongly suggest working before graduate school.” She stressed some key considerations for those thinking about graduate work: first, you may realize you want to do something different after starting your degree, which can influence what you study in your advanced degree; second, if you can see yourself doing anything other than a Ph.D., go do that first; third, once you’re in a graduate program, think about what “launchpad” you want to set up before graduating—like network connections and transferrable skills. Dr. Pujol’s own career trajectory involved trial and error to figure out what career would be most meaningful for her. Her advice: “Constantly update your priorities.”

September 2021 SOTM: Shivani Garg, PhD

Shivani Garg, PhD

By Evan Phillips

This month we are featuring Dr. Shivani Garg, a Senior Scientist at the local biotechnology company LanzaTech (www.lanzatech.com). Dr. Garg is a biochemist by training and a tenacious leader passionate about carbon recycling and sustainability. I had the opportunity to speak with her last month and learn about her interests.

It was during her final years of high school that Dr. Garg became enamored with biochemistry:
“I found it very interesting how we can go from very simple molecules to complicated molecules with these biochemical reactions. There was a direct analogy for me going from organic chemistry which was all catalyst-based to going to biochemistry that was biocatalyst-based. The entire world of biocatalysis, science, and enzymological reactions intrigued me a lot, and I ended up doing a PhD in biochemistry. That is how I found my passion for biochemistry. It is akin to solving a puzzle, going from molecule A to molecule X through a series of biochemical reactions.”

Having completed a Bachelor of Engineering at UIET, Panjab University, it was her blossoming interest in biochemistry that brought her to Iowa State University where she worked with Dr. Basil Nikolau. Dr. Nikolau’s management style, mentorship, and also his scientific endeavors were inspirational to her. In fact, with his support, Dr. Garg had the amazing opportunity to start her own company, OmegaChea Biorenewables LLC. The company grew out of her PhD research and time in the Iowa State Entrepreneurship Program at Center for Biorenewable Chemicals (CBiRC). Speaking of Dr. Garg as a student building a company while still doing a PhD, Dr. Nikolau said, “These start-up activities broaden her experience, make her more interesting as a scientist, and increase her motivation to succeed in research.” (https://cen.acs.org/articles/91/i43/Students-Start-Ups-Biorenewability.html?h=-1014651617). Creating bio-based lubricants from sugars was the first scientific goal of the company. After the completion of her PhD, Dr. Garg’s company extended its research to engineer E. coli that produce specialized fatty acids that could be used for this same purpose. “I worked on it for a few years. Like most start-ups, OmegaChea did not survive for long, but left me with a huge learning experience. One of the biggest learnings was that a technology may be really cool, and you may be passionate about it, but it won’t sell unless it solves a real problem or addresses a pain point of your customers. Scalability and economic viability are also critical to the success of a start-up.”

Asked about the frustrations of scientific research, Dr. Garg reinforced many students’ feelings about it: “There are more failures than successes. Sometimes we just have to walk away and return with a fresh perspective or apply a different approach.” This inevitability has never deterred her. She credits her parents for instilling a strong work ethic in her and supporting her interests. “Having gone through these experiences [graduate school and start-up company], I feel confident about tackling any problems in my professional and personal life.”

Dr. Garg expanded on her biochemistry experience next at Rice University where she engineered methane utilizing bacteria to make fuels and chemicals Here she also learned about Illinois-based LanzaTech, which has pioneered recycling of waste carbon into ethanol. This was a clear match—an innovative technology to help solve a global problem. Speaking about climate change, Dr. Garg did not mince words: “It hurts me that we now use this phrase—climate change—which used to be referred to as global warming. There was this whole politicization of the issue. We have taken more than our share from this planet than we have given back. I want to help in whatever ways I can to give back to the planet” Indeed, Dr. Garg struck me as someone who also walks the walk to promote environmental change and reduce her own carbon footprint. Specifically, she has made a conscious effort not to bring plastic into her home and to slowly take away the items that do contain plastic by finding more sustainable materials.

Since 2018, Dr. Garg has worked on engineering Clostridium bacteria at LanzaTech. Instead of relying on sugars, the novel approach is to rely on waste gases. “We’re tapping into the catalytic potential of the bacteria and the idea is to use waste gases that contain carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen. This gas mix is fed to LanzaTech’s proprietary bacteria to make fuels such as ethanol. My role is to engineer these bacteria to make a diverse range of products. These products derived via carbon recycling can replace petroleum-derived chemicals. That has a direct impact on this problem of climate change. If we can capture those emissions and reuse, recycle them we are creating a dent in the fossil carbon economy.” As remarkable as this sounded, I wondered how scalable this technology could be: “We have two commercial plants operating today in China, using industrial emissions to make ethanol and we have six other plants in various stages of design and construction globally, all using different feedstocks from steel mill process emissions to gasified agricultural resides.”

