Ann Ragin
Interview Posted By: Ashley Smith
1. Can you tell us a little about your background? i.e. Where you grow 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 grew up in a small town in Indiana of only 5000 people. I went to Indiana University where I majored in Psychology and then on to Northwestern where I received my PhD in Clinical Psychology. I then went to University of Chicago for a post-doc in quantitative methods.
I was in an accelerated math program in high school. I am not sure how I was in that program, which I think was for premed, but I really didn't know what I wanted to do. I just followed my interests at each stage of my life and it somehow all ended up where I am now. In some ways you may not be able to plan for the future.The methods I am using now were not even invented back then and the medical problems I have worked on were unknown when I was in college. HIV infection, for example, had not yet been identified.
2. What exactly IS your job? What do you do on a day to day basis?
My job involves brain imaging research in Neurological disorders.
Today for example, I worked on a manuscript on biomarkers of brain injury in the morning, then met with my graduate student who will help finalize some details for the paper. It may take years to write a single paper depending on the data collection. I read through a proposal from a physician from Africa who wants to train in neuroimaging here in the Fall. Then I had class in which the biomedical imaging students learned about automated brain imaging algorithms. This afternoon I will be on a conference call with scientists and physicians from other universities to plan for an NIH grant submission to get funding for a project. Applying for funding takes a lot of time too. A grant is a long process and you have to persevere. Every day is kind of different, but writing, data collection, data analysis and interpretation are the most critical aspects. In my job I get to work with many many interesting people and it's fun to get to know students and see them blossom.
3. How does STEM relate to your job?How do you use the information you learned from your degree in your job?
Your degree is only a small part of what you will need to know. You have to continue to educate yourself throughout your entire career. You have to go out and figure out new methods and apply them. You have to go to conferences and keep up on your science. Things that you can't learn in school or in conferences can also play a critical role--like working well with others, how to handle stress, how to be a part of a team and how to create a team.
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?
Yes.
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?
I have to spend so much time writing grants that it takes away from the time I have to do the actual science. The decisions that are made in Washington directly influence progress in biomedical research.
6. How do you balance your work and personal life? Any secrets or advice you’d like to share?
I just try to do things to help me decompress when I am at home. also doing things that are fun and relaxing helps me incubate ideas. it's important to get out of the lab and into the world and take sojourns. It fosters depth and meaning, even though what you may be doing to relax could seem superficial relative to science (:
7. What do you define success as?
Research that moves the field forward and that will stand the test of time.
8. What is one personality trait that you think is universally important for a successful career?
Resilience, maybe perseverance
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?
You have mentors at all stages and they all leave their mark on you, you can also learn a lot from your students and from people who aren't even in science. I learned a lot of lessons just from seeing how people lived their lives. "I am part of all that I have met."
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?
I would have to think about this, but it's an interesting question.
I remember in graduate school when my paper was rejected. I was embarrassed to tell my advisor. He shrugged it off and said he could wallpaper his entire house (which was enormous) with all the rejections he had gotten in his career. That made me feel so much better!
Rejections go with the territory. You just have to dust yourself off and get right back up on that horse!
I grew up in a small town in Indiana of only 5000 people. I went to Indiana University where I majored in Psychology and then on to Northwestern where I received my PhD in Clinical Psychology. I then went to University of Chicago for a post-doc in quantitative methods.
I was in an accelerated math program in high school. I am not sure how I was in that program, which I think was for premed, but I really didn't know what I wanted to do. I just followed my interests at each stage of my life and it somehow all ended up where I am now. In some ways you may not be able to plan for the future.The methods I am using now were not even invented back then and the medical problems I have worked on were unknown when I was in college. HIV infection, for example, had not yet been identified.
2. What exactly IS your job? What do you do on a day to day basis?
My job involves brain imaging research in Neurological disorders.
Today for example, I worked on a manuscript on biomarkers of brain injury in the morning, then met with my graduate student who will help finalize some details for the paper. It may take years to write a single paper depending on the data collection. I read through a proposal from a physician from Africa who wants to train in neuroimaging here in the Fall. Then I had class in which the biomedical imaging students learned about automated brain imaging algorithms. This afternoon I will be on a conference call with scientists and physicians from other universities to plan for an NIH grant submission to get funding for a project. Applying for funding takes a lot of time too. A grant is a long process and you have to persevere. Every day is kind of different, but writing, data collection, data analysis and interpretation are the most critical aspects. In my job I get to work with many many interesting people and it's fun to get to know students and see them blossom.
3. How does STEM relate to your job?How do you use the information you learned from your degree in your job?
Your degree is only a small part of what you will need to know. You have to continue to educate yourself throughout your entire career. You have to go out and figure out new methods and apply them. You have to go to conferences and keep up on your science. Things that you can't learn in school or in conferences can also play a critical role--like working well with others, how to handle stress, how to be a part of a team and how to create a team.
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?
Yes.
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?
I have to spend so much time writing grants that it takes away from the time I have to do the actual science. The decisions that are made in Washington directly influence progress in biomedical research.
6. How do you balance your work and personal life? Any secrets or advice you’d like to share?
I just try to do things to help me decompress when I am at home. also doing things that are fun and relaxing helps me incubate ideas. it's important to get out of the lab and into the world and take sojourns. It fosters depth and meaning, even though what you may be doing to relax could seem superficial relative to science (:
7. What do you define success as?
Research that moves the field forward and that will stand the test of time.
8. What is one personality trait that you think is universally important for a successful career?
Resilience, maybe perseverance
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?
You have mentors at all stages and they all leave their mark on you, you can also learn a lot from your students and from people who aren't even in science. I learned a lot of lessons just from seeing how people lived their lives. "I am part of all that I have met."
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?
I would have to think about this, but it's an interesting question.
I remember in graduate school when my paper was rejected. I was embarrassed to tell my advisor. He shrugged it off and said he could wallpaper his entire house (which was enormous) with all the rejections he had gotten in his career. That made me feel so much better!
Rejections go with the territory. You just have to dust yourself off and get right back up on that horse!
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