Dianna Baldwin
Interview Posted By: Ashley Smith
Photo Credit: Moon Flower Photography
1. Can you tell us a little about your background? i.e. Where you grew up, what education do you have, a summary of your resume, did you always want to do what you are doing now, when did you start to become interested in STEM, what internships/ volunteering
I was born in Oklahoma and I grew up partially in Arkansas, partially in Monterey County California. I received my BS in Biology (Zoology) and my MS in Biology (Cell and Molecular-Stem Cell Science) from San Francisco State University. During my experience in higher education, I worked in several labs through fellowship programs for minority students starting as an undergraduate. These programs, and my mentors, helped keep me in school. My fellowships, scholarships, and summer programs included NSF-REU, NIH MBRS-RISE, NIH MARC, Osage Higher Education Scholarships, Jacques Johnet Scholarships for Native Americans, and NSF SRTP with UCSF.
I was naturally interested in science as a child and initially I wanted to be a veterinarian. I worked at a vet clinic for four years beginning when I was 14. Then, in college I was working in a retail outdoors store when I was recruited by a professor into research. He was a Navajo/Dine cell and molecular biologist and he taught me how to apply for fellowship programs so that I could focus on my studies and pursue a PhD. The Biology Department and Student Enrichment Opportunities office staff at SFSU helped me to further pursue my interests by making sure I could continue research in the UCSF Summer Research Training Program and during graduate school at Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute. All of the research I completed during my education involved myogenesis and muscle cell biology. This focused on adult muscle stem cells in order to find treatments for diseases like muscular dystrophy, muscle wasting, and muscle injuries.
2. What exactly IS your job? What do you do on a day to day basis?
When I graduated I was fortunate to land a job with Novartis Institute for Biomedical Research. My group is responsible for researching treatments for Influenza. Day to day, I plan and perform experiments. I have three work stations: my desk for planning and data analysis, the cell culture room for culturing cells and viruses, and my lab bench for performing molecular biology experiments. I also attend meetings and trainings that aid in our creative research process and present my findings regularly to other scientists.
3. How does STEM relate to your job? How do you use the information you learned from your degree in your job?
STEM relates to my job because I use science, technology, engineering, and math concepts to perform my every day activities. I use the latest technologies for research which can present challenges. My degree taught me how to overcome the challenges you face when trying to push the research field forward.
4. Have you faced any discrimination/ challenges being a woman in a stem field? If so, how did you deal with it? Do you have any advice for up and coming women in STEM?
Most of the people I have had the pleasure to work with in science have been very supportive. In fact, there are many women in Biology. I have noticed some added pressure to maintain a sense of professionalism and to try my hardest at my work. I take any added pressure as a challenge to overcome and it makes me stronger in the long run.
My best advice would be to get as much exposure as you can to research as soon as possible because no matter what your career becomes the research field will give you the tools you need for success. You can gain experience through workshops, internships, or fellowships. Finding the right mentors is also important. They will help guide you to where you want to go with STEM.
5. What is the best and worst part of your job? What do you look forward to in your job on a day to day basis? What do you wish you could change?
The best part of my job is seeing a project all the way through to the end and telling the story. I enjoy learning new things through the scientific method there is much satisfaction in know I have contributed, even in the smallest way, to health. Day to day, I enjoy lab work the most. It is where I get to take all of the planning into action. The worst part is when an experiment doesn’t work. I also wish for more confidence when presenting. I’m always working on my communications skills.
6. How do you balance your work and personal life? Any secrets or advice you’d like to share?
I balance my work and personal life by focusing on my health and the things that make me happy during my off time. I prepare and eat healthy meals (pack work lunches), exercise as much as I can, practice yoga, meditate, spend time outdoors, and I surround myself with the most positive and supportive people I can. My best advice would be to focus on the things and people that make you feel happy and at peace. A great support group of positive friends, family, and coworkers will help you get through any obstacles you may face.
7. What do you define success as?
I would define success as the ability to never feel like you work a day in your life because you make a living and truly enjoy what you do. It sounds simple but it can be difficult to find.
8. What is one personality trait that you think is universally important for a successful career?
I think adaptable personalities do well because you never know what the future holds and where your career could take you. Ambition and determination will take you far.
9. Who was a mentor to you throughout your career? (can be more than one!) What did they teach you? How did they impact your life?
There are many mentors that have made an impact on my career but a few stick out. One is my current supervisor, Dr. Vincent Leonard, who has taught me a great deal about the Virology field and how to navigate industry research. He has impacted my life because he believed in me enough to hire me out of graduate school and he has made sure all of my needs for success are met.
Another mentor, Dr. Wilfred Denetclaw was the person who recruited me into research when I knew very little about the cell and molecular biology field as an undergraduate. He was very patient but also challenged me to push myself. He helped to get me started in my career and connected me with the right people as well. He eventually served on my graduate thesis committee.
There were a few female scientists that helped to shape my career. Dr. Carmen Domingo was my program director in graduate school and she helped me to find Dr. Julie Saba at Children’s Hospital who became my supervisor. The two of them worked as a “dream team” to help plan and execute my graduate thesis. A third woman in research, Dr. Laura Burrus served on my thesis committee. The three of them were fantastic role models and I saw them as pioneers in their fields because when they began their journeys there were not as many women in scientific research.
10. What do you think is the best advice you've ever received? What advice would you give your younger self if you had the chance? What’s one piece of advice you can pass on to us?
The best advice I ever received was to follow my passion. Then, if I found that I could not make a living with my passion, to follow my strengths in an area where I could make a living. There were many times that I doubted myself but I overcame this by working hard and paying attention to arising opportunities. I would tell my younger self to not be so hard on myself and to go towards the positivity I mentioned. Everyone has some kind of struggle to overcome. It’s best to leave any negativity in the past, be kind to others, and work to overcome your individual obstacles. The hard work will pay off eventually.
