Rachel Barr
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 New Zealand, I obtained my undergraduate degree majoring in psychology and minoring in Chemistry at the University of Otago and continued there to complete a Diploma in Clinical Psychology and a PhD in Developmental Psychology. I then moved to the states to complete post-doctoral training in Developmental Psychobiology before obtaining my tenture track position at Georgetown University where I am now a tenured Associate Professor. I began studying infant learning and memory processes at the beginning of my doctoral training and am the Director of the Georgetown Early Learning Project, www.elp.georgetown.edu
2. What exactly IS your job? What do you do on a day to day basis?
In my day-to-day job, I design experiments with collaborators, including other scientists at Georgetown and other universities and importantly with graduate and undergraduate students in my laboratory. I analyze data from these experiments. I write up manuscripts for publication arising from these experiments. I also apply for funding from multiple agencies to support this research. I mentor undergraduate and graduate students in their ongoing research. I also teach classes to undergraduate and graduate students including classes in General Psychology, Memory, Infancy, and Lifespan Brain and Behavior.
3. How does STEM relate to your job?How do you use the information you learned from your degree in your job?
I use the skills of experimental design and analysis and scientific writing skills everyday in my job in conducting research and in teaching psychological science principles to students.
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?
No I haven't. I have been lucky that just at the time that I was going on parental leave my university enacted a supportive parental leave policy. I think that lack of consideration of parental leave policies are still a considerable barrier to women in science. This is not only important when women have children but also with an aging population women often care for their parents as well. I think that anyone pursuing a STEM career should carefully examine the trajectory of other women who have been employed in the organization. I also think though that in New Zealand one thing that helped me was that there was strong encouragement for everyone to be involved in the sciences through at least the end of high school, that is it is compulsory to continue in both math and English through graduation and the given it is a small country there was an emphasis in participation in sciences to support the overall economy and productivity of the country as well. So for me when I showed an aptitude for science it was simply assumed that i would continue.
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?
There are many administrative tasks associated with being a professor at a university. I am hoping for more technical advances to reduce paperwork and streamline communication.
6. How do you balance your work and personal life? Any secrets or advice you’d like to share?
I have a supportive family and since i have studied infants for a longtime I realize childhood goes by quickly, that said it is difficult to balance and having close friends and family around you is essential.
7. What do you define success as?
I am not sure, doing something that you are interested in and finding out new things. I also like publications since it shows that the project came to strong conclusion.
8. What is one personality trait that you think is universally important for a successful career?
Persistence.
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 have had two wonderful mentors, Carolyn Rovee-Collier, a pioneer in the field of infant learning and memory and Harlene Hayne, a eminent developmental psychobiologist who is now the Vice Chancellor (combination of president and provost) at the University of Otago. They taught me to be organized, informed, persistent and creative. They did this by providing a strong scaffold to support my work and by collaborating directly with me. They also led by example.
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?
Try to enjoy your accomplishments as they happen rather than focusing too much on the next step. Life is a random walk.
I grew up in New Zealand, I obtained my undergraduate degree majoring in psychology and minoring in Chemistry at the University of Otago and continued there to complete a Diploma in Clinical Psychology and a PhD in Developmental Psychology. I then moved to the states to complete post-doctoral training in Developmental Psychobiology before obtaining my tenture track position at Georgetown University where I am now a tenured Associate Professor. I began studying infant learning and memory processes at the beginning of my doctoral training and am the Director of the Georgetown Early Learning Project, www.elp.georgetown.edu
2. What exactly IS your job? What do you do on a day to day basis?
In my day-to-day job, I design experiments with collaborators, including other scientists at Georgetown and other universities and importantly with graduate and undergraduate students in my laboratory. I analyze data from these experiments. I write up manuscripts for publication arising from these experiments. I also apply for funding from multiple agencies to support this research. I mentor undergraduate and graduate students in their ongoing research. I also teach classes to undergraduate and graduate students including classes in General Psychology, Memory, Infancy, and Lifespan Brain and Behavior.
3. How does STEM relate to your job?How do you use the information you learned from your degree in your job?
I use the skills of experimental design and analysis and scientific writing skills everyday in my job in conducting research and in teaching psychological science principles to students.
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?
No I haven't. I have been lucky that just at the time that I was going on parental leave my university enacted a supportive parental leave policy. I think that lack of consideration of parental leave policies are still a considerable barrier to women in science. This is not only important when women have children but also with an aging population women often care for their parents as well. I think that anyone pursuing a STEM career should carefully examine the trajectory of other women who have been employed in the organization. I also think though that in New Zealand one thing that helped me was that there was strong encouragement for everyone to be involved in the sciences through at least the end of high school, that is it is compulsory to continue in both math and English through graduation and the given it is a small country there was an emphasis in participation in sciences to support the overall economy and productivity of the country as well. So for me when I showed an aptitude for science it was simply assumed that i would continue.
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?
There are many administrative tasks associated with being a professor at a university. I am hoping for more technical advances to reduce paperwork and streamline communication.
6. How do you balance your work and personal life? Any secrets or advice you’d like to share?
I have a supportive family and since i have studied infants for a longtime I realize childhood goes by quickly, that said it is difficult to balance and having close friends and family around you is essential.
7. What do you define success as?
I am not sure, doing something that you are interested in and finding out new things. I also like publications since it shows that the project came to strong conclusion.
8. What is one personality trait that you think is universally important for a successful career?
Persistence.
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 have had two wonderful mentors, Carolyn Rovee-Collier, a pioneer in the field of infant learning and memory and Harlene Hayne, a eminent developmental psychobiologist who is now the Vice Chancellor (combination of president and provost) at the University of Otago. They taught me to be organized, informed, persistent and creative. They did this by providing a strong scaffold to support my work and by collaborating directly with me. They also led by example.
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?
Try to enjoy your accomplishments as they happen rather than focusing too much on the next step. Life is a random walk.