Alexandra Barth, PhD

What’s the most important leadership lesson you’ve learned?

Mentoring is a lifelong skill, and research is an excellent venue to be constantly refining it. I try to take lessons from all of my professional relationships in order to learn how to be a more effective teacher and mentor.

What do you consider to be your most important career achievement or milestone?

I received a teaching award during the last semester of my graduate studies from students’ positive reviews. It was meaningful to read their comments and feel like I had made an impact in their academic development, even as I was wrapping up my own graduate experience.

What do you aspire to accomplish in your career and why? What obstacles will you overcome?

To work as a research professor at a R1 university. In this role, I am enthusiastic to mentor students in establishing their research career and design innovative approaches to harvest and store energy from solar light.

Describe an amazing opportunity in your STEM career.

I’m incredibly grateful for the community and connections that I have built throughout the past decade of research career, and I look forward to continuing to build my network and establishing a lasting legacy through the students I work with.

How was AWIS helped you professionally and/or personally?

The virtual professional development webinars have been incredibly useful. I appreciate the availability of these resources so that I can constantly learn from women with greater experience in their careers.

What is your favorite word? (only one word)

Perseverance.

How do you define it?

Using challenges as an opportunity to constantly reevaluate your direction and purpose, to ensure you are in alignment with your ambitions.

How has this word influenced or inspired your career?

Research is commonly characterized by periods of adversity. It is important not to get dissuaded by these obstacles.

How does AWIS impact your career journey?

I value the sense of community and shared purpose among women in AWIS. The camaraderie within the local sections has been particularly helpful.

What are you currently reading or listening to?

Mostly research articles in my field to stay up to date on the current literature. I hope to return to leisure reading soon, with several autobiographies on hold at the library.

What do you consider the best professional or personal advice you’ve ever received?

I can only be successful in a place where people believe I am capable of succeeding.

Alexandra T. Barth received a BS from Florida State University in 2017 and a PhD from the California Institute of Technology in 2022. Currently, she is a postdoctoral researcher at North Carolina State University. Her research focuses on photochemistry and molecular spectroscopy. She received the Women Mentoring Women: Outstanding Mentor Award (Caltech Center for Diversity) and served as Co-President of the Caltech Women in Chemistry chapter.