Asked for any secrets to her career success, Dr. Garg stressed three key elements: working hard, perseverance, and patience. What is most compelling about Dr. Garg’s career though is her passion and the recognition of it: “Follow your heart.”

July 2021 SOTM: Dr. Barbara Di Eugenio

By Evan Phillips

Meet Barbara Di Eugenio, Professor of Computer Science. At the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Dr. Di Eugenio leads the Natural Language Processing (NLP) lab engaged in the transformative research of applying computer understanding of human language to the betterment of our world. She has been a keen supporter and member of AWIS-CAC, serving as treasurer for the chapter from 2014-17. In 2013, her work on NLP computational models and real-world applications was recognized by AWIS-CAC with the 7^th Innovator of the Year award. Her PhD mentees total 13 to date, half of which have been women—almost double the national computer science average. I had the pleasure of speaking with her and learning about her academic career and passion for mentorship.

Dr. Di Eugenio had a love for mathematics growing up and wanted to find an interesting way to apply it. It was during her undergraduate years at the University of Turin when she first had the opportunity to consider whether she would pursue research as a career. She credits her academic mentors with the strong encouragement to do exactly this. However, she says it was more “happenstance” that she chose the field of NLP. By the time she was ready to pick a topic for her undergraduate thesis, it came down to either operating systems or NLP. Her criteria for selecting the topic came down to how friendly and approachable the professors she contacted were. As it turned out, she was not able to schedule an appointment with the operating systems professor. To pursue her new field further, she made her to way to Rutgers University as a Fulbright Fellow and then University of Pennsylvania for a PhD in computer science. From there, she continued teaching and doing research in Pittsburgh for five years before starting at UIC as an Assistant Professor. “In thirty years, the field has changed so much. I started working on it; I started liking it; and I kept liking it. That’s why I’m still at it now!” she said with a chuckle. In 2002, a few years after starting at UIC, she received a National Science Foundation (NSF) Career Award. This early career award advanced her research in educational applications of NLP while she dedicated herself to mentoring women scientists in computer science.

“I’m really passionate about mentoring students. This has always been my favorite part of the job and still really is. It’s really great to see someone who starts as a student and basically becomes a colleague with whom you can have intellectually stimulating discussions on topics of interest and advance the field and discuss issues. That really keeps me going. I’ve always been very keen on promoting women in science, particular in computer science.” UIC proved to be an exceptionally supportive institution for women in STEM. Dr. Di Eugenio credits another NSF grant (ADVANCE program) awarded in 2006 at UIC. This grant spurred recruitment of women faculty and postdocs and solidified a positive culture of leadership, which included a few senior women faculty members.

As with other rapidly evolving technology fields, NLP has big challenges to overcome. A major challenge, according to Di Eugenio, is the hype surrounding artificial intelligence, “I don’t buy or subscribe to the hype. I see how easily these technologies pervade society but … society is not ready or informed enough about the limitations, the dangers, and the inherent biases that can be there. At the same time, some of my areas of applications for NLP, health sciences and educational technologies, there is really an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of people.” I also asked her how she would like to contribute to the health and education sectors: “I hope I can make a difference if not directly through some result of my own then at least through pushing a viewpoint to the community.” One of her main viewpoints she is aiming to promote is to question the development of NLP into a form of black box machine learning. That is to say, she is committed to ensuring that the algorithms and training sets used for NLP are transparent and understandable so that we can feel secure about how a decision or output was generated.

I was also interested to learn what professional goals Dr. Di Eugenio has in sight beyond 2021. One is serving as a NSF program officer for a few years so that she can play a role on “the other side of the grant review process.” The second involves the interaction of NLP with social media platforms: “This past spring, I led a seminar on NLP for social media. It was enlightening, especially reading these papers that concern what social media can do wrong—hate, bullying, and so on. But also sometimes techniques to discover bias sort of reintroduce bias from a different perspective. For example, there is work on recognizing offensive language. There was a very interesting paper we looked at that tried to attribute tweets to African American or white writers. Then lo and behold, the African American tweets were considered more offensive because these techniques are not very sophisticated. If they see a certain word, they think it’s offensive but in that context in that community it might not be offensive. So, these issues are interesting and complicated. I haven’t really worked on social media research-wise and so that’s an area I would maybe like to make a contribution to going forward.”

