Happy Women’s History Month! Being in the biotech industry and working with a strong, diverse team of scientists, we want to take a moment to reflect on the history of women in science and how we can make a brighter history for future generations. This past month, we shared stories from women at Phase Genomics to celebrate their accomplishments and highlight their inspirations.

Below is a compilation of their video submissions as well as written submissions from Lauren Burgess, Research Associate; Emily Reister, Research Scientist; Hayley Mangelson, Lead Bioinformatics Scientist; Kayla Young, COO; and Mary Wood, Data Scientist.

Who is your favorite female scientist?

Elizabeth Blackwell

Lauren: My favorite female in STEM is Elizabeth Blackwell. Blackwell faced discrimination and obstacles in college when professors forced her to sit separately at lectures and often excluded her from labs. Despite these hardships, Blackwell was the first woman to graduate from medical school in the United States and became a strong activist for women’s health and education.

Emily: My favorite female scientists are the ones that I get to work with and have gotten to work with every day. My mentors in grad school served not only as scientific mentors, but coworkers and taught me not only be a good scientist, but to be a good mentor to others. I wouldn’t have graduated without them. I learned so much about being a good RNA biochemist as well as a good lab mate from them.

Temple Grandin

Hayley: My favorite female scientist would have to be Temple Grandin. She stands out in my mind because she was possibly the first female scientist that I heard a lot of talk about when I was growing up as a young person interested in science and biology. Her science is revolutionary, and I think she’s a fantastic mentor for women and neurodiverse people who are interested in STEM fields.

Mary: My favorite female scientist is Ada Lovelace. She was completely ahead of her time as woman in science in the 1800s and is considered by many to be the first computer programmer for her work on an algorithm designed to compute Bernoulli numbers.

Dian Fossey

Kayla: My favorite female scientist is Dr. Dian Fossey, a zoologist who died researching endangered gorillas in Rwanda in the eighties. She is critical to our understanding and knowledge of gorillas, their behaviors, and conservation efforts of the species. Dr. Fossey was brave, dedicated, and had a deep passion for animals that resonates with me, both as a child and as an adult.

What advice do you have for women in STEM?

Lauren: From Blackwell and my own experience as a recent first-generation college graduate, I learned that success is not measured by raw intelligence, but by persistence. My advice to women entering STEM is even when course loads to become seemingly impossible to manage, remember that it is possible with hard work. You are not alone in your struggle, and you will become stronger woman through overcoming these challenges.

Emily: Something that I’ve learned and I’m continuing to learn is to not be afraid to vouch for yourself, but especially don’t be afraid to vouch for those around you. To me, what makes a good scientist is one who not only understands every detail and minutia of what they’re working on but truly understands the impact of their work and the working environment that they foster. A good scientist is a good person and a good person to work with. Recognizing that as early as you can is really important.

Hayley: If you are a woman considering a STEM field, then I encourage you to challenge your own assumptions about what it means to be a woman. We deserve to feel confident and competent in our roles so that we can demand the equality and respect that we deserve.

Kayla: My advice I would give women (or anyone for that matter) that’s entering the STEM field is to find the people and the jobs you want and go and talk to them. Find that research scientist, or the project manager, or the director of R&D, or the business development human and take them to coffee and learn about their jobs. Ask them about the things that matter to you. If you don’t like the answers, then don’t settle for that company. The STEM field has so many opportunities, just go out and find what they are. For instance, I am a molecular biologist who doesn’t touch pipettes or sit at a bench – the opportunities are endless. More often than not, people are really willing to talk to you about their jobs and you just need to ask.

Mary: My best advice for women in STEM would be not to fear speaking your mind. As women, we’re often made to feel that we should make ourselves smaller in the world, and that can translate into not sharing good ideas or stating our preferences about our work. It’s ongoing work to overcome the societal messaging that encourages us to hold back, but it’s so important that we fight those instincts – we have important things to share!

What fascinates you about STEM fields?

Lauren: What I find the most fascinating about STEM careers is the versatility among occupations, yet we all share a common goal. When it comes to research scientists, STEM educators, and the many other STEM careers available, each occupation works to push our understanding of the universe and to build a brighter, more knowledgeable future. The STEM community is a powerful one and one I’m proud to be a part of.

Emily: I think what really fascinates me is the sub communities it fosters. STEM fields harbor and bring together really passionate people. What’s more fun than working with passionate people?

Hayley: My favorite part of being in a STEM field is that there are still so many unanswered questions and I feel I can make a real impact. I really do feel that the contributions that I’ve made so far are valuable and lasting contributions.

Kayla: I think what intrigues me most about the STEM fields is that they are ever-changing and very collaborative. This is a group of individuals that is, broadly speaking, working to contribute and improve the human experience, and that’s a very cool collaboration to be a part of. It’s a global community that’s working to solve big problems and ask fascinating questions, and it’s a community that I’m proud to both work in and be a part of.

Mary: It’s amazing to work on things that can make a difference in the lives of other people – from technological advancements that make the day-to-day more convenient, to breakthroughs in healthcare that save lives, science is transformational! Working in science helps hone your critical thinking skills! Not only does that make you a better scientist, but it’s so helpful in wading through the endless information now available to us in everyday life. Interacting with other scientists is the best! I’ve made so many great friends throughout my science education and career, and get to work with awesome, intelligent people.