Volume 1, Issue 2November 2007
El Faro Staff
Liliane Cambraia Windsor, Ph.D., M.S.W., Editor
Sheila Kaupert,
Newsletter Coordinator
National Office
Jane Brooks, M.Sc., C.M.P.
Website Coordinator
This Month's Contributors
Ana Mari Cauce, Ph.D.
Rosa Gonzalez, M.S.N., M.P.H.
Monica Malta, M.P.H.
Diana Martínez, M.D.
Patricia E. Molina, M.D., Ph.D.
Nalini Negi, M.S.W.
Alejandra Pacchioni, Ph.D.
Keith Trujillo, Ph.D.
National Steering Committee
José Szapocznik, Ph.D., NHSN Chair
Patricia E. Molina, M.D., Ph.D., NHSN Vice Chair
Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola, M.D., Ph.D.
Margarita Alegría, Ph.D.
Hortensia Amaro, Ph.D.
Hendricks Brown, Ph.D.
Ana Mari Cauce, Ph.D.
Diana Martínez, M.D.
Maria Elena Medina-Mora, Ph.D.
Steffanie Strathdee, Ph.D.
Yonette F. Thomas, Ph.D.
Avelardo Valdez, Ph.D.
William Vega, Ph.D.
Volume 1, Issue 2
Career Diva
Determinted to Prevail, by Patricia E. Molina, M.D., Ph.D.
I am a Latina assistant professor in the basic sciences, facing the challenge of publishing, teaching, securing research grants in an increasingly lean and competitive funding environment, and ultimately achieving promotion and tenure. As the only Hispanic faculty member in my department, I am often called upon to represent the Hispanic perspective on committees and to advise and mentor Latino and other minority students. At the same time, my family – especially my children and aging parents – makes continual demands on my time and energy. It is a great effort to set boundaries, protect my writing time, and take good care of myself.
I know other Latinas have prevailed, but how? In my experience, I find there are precious few senior Latinas in the basic sciences I can look to as role models and mentors. I envy my sisters in the social/behavioral sciences, a field in which we are finally seeing more successful senior Latinas. At times I think Latinas in the basic sciences today are in the place Latinas in the social/behavioral sciences were a generation ago.
As a successful Latina senior basic scientist, what advice can you give me on how to find some balance and boundaries? I do love teaching and mentoring my students, but many of my happiest moments come when I am thinking, writing, and working alone in my lab.
- Determined to Prevail
Dear Determined to Prevail:
Contrary to what your parents may have taught you regarding sharing of your time, putting other’s needs ahead of yours and always making sure that you please your superiors, success in the academic world does not result from following those basic recommendations. Much to the contrary, your success will be more closely related to how well you can identify your needs and establish your goals. Moreover, on how determined you are in achieving them throughout your career. Your name tells me, that should not a problem, so then let’s focus on what you need to do to become the Queen of Academia.
Role models can be found all around you. Not one that has all what you are looking for, I mean, beauty, brains and personality are not always easy to find; but you can cut and past and take only those aspects of someone’s attitude that you like and want to emulate. So, open your eyes and take it all in!
Balance is crucial, but an analysis of your ultimate goals is more important. Like Diana Ross once said; Do you know where you’re going to? Do you like the things that life is showing you? Where are you going to? Do you know?
First and foremost, take control of your career. You are the ultimate architect of your academic developmental path. Hopefully you have a mentor that is helping you make decisions, and if you don’t; go out there and find one! The first step of mapping out your future development is identification of your priorities. If you want to become Department Chair, you may want to reconsider the 6 children you told your fiancé or husband you wanted to have. In turn, if your dream is to participate in every one of your children’s activities, be room mother, den leader and soccer mom….then maybe, a career as an independent researcher is not going to be the best choice for you. So ask yourself; what do I want? What do I want to achieve? What am I willing to forego? What must I have?
Assuming that being an independent scientist, running your own lab, teaching and mentoring students and actively participating at your institution’s administrative activities as well as being part of NIH study section, member of Editorial review board of journals in your area, leader in the scientific societies that you belong to, (must I go on??).. is your goal. Then, my advice is; take your life and plan it out as if you were performing a key experiment necessary to complete your dissertation! I know, I know… planning is not a very appealing or spontaneous way to live, but you did say success right? Then niña, you’ve go to do it! I am not saying plan when you will get in to work and what you will do next week. No, I mean seriously make a plan that will lead to success. What does it take? Here are the basics:
1. You must work hard. Yes, I know….but I mean harder.
2. You must focus on your work. I mean, perform the right experiments, analyze your data, put it together, and publish!
3. Force your mentor to give your career development some thought. You don’t have a mentor? I thought I told you to go out and find one!!!
4. Be informed. Keep your ear to the ground. Be on the know of what goes on in your institution, in your field of research, in the societies or networks that you belong to.
5. Get into the grant writing game. Find out what NIH is funding. What mechanisms are available for your career stage? Who reviews grants in a given study section? If you fail, get some help and try again. If you fail again, try again and do not stop trying until you succeed!
6. Chose your activities wisely. When asked to be on a certain committee or task force, ask yourself: What is in it for me? How can this help me? If you can’t find a good answer, turn the assignment down. HOWEVER, be careful, because you want to be considered part of the team! Don’t say NO to all invitations, just be selective!!!
7. Engage your significant others. If possible (i.e., and it is not too late and you have already picked a dominant, high maintenance, partner), be selective there as well. Nothing compares to a supportive partner in life. Academic life is not a walk in the park. It requires commitment and dedication and that may bring with it sacrifices including long days at the lab, lots of travel and lots of stressful times! Not having a supportive family or partner can be detrimental to your ability to succeed!
8. Constantly analyze your progress. Make quick adaptations to obstacles that may present along the way. Do not give up, just reevaluate your situation and redirect your energies if necessary.
9. Identify your strengths and build on them. Identify your weaknesses and work on improving them.
10. Strive for excellence and settle for nothing less.
Easier said than done, I know. You might ask if this is possible. This Diva says yes it is! Dedication, perseverance and focus will go a long way in getting you there.