At the end of our conversation, Dr. Di Eugenio offered some parting words of advice that should ring true for academics. “Learn to say no,” she said first. “I don’t know if it’s being a woman, or being an assistant professor, or being at the beginning of your career, but it is really hard to say no to things. But one has to be able to focus on the important things.” Second, she stressed the importance of finding a good mentor: “That is one of the things that came out from this [NSF] ADVANCE grant, a formal mentoring program at UIC in general, not just for STEM.” Finally, she gave a practical tip that I found very helpful: “I found that I have to put slots in my calendar for writing. Only then could I make progress [on a book]. Consider it a meeting time for yourself and your work. It should be some time on your schedule reserved for the important things you need to do to advance your career …. I talk about this like I have practiced it for 30 years, but I guess that is a thing one learns …. I would recommend it.”

May 2021 SOTM: Dr. Anisha Martin

Anisha Martin, MD

by Shreya Chandrasekar

Born to immigrant physician parents and raised in New Jersey, just on the outskirts of Philadelphia, Dr. Anisha Martin recognized her calling for the sciences at a very young age. After high school, Dr. Martin enrolled in the highly competitive accelerated dual degree program at Northwestern University. At Northwestern, Dr. Martin got the opportunity to explore her interests outside of the sciences and study abroad while at the same time working steadfastly towards her medical career. While she made the decision to go to medical school very early on in her life, picking a specialty was not so obvious and took her more time to determine. Remaining open to every specialty meant that she was able to explore the full potential of each one before finally picking Interventional Radiology. Dr. Martin believes that interventional radiology is the perfect fit because it encompasses her passion for procedural medicine and allows her to apply core medical knowledge gleaned from other specialties to diverse organ systems. Her pursuit of a fulfilling medical career led her to complete her residency and fellowship at very prestigious programs in the Midwest and work at high acuity settings in level 1 trauma centers. Currently, she works at UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial. Her present job affords her the same rigor but in a more controlled setting thus allowing her to balance the demands of motherhood, family life, and her job.

Dr. Martin’s career at the intersection of science, technology, human interaction, and intellectual problem-solving is both fulfilling and exciting, but there are also aspects of her job she finds frustrating that stem from the unique challenges of being a woman in medicine. When I asked her how she addresses the societal pressure women face of being the best at the multiple roles they play, she said, “I learned over time that you cannot be everything to everyone at every time.” Her best advice to young women is to unapologetically compartmentalize and prioritize their time (and most importantly, find outlets to unwind).

In addition to balancing motherhood, family life, and the demands of her job, Dr. Martin is pushing the envelope through her involvement in initiatives that encourage more women to seek careers in interventional radiology. Dr. Martin also aims to arm her trainees with the tools and encourages them to develop skills that enable them to navigate the uncomfortable situations that arise throughout the course of a career, for which little formal training exists – imparting wisdom on everything from contract negotiation to curbing unwelcome comments as part of her casual teaching style. A major motivation for Dr. Martin to serve as a mentor is the inspiring mentorship that she herself has received through different stages of her career. These encouraging mentors included her high school chemistry teacher, a female trauma surgeon in medical school, and a female interventional radiology attending during her residency – all of whom have modelled for her what work-life balance and fiercely following your passion looks like. By achieving her own version of work-life balance, Dr. Martin hopes to serve as a similar model for her kids and especially her daughter.

February 2021 SOTM: Illinois State Senator Laura Ellman

Laura Ellman

by J. K. Wenderott

When asked about her career path, Laura Ellman, current Illinois State Senator representing District 21, expressed she has been “driven by curiosity.” These are words Ellman has taken to heart as she has followed her interests though an education in math and statistics to jobs at manufacturing and engineering companies to working as an assessor at Argonne National Laboratory to politics. Her advice: “If you’re curious, do it.”

Ellman attended Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa, for her bachelor’s degree where she majored in Math. She then completed her master’s degree in Applied Statistics at the University of Iowa, carpooling there daily with two other women: one working toward her master’s in Library Science and another getting her PhD in Classics. Research assistantships led her to a career in manufacturing and engineering where she worked at several companies including Alcoa, Molex, and Phonak on a variety of end products from Post-it notes and connectors to hearing aids and circuit boards. In her varied positions, she used data to prioritize and understand problems. Along the way, she became familiar with the engineering design process and using and experimenting on different types of materials.