I was born in Oklahoma and I grew up partially in Arkansas, partially in Monterey County California. I received my BS in Biology (Zoology) and my MS in Biology (Cell and Molecular-Stem Cell Science) from San Francisco State University. During my experience in higher education, I worked in several labs through fellowship programs for minority students starting as an undergraduate. These programs, and my mentors, helped keep me in school. My fellowships, scholarships, and summer programs included NSF-REU, NIH MBRS-RISE, NIH MARC, Osage Higher Education Scholarships, Jacques Johnet Scholarships for Native Americans, and NSF SRTP with UCSF.
I was naturally interested in science as a child and initially I wanted to be a veterinarian. I worked at a vet clinic for four years beginning when I was 14. Then, in college I was working in a retail outdoors store when I was recruited by a professor into research. He was a Navajo/Dine cell and molecular biologist and he taught me how to apply for fellowship programs so that I could focus on my studies and pursue a PhD. The Biology Department and Student Enrichment Opportunities office staff at SFSU helped me to further pursue my interests by making sure I could continue research in the UCSF Summer Research Training Program and during graduate school at Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute. All of the research I completed during my education involved myogenesis and muscle cell biology. This focused on adult muscle stem cells in order to find treatments for diseases like muscular dystrophy, muscle wasting, and muscle injuries.
2. What exactly IS your job? What do you do on a day to day basis?
When I graduated I was fortunate to land a job with Novartis Institute for Biomedical Research. My group is responsible for researching treatments for Influenza. Day to day, I plan and perform experiments. I have three work stations: my desk for planning and data analysis, the cell culture room for culturing cells and viruses, and my lab bench for performing molecular biology experiments. I also attend meetings and trainings that aid in our creative research process and present my findings regularly to other scientists.
3. How does STEM relate to your job? How do you use the information you learned from your degree in your job?
STEM relates to my job because I use science, technology, engineering, and math concepts to perform my every day activities. I use the latest technologies for research which can present challenges. My degree taught me how to overcome the challenges you face when trying to push the research field forward.
4. Have you faced any discrimination/ challenges being a woman in a stem field? If so, how did you deal with it? Do you have any advice for up and coming women in STEM?
Most of the people I have had the pleasure to work with in science have been very supportive. In fact, there are many women in Biology. I have noticed some added pressure to maintain a sense of professionalism and to try my hardest at my work. I take any added pressure as a challenge to overcome and it makes me stronger in the long run.
My best advice would be to get as much exposure as you can to research as soon as possible because no matter what your career becomes the research field will give you the tools you need for success. You can gain experience through workshops, internships, or fellowships. Finding the right mentors is also important. They will help guide you to where you want to go with STEM.
5. What is the best and worst part of your job? What do you look forward to in your job on a day to day basis? What do you wish you could change?
The best part of my job is seeing a project all the way through to the end and telling the story. I enjoy learning new things through the scientific method there is much satisfaction in know I have contributed, even in the smallest way, to health. Day to day, I enjoy lab work the most. It is where I get to take all of the planning into action. The worst part is when an experiment doesn’t work. I also wish for more confidence when presenting. I’m always working on my communications skills.
6. How do you balance your work and personal life? Any secrets or advice you’d like to share?
I balance my work and personal life by focusing on my health and the things that make me happy during my off time. I prepare and eat healthy meals (pack work lunches), exercise as much as I can, practice yoga, meditate, spend time outdoors, and I surround myself with the most positive and supportive people I can. My best advice would be to focus on the things and people that make you feel happy and at peace. A great support group of positive friends, family, and coworkers will help you get through any obstacles you may face.
7. What do you define success as?
I would define success as the ability to never feel like you work a day in your life because you make a living and truly enjoy what you do. It sounds simple but it can be difficult to find.
8. What is one personality trait that you think is universally important for a successful career?
I think adaptable personalities do well because you never know what the future holds and where your career could take you. Ambition and determination will take you far.
9. Who was a mentor to you throughout your career? (can be more than one!) What did they teach you? How did they impact your life?
There are many mentors that have made an impact on my career but a few stick out. One is my current supervisor, Dr. Vincent Leonard, who has taught me a great deal about the Virology field and how to navigate industry research. He has impacted my life because he believed in me enough to hire me out of graduate school and he has made sure all of my needs for success are met.
Another mentor, Dr. Wilfred Denetclaw was the person who recruited me into research when I knew very little about the cell and molecular biology field as an undergraduate. He was very patient but also challenged me to push myself. He helped to get me started in my career and connected me with the right people as well. He eventually served on my graduate thesis committee.
There were a few female scientists that helped to shape my career. Dr. Carmen Domingo was my program director in graduate school and she helped me to find Dr. Julie Saba at Children’s Hospital who became my supervisor. The two of them worked as a “dream team” to help plan and execute my graduate thesis. A third woman in research, Dr. Laura Burrus served on my thesis committee. The three of them were fantastic role models and I saw them as pioneers in their fields because when they began their journeys there were not as many women in scientific research.
10. What do you think is the best advice you've ever received? What advice would you give your younger self if you had the chance? What’s one piece of advice you can pass on to us?
The best advice I ever received was to follow my passion. Then, if I found that I could not make a living with my passion, to follow my strengths in an area where I could make a living. There were many times that I doubted myself but I overcame this by working hard and paying attention to arising opportunities. I would tell my younger self to not be so hard on myself and to go towards the positivity I mentioned. Everyone has some kind of struggle to overcome. It’s best to leave any negativity in the past, be kind to others, and work to overcome your individual obstacles. The hard work will pay off eventually.