Laura Trouille
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 near Chicago, but spent every summer as a kid on my grandmother’s farm in the northern part of France. Looking back, those summers were full of science experiments. What would happen if we exploded a firecracker in the chicken coupe? In a cow pie? How do we construct a boat for the pond out of old milk jugs and rope? Thankfully I had amazing 8th grade science and high school physics teachers who infused science learning with that same sense of fun and discovery. My first telescope observing trip in college set my love for astronomy. Our star cluster images gave us a lower limit to the age of the Universe! I loved that there were (and still are!) so many unanswered questions about how our Universe works.
Education/Career trajectory:
- Took as much math and physics as possible in high school
- Physics major, summa cum laude, at Dartmouth College
- Started doing astronomy research my freshman year with a Dartmouth professor on star clusters
- Spent a semester at the Paris Observatory doing research with a French astronomer on solar physics
- Spent a semester in Boulder, CO doing research on Titan’s atmosphere
- After graduating from Dartmouth, I took a year off to travel around the world teaching English as a second language
- I earned my Ph.D. in astronomy at UW-Madison, working with Dr. Barger on supermassive black holes in distant galaxies
- I did a 3 year postdoc at Northwestern University, continuing my galaxy evolution research
- I am now jointly appointed between the Adler Planetarium and Northwestern University as a research astronomer.
2. What exactly IS your job? What do you do on a day to day basis?
I am jointly appointed as a research astronomer at Northwestern University and the Adler Planetarium. I split my time between astronomy research and education efforts. My astronomy research team is made up of friends and colleagues in France, England, Hawaii, Taiwan, South Africa, and here in Chicago. We use telescopes around the world to image galaxies and their central supermassive black holes. We use these data and computer programs we write to analyze the data to understand how galaxies change over time, and the role the supermassive black holes play in that evolution. In my education efforts, I train high school teachers to bring computational literacy activities into their math and science classroom. I also give public talks at the Adler Planetarium about my research and mentor high school students in astronomy research projects.
3. How does STEM relate to your job?How do you use the information you learned from your degree in your job?
A strong background in math, physics, and computer science has been essential for my career as an astronomer. Being able to write computer code to analyze my galaxy and supermassive black hole data requires understanding the math, physics, and computer science principles I learned as a physics major in undergrad, through my Ph.D. in astronomy, as a postdoc in astronomy, and now in my current research position.
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?
Unconscious bias, impostor syndrome, academic bullying/harassment, etc. — these are all issues to become familiar with, to understand how they work, and to identify what works best for you and your personality for how to address them. It was important for me early on to find other like-minded men and women in STEM (at the same career stage and more senior) with whom I could share my experiences and share tools/techniques for thriving in this career path. As an undergraduate physics major I joined the Dartmouth women in STEM group. As a graduate student my classmates and I formed a women in astronomy & physics group. As a postdoc I became a member of the American Astronomical Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy. http://www.aas.org/cswa/, and I continue to contribute to our women in Astronomy blog: http://womeninastronomy.blogspot.com/.
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 love mentoring students in research projects. Astronomy is full of beautiful images and big picture questions. In that environment, my students quickly become deeply invested in their research and remind me of the joy of discovery that comes with exploring a research question. And I love witnessing as they experience the reality of modern science and modern science careers — Yes, science is now truly a team-oriented, collaborative endeavor! Yes, the best progress and interesting insights come when people with different backgrounds and skills work together to find an answer! Yes, science requires creativity! Yes, science is fun!
Our astronomy community has made amazing strides in supporting and welcoming women into our field. For example, in 2013 35% of graduate students in astronomy were women (http://www.aas.org/cswa/status/Status_2014_Jan.pdf), and that fraction keeps growing. While we’ve made significant progress recruiting and retaining women, we have tons more work to do in recruiting and retaining Latino and African American students.
6. How do you balance your work and personal life? Any secrets or advice you’d like to share?
Throughout my studies and career, I’ve felt happiest when I find a balance between my astro research and life — as a roller derby queen with the Mad Rollin' Dolls (my moniker was ‘The Big Bang'... really, what else could you be as an astronomer crashing around on wheels?), as a stilt walker and trapeze artist with Cycropia, and now as a mom of an amazing 9 month old daughter.
7. What do you define success as?
Being happy! Looking back at how I’ve spent my time (both work life and personal life) and having few regrets.
8. What is one personality trait that you think is universally important for a successful career?
Sense of humor and perspective.
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?
I’ve had numerous mentors, advocates, and supportive colleagues along the way. My 8th grade science teacher and mentor instilled in me the joy and fun of doing science. My undergraduate thesis adviser helped enormously in my gaining confidence in my abilities as a scientist. My Ph.D. thesis adviser taught me how to work independently and trust my instincts. She also helped me realize how much I enjoy mentoring other students. My current mentor bolstered my confidence in paving a non-traditional path in academia, splitting my time between astronomy research and education efforts.
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?
If you don’t see the job you want, then find ways to create the job for yourself.