These experiences are only pieces of the rich tapestry that is Ellman’s journey. There are mentions of side jobs; she taught math at a culinary and hospitality institute in Chicago and repaired clarinets. What to many are transitory thoughts, Ellman turns into realities. Her description of her foray into politics is as fantastic as it is simple. Every now and then, she mentioned, the thought “I should run for office” would come by. She did not have prior experience in politics, but she was aware of the data and the potential. In 2016, after sifting through data from past elections in her district, Ellman seized on the opportunity to run for the Illinois State Senate. She was sworn in early 2019. Her new position offered much to learn and to appreciate. “Things were moving. It was exhilarating – not only the speed at which things were happening, but the speed at which things were coming at me.” Her vast experiences have benefited her in a role that involves such an array of people and topics. “To meet people that are so passionate about their particular topic is a blessing – to be exposed to it and learn from them is a joy.”

Her experiences in industry and exposure to different technologies have informed her work at the Statehouse. “Having an appreciation for innovation and investment in innovation and new technologies – I think it can lend itself to better policy.” Ellman sees her policy work pushing to meet three major challenges: creating equity, building a strong and thriving middle class, and promoting our future. “If we don’t engage and build and educate every brain that’s out there, then we are doing ourselves and our children a disservice.” Related specifically to equity in STEM, Ellman said it is important to “to remove barriers to learning and advancing STEM for everybody, particularly marginalized and underrepresented populations.” Though 2020 brought with it many challenges, Ellman is focused to “become the best Senator I can be.”

The message Ellman has for those interested in politics? “I recommend running for office.” She also noted great need for those with STEM backgrounds to consider running. “Having more scientists and STEM people in politics would be great.” For those with STEM backgrounds considering a political future, 3.14 Action Fund provides training and resources.

Ellman grew up near Chicago and currently lives in the western suburbs. Her term in the Illinois State Senate runs through 2023. In Ellman’s free time (at least prior to the pandemic), she enjoys playing basketball, a hobby she has had for over 25 years. Learn more about Ellman’s work in the Illinois General Assembly here.

December 2020 SOTM: Holly J. Falk-Krzesinski, PhD

By Shreya Chandrasekar, 2^nd year PhD student at the Loyola University Chicago

Throughout this pandemic, I have cycled through feeling like the world couldn’t be a larger, more isolated place and feeling like we are so inextricably connected despite our physical distances. On this specific day when I talked with Dr. Holly J. Falk-Krzesinski, a Loyola University Chicago alum who is now a Vice President in the Global Strategic Networks team at Elsevier, the world did indeed feel small and connected. In addition to her numerous professional accomplishments which have been featured previously by AWIS on several occasions (2004 Spring, 2011 Fall, and 2017 Summer), her charming demeanor left me truly inspired to not only succeed as a PhD student but also pioneer new paths for myself and others while doing so. While I could fill pages with the honors Dr. Falk-Krzesinski has received along her distinguished career path, this feature will showcase her roots in advocacy and the subsequent opportunities she helped to create for herself and for those that would come after her.

Dr. Falk-Krzesinski was an advocate for her colleagues right from the early days of her career. As a graduate student at Loyola University Chicago, just as I currently find myself, she was an active member of the Graduate Student Council at the Health Sciences Campus, advocating for good health insurance benefits for graduate and medical students. Her experiences outside of lab, as part of the Graduate Student Council, not only enabled her to drive change but also helped her develop the skills necessary for working with different members of the university and navigating bureaucracy. While Dr. Falk-Krzesinski discovered her passion for biology back in high school, it was through positions and opportunities like these with the Graduate Student Council that she was able to foray into and lay the foundation for her current role in research development and intelligence at Elsevier.

On a more personal level, one of my biggest takeaways from my conversation with Dr. Falk-Krzesinski was her ability to create opportunities where they did not previously exist. In doing so, Dr. Falk-Krzesinski opened doors for herself and, perhaps more importantly, created a legacy for generations of women scientists to follow. For example, very early on, Dr. Falk-Krzesinski knew that she wanted to teach, but opportunities to teach as a graduate student were limited at her institution. Dr. Falk-Krzesinski did not let that deter her. She reached out to the head of her department and requested that she be put in contact with professors at the undergraduate campus who were looking for teaching assistants. By seeking out this opportunity, Dr. Falk-Krzesinski was able to get firsthand experience with teaching, relieving some of the pressure of “knowing without trying” and taking control of her future career path. This trailblazing spirit has echoed throughout her career journey.

