Cecilia Zurita-Lopez
Interview Posted By: Ashley Smith
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
My name is Cecilia Zurita-Lopez. I was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, but came to the US when I was 5 years old. Most people assume I’m Mexican, and that’s OK with me. I grew up in La Puente, California and went to William Workman HS in the City of Industry. When I was a junior in HS, my mom got breast cancer and stopped working.
I attended Cal State LA and received a degree in Biochemistry in 2004. After this, I went to UCLA and graduated with a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in 2011. Once you get a PhD, you have to then do something called a “postdoc.” As a postdoctoral researcher, you go to a different laboratory and refine your research skills and training on various projects and in different settings. I did two postdocs, one at Caltech and then another at USC.
I am now an Assistant Professor of Biochemistry at Cal State Los Angeles (CSULA). I have returned to my own school to teach!
2. What exactly IS your job? What do you do on a day to day basis?
My job is mainly service. I try hard to serve my students by teaching in the classroom and preparing for lectures as best I can. I also try to serve the students in my research group by providing them adequate training, supplies and materials. Finally, I also try to serve the department by volunteering in various events and being on committees.
3. How does STEM relate to your job?How do you use the information you learned from your degree in your job?
I use my training every day. I consider myself a biochemist and so everything I do in the laboratory and all the projects my students are focusing on in the lab all relate in some form to the investigation of life at the molecular level (or biochemistry). The more I learn about a particular disease or method, the better I can help my students.
In addition, I teach biochemistry to undergraduate students – I have to lecture on the fundamentals of this field.
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?
I think there is an time in all girls lives when they feel discouraged or perhaps they are encouraged to try other things and not study any of the STEM fields. To all the young girls out there who love science, I hope that you will not let anyone or anything stand in your way. Also, remember, science is BIG, you can study ANYTHING: rocks, birds, the ocean, a particular animal, a particular cell, a particular process, a particular disease…etc. etc. - even outer space!
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?
My favorite part of the day is working with students. They energize me and make me feel valued. Good students who are eager to learn and ask good questions are great. The worst part of my day…grading exams…grading in general!!
I wish I could change the amount of “busy” work I have to do. Lots of decisions have to get made about the department, upcoming events, etc. This stuff is fun but it distracts from research.
6. How do you balance your work and personal life? Any secrets or advice you’d like to share?
I am married and have one 9 year old daughter. I believe it is difficult to balance work and personal life – especially in a career that demands your full attention. However, I try to stay balanced by having consistent work hours and only working some of the time on weekends.
7. What do you define success as?
Happiness. Also success is enjoying what you do, enjoying the process…not so much the end result.
8. What is one personality trait that you think is universally important for a successful career?
Resilience. Never give up! Especially in science. Most experiments fail in science…so we have have tenacity and resilience!
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?
Early on, my teachers in schools were definitely people that I admired and respected. The professors in my classes and in the research laboratory also made a big impact on my life. However my mom made the biggest impact on my life. She died of breast cancer and this is what got me interested in health-related 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?
Best advice I was given was to just “go for it” - I interpreted this as: don’t stop until others tell you you’re not good enough…but if nobody is telling you anything…then keep going! Keep aspiring for bigger and better things!
My advice to you is to try lots of things in STEM. Try to experience different laboratories in different disciplines. Try labs that are computational, others that are biological, etc. Until you find something you really love. Also, enjoy learning!! You will not regret it!
My name is Cecilia Zurita-Lopez. I was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, but came to the US when I was 5 years old. Most people assume I’m Mexican, and that’s OK with me. I grew up in La Puente, California and went to William Workman HS in the City of Industry. When I was a junior in HS, my mom got breast cancer and stopped working.
I attended Cal State LA and received a degree in Biochemistry in 2004. After this, I went to UCLA and graduated with a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in 2011. Once you get a PhD, you have to then do something called a “postdoc.” As a postdoctoral researcher, you go to a different laboratory and refine your research skills and training on various projects and in different settings. I did two postdocs, one at Caltech and then another at USC.
I am now an Assistant Professor of Biochemistry at Cal State Los Angeles (CSULA). I have returned to my own school to teach!
2. What exactly IS your job? What do you do on a day to day basis?
My job is mainly service. I try hard to serve my students by teaching in the classroom and preparing for lectures as best I can. I also try to serve the students in my research group by providing them adequate training, supplies and materials. Finally, I also try to serve the department by volunteering in various events and being on committees.
3. How does STEM relate to your job?How do you use the information you learned from your degree in your job?
I use my training every day. I consider myself a biochemist and so everything I do in the laboratory and all the projects my students are focusing on in the lab all relate in some form to the investigation of life at the molecular level (or biochemistry). The more I learn about a particular disease or method, the better I can help my students.
In addition, I teach biochemistry to undergraduate students – I have to lecture on the fundamentals of this field.
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?
I think there is an time in all girls lives when they feel discouraged or perhaps they are encouraged to try other things and not study any of the STEM fields. To all the young girls out there who love science, I hope that you will not let anyone or anything stand in your way. Also, remember, science is BIG, you can study ANYTHING: rocks, birds, the ocean, a particular animal, a particular cell, a particular process, a particular disease…etc. etc. - even outer space!
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?
My favorite part of the day is working with students. They energize me and make me feel valued. Good students who are eager to learn and ask good questions are great. The worst part of my day…grading exams…grading in general!!
I wish I could change the amount of “busy” work I have to do. Lots of decisions have to get made about the department, upcoming events, etc. This stuff is fun but it distracts from research.
6. How do you balance your work and personal life? Any secrets or advice you’d like to share?
I am married and have one 9 year old daughter. I believe it is difficult to balance work and personal life – especially in a career that demands your full attention. However, I try to stay balanced by having consistent work hours and only working some of the time on weekends.
7. What do you define success as?
Happiness. Also success is enjoying what you do, enjoying the process…not so much the end result.
8. What is one personality trait that you think is universally important for a successful career?
Resilience. Never give up! Especially in science. Most experiments fail in science…so we have have tenacity and resilience!
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?
Early on, my teachers in schools were definitely people that I admired and respected. The professors in my classes and in the research laboratory also made a big impact on my life. However my mom made the biggest impact on my life. She died of breast cancer and this is what got me interested in health-related 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?
Best advice I was given was to just “go for it” - I interpreted this as: don’t stop until others tell you you’re not good enough…but if nobody is telling you anything…then keep going! Keep aspiring for bigger and better things!
My advice to you is to try lots of things in STEM. Try to experience different laboratories in different disciplines. Try labs that are computational, others that are biological, etc. Until you find something you really love. Also, enjoy learning!! You will not regret it!