I grew up near Chicago, but spent every summer as a kid on my grandmother’s farm in the northern part of France. Looking back, those summers were full of science experiments. What would happen if we exploded a firecracker in the chicken coupe? In a cow pie? How do we construct a boat for the pond out of old milk jugs and rope? Thankfully I had amazing 8th grade science and high school physics teachers who infused science learning with that same sense of fun and discovery. My first telescope observing trip in college set my love for astronomy. Our star cluster images gave us a lower limit to the age of the Universe! I loved that there were (and still are!) so many unanswered questions about how our Universe works.
Education/Career trajectory:
- Took as much math and physics as possible in high school
- Physics major, summa cum laude, at Dartmouth College
- Started doing astronomy research my freshman year with a Dartmouth professor on star clusters
- Spent a semester at the Paris Observatory doing research with a French astronomer on solar physics
- Spent a semester in Boulder, CO doing research on Titan’s atmosphere
- After graduating from Dartmouth, I took a year off to travel around the world teaching English as a second language
- I earned my Ph.D. in astronomy at UW-Madison, working with Dr. Barger on supermassive black holes in distant galaxies
- I did a 3 year postdoc at Northwestern University, continuing my galaxy evolution research
- I am now jointly appointed between the Adler Planetarium and Northwestern University as a research astronomer.
2. What exactly IS your job? What do you do on a day to day basis?
I am jointly appointed as a research astronomer at Northwestern University and the Adler Planetarium. I split my time between astronomy research and education efforts. My astronomy research team is made up of friends and colleagues in France, England, Hawaii, Taiwan, South Africa, and here in Chicago. We use telescopes around the world to image galaxies and their central supermassive black holes. We use these data and computer programs we write to analyze the data to understand how galaxies change over time, and the role the supermassive black holes play in that evolution. In my education efforts, I train high school teachers to bring computational literacy activities into their math and science classroom. I also give public talks at the Adler Planetarium about my research and mentor high school students in astronomy research projects.
3. How does STEM relate to your job?How do you use the information you learned from your degree in your job?
A strong background in math, physics, and computer science has been essential for my career as an astronomer. Being able to write computer code to analyze my galaxy and supermassive black hole data requires understanding the math, physics, and computer science principles I learned as a physics major in undergrad, through my Ph.D. in astronomy, as a postdoc in astronomy, and now in my current research position.
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?
Unconscious bias, impostor syndrome, academic bullying/harassment, etc. — these are all issues to become familiar with, to understand how they work, and to identify what works best for you and your personality for how to address them. It was important for me early on to find other like-minded men and women in STEM (at the same career stage and more senior) with whom I could share my experiences and share tools/techniques for thriving in this career path. As an undergraduate physics major I joined the Dartmouth women in STEM group. As a graduate student my classmates and I formed a women in astronomy & physics group. As a postdoc I became a member of the American Astronomical Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy. http://www.aas.org/cswa/, and I continue to contribute to our women in Astronomy blog: http://womeninastronomy.blogspot.com/.
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 love mentoring students in research projects. Astronomy is full of beautiful images and big picture questions. In that environment, my students quickly become deeply invested in their research and remind me of the joy of discovery that comes with exploring a research question. And I love witnessing as they experience the reality of modern science and modern science careers — Yes, science is now truly a team-oriented, collaborative endeavor! Yes, the best progress and interesting insights come when people with different backgrounds and skills work together to find an answer! Yes, science requires creativity! Yes, science is fun!
Our astronomy community has made amazing strides in supporting and welcoming women into our field. For example, in 2013 35% of graduate students in astronomy were women (http://www.aas.org/cswa/status/Status_2014_Jan.pdf), and that fraction keeps growing. While we’ve made significant progress recruiting and retaining women, we have tons more work to do in recruiting and retaining Latino and African American students.
6. How do you balance your work and personal life? Any secrets or advice you’d like to share?
Throughout my studies and career, I’ve felt happiest when I find a balance between my astro research and life — as a roller derby queen with the Mad Rollin' Dolls (my moniker was ‘The Big Bang'... really, what else could you be as an astronomer crashing around on wheels?), as a stilt walker and trapeze artist with Cycropia, and now as a mom of an amazing 9 month old daughter.
7. What do you define success as?
Being happy! Looking back at how I’ve spent my time (both work life and personal life) and having few regrets.
8. What is one personality trait that you think is universally important for a successful career?
Sense of humor and perspective.
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?
I’ve had numerous mentors, advocates, and supportive colleagues along the way. My 8th grade science teacher and mentor instilled in me the joy and fun of doing science. My undergraduate thesis adviser helped enormously in my gaining confidence in my abilities as a scientist. My Ph.D. thesis adviser taught me how to work independently and trust my instincts. She also helped me realize how much I enjoy mentoring other students. My current mentor bolstered my confidence in paving a non-traditional path in academia, splitting my time between astronomy research and education efforts.
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?
If you don’t see the job you want, then find ways to create the job for yourself.