Beyond teaching experience, Dr. Falk-Krzesinski also constantly sought out opportunities for professional development and training to add new skills to her arsenal that further enabled her to map out her career from Loyola University forward. Most recently, Dr. Falk-Krzesinski earned an Executive Scholar Certificate in General Management from the prestigious Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management. Dr. Falk-Krzesinski also believes that in order to have a diverse and fulfilling career trajectory, one must endeavor to engage deeply with one’s colleagues, a perspective that has fueled her research and activities in team science. In doing so, you become more than just your job profile to your colleagues and vice versa. In addition, while women are all too often faced with the responsibilities of child and elder care and the burden of battling implicit and explicit biases at the workplace, Dr. Falk-Krzesinski acknowledges that these challenges have been easier to overcome with the tremendous support of her family and empathetic colleagues.

Dr. Falk-Krzesinski’s most recent endeavor in support of women in STEMM fields is the recent research report, The Researcher Journey Through a Gender Lens, which examines critical issues and performance in research through a gender lens using quantitative and qualitative research methods covering 16 regions and 26 subject areas. The report aims to elucidate the role gender plays within the research enterprise in terms of both diversity and inclusion, offering powerful data-driven insights for research institutions to inform evidence-based policies and interventions, and inspire further research studies. Dr. Falk-Krzesinski also continues to be deeply involved with the National Organization of Research Development Professionals (NORDP), an organization that she co-founded over a decade ago to help advance interdisciplinary research and capacity-building initiatives and establish a network of collaborative professionals in research development.

Dr. Falk-Krzesinski was awarded the initial AWIS Chicago Distinguished Service Award in 2007 in recognition of service for the advancement of women in science in the Chicago area and beyond and served as the AWIS Magazine Editor-in-Chief from 2013 – 2016.

September 2020 SOTM

Special Roundtable Feature

Compiled by Jill Wenderott

In light of recent events pushing the nation to take a closer look at racism embedded in our institutions, organizations, and lives, we at AWIS Chicago were interested in doing something a little different this month for our SotM feature. AWIS Chicago reiterates the statement released by AWIS National: “As we confront repeated acts of racial violence throughout our nation, AWIS doesn’t see our work as separate from this struggle. We acknowledge and stand against systemic racism, and we encourage those who share our commitment to join us in working against it.” Read more from the statement here. We also encourage you to check out the next issue of AWIS magazine, which includes an article discussing building an anti-racist research lab co-authored by our AWIS Chicago President, Mary Khetani.

Instead of our typical SotM feature of a local scientist in the Chicagoland area, we have decided to create a roundtable feature, asking our recent SotM features to respond to the following question. We have collected their responses and commend them for their work as catalysts for lasting change.

What opportunities do you see in your work and/or life to actively combat racism?

“There is the opportunity in working situations to not assume someone will act one way because of their race, or to give work to someone because of their race. Do not assume even positive racial stereotypes. Just because someone is a certain color does not mean they are good at math, will be outspoken when it is needed, will negotiate better, will solve your computer problem, or will stay quiet with sensitive information. Companies need to do what they can from the applicant process on to ensure there is limited racial or gender bias. Why not use initials instead of names when collecting resumes or doing screening phone calls and videos? Make sure your recruiters don’t all look the same and switch up which type of roles they recruit for on a frequent basis. Implement more cross-functional or team-building assignments to break-apart cliques that may form due to racial similarities. Have a mentorship program in place for hourly employees.”

Jennifer Bogs
Environmental Manager, Great Lakes Coca-Cola Bottling
SotM feature, May 2020

“My work as an educator in a community college setting not only provides ammunition in combatting racism but an opportunity to defeat it. As a woman of color in science, my access to a very diverse student body provides me hands-on experience that makes me understand myself, my own personal biases, and develop empathy. Equipped with knowledge and empathy, I combat racism by mentoring the next generation of scientists and engineers. I create opportunities and safe space for students to learn and talk about racism and take small steps to possibly defeat it. At Wright College, I reactivated and advised Wright College Chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers; I co-founded the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers; and currently, I am building the Wright College Chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers. These organizations are learning to work collaboratively to assist each other to become leaders who understand each other. The topic of racism is also incorporated in my Engineering Success Seminar class, training the next generation of engineers and scientists inclusivity, social justice, and responsibility.”

Doris Espiritu
Executive Director of Engineering Program and Professor of Chemistry, Wilbur Wright College
SotM feature, May 2019

“Amongst various efforts to combat racism, we are revising criteria for graduate school application reviews to make sure it promotes diversity amongst successful candidates. As former chair of our graduate program, we steadily increased representation and successful progress to degree amongst minority students, but we can always do better. I am also actively trying to promote recruitment of faculty from diverse backgrounds since from my perspective, this is one area where there is significant weakness in academic centers which may take time to resolve as successful trainees work their way through the pipeline but also clearly could benefit from added pressure in this area. This is something that I have worked on over several years both locally and at a national level. Finally, we are planning to add new components to training of faculty and trainees that enhances awareness of racism (subtle or otherwise) and identifies ways to prevent and/or address it.”

