Resilience is the ability to recover quickly from difficulties and to adapt in the face of challenges. This is a critical skill for scientists who may spend years trying to solve complex problems and often have to pivot after unexpected results.
This word is particularly familiar to women in STEM who often face explicit or implicit gender bias along their career journey. Maintaining a positive outlook in the face of stress or setbacks is important to protect against burnout. Those who can persevere will build their self-confidence and likely reap greater career opportunities.
We are spotlighting the following AWIS members who shared stories with us about how they navigated obstacles in their career path. They have demonstrated their resilience and now serve as role models. We hope their stories encourage others to embrace a growth mindset and continue pursuing their goals.
When circumstances forced Manju Anandakrishnan to step away from her graduate studies, resilience kept her working towards her goal, and she is now on her way to completing her PhD in Bioinformatics Data Science in 2025.
As a first-generation doctoral student, resilience has kept Judith Serwaa Marfo focused and motivated to achieve her goals, and inspired her to mentor future scientists.
Resilience has been a guiding principle throughout Yetunde Oyesakin’s journey, from earning her PhD in organic chemistry from the University of Nevada, Reno, to her internship at Merck Research Laboratories.
Jyothi Vemu, founder of the STEM education company Futurebytes, credits her resilience with helping her thrive in the face of the challenges in making STEM education more accessible and diverse.
Find more inspiring women on the AWIS Member Spotlight page. (AWIS members can request their own Spotlight here. Interested in becoming an AWIS member? Learn more.)