How was AWIS helped you professionally and/or personally?

When I graduated from my PhD, I found that the culture in the biotech industry was very different from the culture in academia. I became a member of the MASS AWIS Mentoring Circles and connected with some amazing mentors who helped me navigate this transition.

What is your favorite word?

Inclusion

How do you define it?

The process of creating a space where everyone’s needs, perspectives, and backgrounds are considered and welcomed. This process is ever-evolving and is constantly being refined to better serve the community members and create equal access to opportunities and resources.

How has this word influenced or inspired your career, or is it a word chosen retrospectively?

As a disabled, trans non-binary person, society is not always built with my needs in mind. While advocating for myself, my goal is to create spaces for others as well, to make new opportunities accessible and remove the barriers to entry that exist within my field.

How does AWIS impact your career journey?

The MASS AWIS LGBTQ+ Affinity Group which has been an amazing group to connect with other members of the LGBTQ+ community and highlight professionals in the LGBTQ+ community. This group helped me feel more confident and inspired me to take on new opportunities within my company.

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

“Use other’s experiences to be your tour guide not your roadmap.” – You can make changes and make your own way while getting advice from others.
“No is a complete sentence.” – It is important to set boundaries and you do not need to justify why you set a particular boundary.

Dr. Kathy Nevola (they/them) is a Data Scientist at Olink Proteomics and Tool Owner of Olink Analyze. They received their PhD from Tufts in Cellular, Molecular, and Developmental Biology with a concentration in Computational Biology. They are one of the founding members of the MASS AWIS LGBTQ+ Affinity Group, an affinity group within MASS AWIS to address the needs of the LGBTQ+ community. In their free time they like to spend time with their partner, dog, and cat, either outside or playing video games.