Kay Macleod
Associate Professor, Ben May Dept. for Cancer Research, University of Chicago
SotM feature, November 2018

“One of the first steps we can take to actively combat racism is to speak up when we see racist behaviors around us. I promise myself not to stay quiet when I see or hear racism directed towards me or against a colleague, family member, friend or stranger. Asking open ended questions such as ‘Why do you say that?’ can help identify behaviors that might be subconscious (or intentional in many instances!) and set limits regarding what a person can say or do around me. I cannot control another person entirely, but I can channel their behavior or attitude when around me. Big changes happen in small steps.

It is extremely important for our University, department, program, or lab to actively support BIPOC students, faculty, and staff. One of the small steps I have done over the years is to open up my laboratory to support students from minority communities and ensuring that they have empowering and enriching experiences in research. We strive to provide a safe and welcoming environment, and value inclusion opening up paths for BIPOC students to succeed in academia.”

Sangeetha Madhavan
Associate Professor, Dept. of Physical Therapy, University of Illinois at Chicago
SotM feature, December 2019

“Firstly, I know I don’t have all the answers, being afraid to say anything because it might be the “wrong” thing perpetuates silence and the problem. I think one part of combating racism is acknowledging its presence in forms both open and subtle around us, and not turning a blind eye to it because it’s an uncomfortable topic for those who benefit from their privilege. Let’s all confront our own implicit biases to see how we may even unknowingly be a part of the problem. How about we also listen – really listen – to the concerns and perspectives of those discriminated against? In the field of medicine for example, representation in clinical trials is still an ongoing issue, but one which the NIH has taken a strong stance to address so that new medicines can be tested on and safe for more than just the majority race and gender. I’m also a believer in mentoring and spent time working with middle school-aged boys and girls from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds in one of the Boys and Girls Clubs through Northwestern’s Science Club program. It was humbling and eye-opening and I was grateful to have the opportunity to instill confidence in these kids’ abilities and potential not only in STEM fields but in life. Let’s believe in each other. Let’s talk about the injustices that are occurring so they don’t get normalized and fade into the background with the injustices continuing. I think it’s a time for us to reach out, connect, listen, and keep our minds open to creating equality for all people and part of that is keeping the conversation going.”

Amanda M. Schalk
Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, Enzyme by Design Inc.
SotM feature, July 2020

July 2020 SOTM: Dr. Amanda M. Schalk

By: Cindy Chiu

“You have to be open to trying new things you never thought you could do…just give it a whirl.”

If you’ve never thought your passion for science could develop into a zeal for handling business account reconciliations, procuring inventory, and chatting up potential investors, you’re not alone. Meet Dr. Amanda Schalk, a biochemist by training who distinctly remembers years ago perusing an advertisement for an academic program in entrepreneurship, and thinking to herself, “No, I don’t even know what that is. I’ll pass.” Today, through an ongoing process of recognizing and drawing from her own unique set of experiences and skills, Dr. Schalk is relishing her work as Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer at Enzyme by Design, a Chicago startup that develops safer therapeutics for hard to treat cancers.

Dr. Schalk got her start in STEM with a B.S. in Professional Biochemistry from Eastern Michigan University, and from there, she continued her studies to earn an M.S. and Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the International Max Planck Research School/University of Göttingen in Germany. With a terminal degree, Schalk found herself at a transition point and facing existential questions about her work: “I have this degree. Now what are the options of what I can do with this? Where can this lead me?”

Such reflections drove Dr. Schalk’s decision in 2011 to join a translational research lab working on developing cancer drugs at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). As a postdoc in the lab, she thrived. She identified an L-asparaginase enzyme from guinea pigs with putative tumor cell killing properties and published several papers related to this work. She particularly enjoyed working with her teammates, whom she characterized as inspiring, friendly, and caring people: “The science is amazing but having a really good team to work with is, in my opinion, equally as important for success and really enjoying what you’re doing.”

In 2016, the lab lost one of its key funding sources, part of the often unstable nature of science, precipitating another career transition for Schalk. She joined HappiLabs.org, a company in Chicago offering virtual lab management services. There, she helped biotech companies across the country with procurement, vendor interactions, inventory management, and bookkeeping, as well as writing operating protocols. At the time, she questioned, “who knows what I am going to do with this…but the fact is I have bills to pay and need a job.”

