Katharina Quinlan
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
I grew up in rural Wisconsin, so I was surrounded by plant and animal life. I was interested in biology from a very young age, though I did not think about a career in research until I was in college at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. In truth, I don't think I knew that career track even existed. When I was a freshman, I started looking for something to do over the summer, and spoke with one of my professors about a summer research program. I still remember visiting the lab for the first time. He was performing an experiment in which he was able to elicit neural activity from an isolated spinal cord. This completely blew my mind! I worked in that lab over the summer, then asked to do an independent study in the fall, and then helped out part time for the remainder of my time in undergrad. It was around that time decided to go to graduate school and pursue a career in research. I was completely hooked on neuroscience ever since seeing that first experiment!
2. What exactly IS your job? What do you do on a day to day basis?
Almost every day is devoted to planning, performing and analyzing the results of my experiments. This means some days I am working at my computer: writing grants for future experiments, reading the recently published work of other researchers in the field, or looking at my own data and crunching numbers. Other days I'm working in the lab, extracting neural tissue under a microscope, using a laser to image fluorescently labeled cells, and recording the electrical signals from individual neurons. It's a great mix of work that requires thinking and work that requires doing!
3. 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?
There are a lot of subtle ways in which women are not encouraged to pursue a career in STEM. One instance that stands out for me occurred when I had nearly finished my dissertation and I was preparing to move to Sweden for a postdoctoral fellowship. It was at this critical juncture in my career that a male colleague informed me that I should really consider the fact that my fertility was now beginning its gradual decline. This “friendly reminder” momentarily made me question my goals. How could I pursue this career track and yet still have a fulfilling personal life? This challenge made my resolution to succeed in academics momentarily waiver. I got the message loud and clear that I should really be focusing on establishing a traditional family and having children instead of spending the next few years in Sweden, learning from the best scientists in the field, traveling and making lasting connections with international colleagues. I seriously doubt any of my fellow PhD students who were male were given the same cautionary advice that their lives would be somehow incomplete if they did not fully live up to their reproductive capacity; or that, if they did desire to have a family, it would somehow be at odds with pursuing their dreams. My advice is to not let yourself be swayed. While it's great to consider all your options, you should pursue what you love and disregard those who try to dampen your joy in that pursuit.
4. What is one personality trait that you think is universally important for a successful career?
You need to believe in your own competence. I think one problem women and girls face is that we are overly critical of our own achievements and too quick to change our stance when someone voices an opposing viewpoint. It has been necessary to develop a certain type of stubbornness: confidence that you have done good work and you stand by it.
I grew up in rural Wisconsin, so I was surrounded by plant and animal life. I was interested in biology from a very young age, though I did not think about a career in research until I was in college at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. In truth, I don't think I knew that career track even existed. When I was a freshman, I started looking for something to do over the summer, and spoke with one of my professors about a summer research program. I still remember visiting the lab for the first time. He was performing an experiment in which he was able to elicit neural activity from an isolated spinal cord. This completely blew my mind! I worked in that lab over the summer, then asked to do an independent study in the fall, and then helped out part time for the remainder of my time in undergrad. It was around that time decided to go to graduate school and pursue a career in research. I was completely hooked on neuroscience ever since seeing that first experiment!
2. What exactly IS your job? What do you do on a day to day basis?
Almost every day is devoted to planning, performing and analyzing the results of my experiments. This means some days I am working at my computer: writing grants for future experiments, reading the recently published work of other researchers in the field, or looking at my own data and crunching numbers. Other days I'm working in the lab, extracting neural tissue under a microscope, using a laser to image fluorescently labeled cells, and recording the electrical signals from individual neurons. It's a great mix of work that requires thinking and work that requires doing!
3. 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?
There are a lot of subtle ways in which women are not encouraged to pursue a career in STEM. One instance that stands out for me occurred when I had nearly finished my dissertation and I was preparing to move to Sweden for a postdoctoral fellowship. It was at this critical juncture in my career that a male colleague informed me that I should really consider the fact that my fertility was now beginning its gradual decline. This “friendly reminder” momentarily made me question my goals. How could I pursue this career track and yet still have a fulfilling personal life? This challenge made my resolution to succeed in academics momentarily waiver. I got the message loud and clear that I should really be focusing on establishing a traditional family and having children instead of spending the next few years in Sweden, learning from the best scientists in the field, traveling and making lasting connections with international colleagues. I seriously doubt any of my fellow PhD students who were male were given the same cautionary advice that their lives would be somehow incomplete if they did not fully live up to their reproductive capacity; or that, if they did desire to have a family, it would somehow be at odds with pursuing their dreams. My advice is to not let yourself be swayed. While it's great to consider all your options, you should pursue what you love and disregard those who try to dampen your joy in that pursuit.
4. What is one personality trait that you think is universally important for a successful career?
You need to believe in your own competence. I think one problem women and girls face is that we are overly critical of our own achievements and too quick to change our stance when someone voices an opposing viewpoint. It has been necessary to develop a certain type of stubbornness: confidence that you have done good work and you stand by it.