Though away from the lab bench, she was still meeting with her UIC colleagues about continuing to develop a cancer drug from the mammalian asparaginase that she had discovered and leveraging their protein engineering expertise to design potential therapeutics for better patient outcomes. They disclosed their idea to UIC, hoping that big pharma would take the reins from there, but it wasn’t so simple. She recalled, “Truthfully, we were naive academics and were told pretty bluntly: That’s not how it works. If you ever want to get this to patients, you’re going to have to start your own company and de-risk it.”

In 2017, with the encouragement of the UIC Tech Transfer Office and a mentoring program through MATTER, Schalk co-founded Enzyme by Design. As it turns out, getting “booted out of the lab,” as she puts it, created a pivotal opportunity for Schalk when she returned in 2018 to the UIC research group, splitting her time there and working for the company. Among her co-founders, Schalk was the one with key experience in accounting, procurement, and operations. The company now has almost $1M in non-dilutive NIH funding as they set their sights on developing their products to get to and through Phase I and possibly Phase II clinical trials. When asked about the most gratifying aspects of her work, Schalk readily points to the many hats she wears as Chief Operating Officer. “There are always new challenges, and actually many things that might be considered mundane in running a startup – I actually really enjoy doing them because I know they keep the lights on and things moving. The science is the spotlight,” she emphasized, “but we need to stay open to get it there.”

Dr. Schalk credits Prof. Arnon Lavie, her postdoctoral research advisor and Enzyme by Design co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, with invaluable holistic mentorship. “It’s the reason I’ve stuck with him for 10 years. He’s supportive of me developing as a scientist and developing in a more whole way in all areas of my life. He emphasizes that we should feel free to really think about the future and develop ourselves in a way that’s going to serve us.” For example, with Prof. Lavie’s support, Schalk is currently taking a year-long course in social-emotional intelligence, to better understand and develop her unique talents.

As a woman in science, Schalk points to impostor syndrome manifested as self-doubt as a challenging factor. How does she try to overcome it herself? “It’s a process to trust myself more, value my gifts, and learn to be okay with making mistakes because that’s part of learning. Personal growth work, taking care of my mental health, taking care of myself…Having a more connected and balanced life and doing things that nourish me as a person is going to make me a better scientist and businesswoman, because it’s going to make me more direct, efficient, focused, and purposeful.” As for unemployment advice, especially in these challenging times of COVID-19, she said she could offer experienced advice against tying one’s self-worth to employment: “Having a setback or being unemployed absolutely does not mean you’re a failure even if it feels that way in the moment…really you’re just in between adventures. Who you are, including your experiences and perspective, make you valuable even if you haven’t realized it yet. Be kind to yourself; be open to a new adventure because you never know where it might lead and what you might learn. Reach out to your support network; be your own biggest fan; believe in yourself (even if you don’t want to)!” Though Schalk acknowledges that she currently spends a lot of time on work, she finds enjoyment taking in the arts, such as the Lyric Opera, Joffrey Ballet, and Hubbard Street Dance, which she says, “makes my brain relax and light up in a completely different and beautiful way.”

Her adventure with Enzyme by Design is still unfolding, but Dr. Schalk is already looking ahead toward her next adventure: “Universities are developing amazing technology. More of it needs to go out into the world, and I realize just how few people there are to really herald that transition… so I’m like, okay, I might have found my niche; this is exciting.”

June 2020 SOTM: Monica Vajani

Monica Vajani

By Shreya Chandrasekar

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to interview Monica Vajani, a seasoned healthcare professional who currently works with CVS Health. Vajani spent her childhood on the East Coast, attended Washington University in St. Louis for her undergraduate, and ultimately put down roots in the Midwest when she started her career in the medical device industry. Multiple factors prompted her decision to pursue a career in healthcare, including a strong interest in science and math, a desire to help vulnerable populations, and the fact that many members of her extended family were healthcare professionals.

During her time at Washington University, Vajani started to get a better understanding of her specific interests within biomedical engineering. While combining medical sciences and engineering was relatively new at the time, it seemed like the perfect blend of Vajani’s skills and interests. At an informational session by St. Jude Medical, a company that manufactures pacemakers, defibrillators, and a myriad of other heart-related medical devices, Vajani learned about their college hire program. Subsequently, she took all the required classes and underwent a rigorous interview process to land a coveted job with this company. The job offered her the perfect opportunity to combine her interpersonal skills and scientific knowledge gleaned from working with clinicians to implant these devices. It started Vajani on her career path for the next decade where she served as a vital link between patients, clinicians, and manufacturers. This pivotal role helped her develop key skills that would enable her to later play larger roles in marketing and product development.

After working in sales and marketing at St. Jude Medical for over 7 years, Vajani attended the prestigious Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago in order develop a deeper understanding of the business world. As a part time student, she was able to apply key classroom learnings to her role as a clinical specialist at Medtronic. Upon graduating, she spent the next leg of her career working at MATTER, helping start-ups and corporate healthcare organizations develop commercialization and innovation strategies, respectively. Her experience at MATTER prepared her well for her current role with CVS Health, where she is part of a transformation team that is tasked with building new products and services that will drive better patient experiences and outcomes. Especially in the context of the current pandemic, she has sought to turn a generally slow-responding corporate environment into one that reacts faster and more effectively. Vajani believes that the current uncertainty and malleability surrounding the healthcare environment has pushed her to take the reins and continue driving change. While speaking with her, it was obvious that she has been able to make her impact by staying abreast of the most recent advancements and emergent trends across the healthcare ecosystem – including new healthcare technology start-ups as well as mergers and acquisitions between dominant players in health insurance, pharma, and medtech.

While Vajani’s career has been diverse, the continuous drive to help people has been critical to her success. This was a value that her mother instilled in her early in her childhood. Vajani says that her mother was very supportive of her dreams and encouraged her to challenge herself across all aspects of life. In addition to her mother, Vajani’s mentors throughout her career inspired confidence in her that pushed her to reach her professional ambitions. In just over a decade, Vajani has achieved many career goals, and she is just getting warmed up. In the future, Vajani hopes to start her own business and create a formal system that allows her to mentor and invest in small businesses.

Navigating her career in science as a woman hasn’t always been easy, but the difficult experiences have helped Vajani develop skills to overcome challenges and fostered in her a greater appreciation for people who nurture a welcoming and productive working environment. In her free time, Vajani spends time pursuing passions, such as wheelthrown pottery. When asked what advice she would give to a woman early in her career, Vajani emphasized the importance of goal setting early on both personally and professionally, while remaining open to new, seemingly uncomfortable experiences, as these are opportunities for growth.

May SOTM: Jennifer Bogs

By Phalguni Shah

“Happiness is more than waking up and smiling every day. I really think it is finding a deep meaning in what you are doing, [even though] it might not always be the most fun thing. For me, success is not being bored and keeping myself intellectually stimulated.”

On Earth Day 2020, I had the opportunity to interview Jennifer Bogs, the Environmental Manager at Great Lakes Coca-Cola Bottling. Bogs develops environmental policies and communicates compliance best practices for the company. With a background in the environmental sciences, business, as well as law, she has carved out a unique career at the crossroads of STEM and law.

“I feel like I’ve always worked,” Jennifer says, laughing. She recalls starting a job just one day after graduating college. Before going to business school, she worked in consulting and thoroughly enjoyed communicating with and learning from professionals from different fields such as science, engineering, and business. Bogs went into law school with an unusual intent of not working at a law firm upon graduation. Her aim was to work at the intersection of business and public interest, which led her on her fascinating career path.

As an environmental manager, Bogs spends her time on a wide variety of tasks such as designing policies and guidelines, conducting trainings, and communicating with environmental regulators. The best part of her job, according to Bogs, is that she can take actions to prevent environmental damage before it has happened. When asked about the most frustrating part, she expresses disappointment about “green-washing” in corporate culture, where many companies only consider sustainability as a marketing tool. This is why she enjoys seeing her deep passion for impactful sustainability spread to others. “It makes me very happy when I’ve taught someone how to fish, and they fish for themselves,” Bogs says.

STEM and law are both fields known to not have a lot of women, Jennifer admits. Though she recalls unfortunate gender bias during her student life, reminding herself of the bigger picture helped her stay focused on her goals. Bogs is grateful to have had great mentors who inspired her, and she stresses the importance of having had a network of like-minded peers she could rely on for support.

Jennifer enjoys spending her free time with her two kids. She also loves staying active and surrounded by nature. Going for a run or hiking in a forest preserve is her go-to way to unwind from a busy week. She recalls receiving the best piece of advice from her business school professor: “You only get one reputation in life.” According to Bogs, it is especially relevant for a career in environmental law. When asked what advice she would give her early-career self, she remarks, “Don’t discount the time that you have for yourself.” She adds that investing in a hobby or having a personal side project can help you persevere through the challenging phases of your career.