Women in Science: Practical Advice to Thrive in Science

As part of my challenge to myself this year to write more, I wanted to start a blog and to answer questions I am typically asked.  The lack of travel and the staying put this pandemic has offered seems like a perfect time to dust off my writing skills and get to work!  It has taken me 4  (ahem) 8 months to dust this back off and finish it but no time like the present! 

 

One question I am commonly asked is a variation on "What is your experience as a woman in science? "  and one in particular is "How do you survive being in a male dominated field?".  This variation of the question has particularly struck me.  I decided long ago as a stubborn optimistic bright-eyed enthusiastic college student writing my life mission statement that I won't settle for just surviving.  Complacency and settling turns my stomach.  I wanted to thrive in whatever I choose to do in life.  I don't want to downplay surviving. Of course we all have to survive inside the world we live in, and there are days where as much as my 18 year old self is upset I just need to survive.  I try to remember that it is my privilege that allows me to strive for more.  So I try to use that privilege in service to the greater good.  

 

So for the sake of this post, let's ask "How can you thrive in the sciences?"

The practical tips fall into a few categories

 

creating and maintaining a strong and varied support network

practice mental and physical self care

know your why and let it guide you.

 

Each of these skills will help you deal with the ups and down that come into every scientist's life at some point and build a fulfilling career.

Creating and maintaining a strong and varied support network

We have all heard the old adage that "It isn't what you know but who you know." That is very true in the world. It sounds like a bad thing based on nepotism or favoritism of some kind but it is still true. Knowing a wide variety of people, communicating and working with those people are very important. It is how you learn, how you find new collaborators or hear of new positions or upcoming events. Those people are also people who can be there for you when you need things from recommendation letters to help understanding a difficult concept or finding your next dance class. The support network of folks can be at various stages in their career, location/institution, topic, and formality. Although there are a few formal mentor programs, most of these network interactions are somewhat informal. Keeping up with phone calls or emails once a quarter helps maintain the relationship. When contacting folks be conscious of their time. They want to help but as you go up the ladder, the number of people requesting someone's time is greater. So be effective and efficient with requests for time or meetings. Have relevant questions prepared before you ask for their time.

Don't just think about those directly related to your technical field but also life mentors! Is there a great yoga teacher who can help you in your practice. Is there a spiritual leader who you could spend some time with exploring spirituality? What about following a great cook on social media to help with new yummy nutritious dishes? A mix of people who care about you as a person, inside and outside of your role in science, can keep you supported in all aspects of your life!

Another key to my success was having a text buddy. This text buddy is someone you can text when you’re feeling that you need to talk about your career or just the day-to-day things that happen. I have a few and it is great to be able to blow off steam or celebrate wins in the moment. This is also a great way to keep in touch across long distances.

Identify allies in men and women in your workplace. The system and cultural norms are the problem. All of us working together can change the system. If there are other women in your workplace, amplify each other’s voices in meetings. Call attention to your female colleagues contribution if overlooked. Ask male allies to help out with things as simple as making sure the women in the room get a chance to contribute to the conversation and checking in with the men who might also be being left out of the conversation.

Physical and Mental Self Care

Self care is not selfish. It is important to take care of yourself outside of a career. Your physical and mental health are important to thriving in your work. Think of it as taking care of a car. If you don’t put gas in it it won’t run. If you neglect things like oil changes or cleaning it out you eventually will have major issues. So find what works for you. Although I am a girly girl who could spend hours a day in a spa being pampered (well pre-Covid), that is not the only way to self care. Exercise, eating a healthy meal, making time to laugh at a video, playing with kiddos, puppies, kitties, or Netflix, getting a hug from a friend, sitting quietly in a space with a cup of hot tea or coffee are all great self care techniques.

Mental health is important. If you have signs of depression or burnout, contact a professional who can help you work through these things. I have gone to therapy at various times during my career and it has always helped me to talk through what I was experiencing and how to move forward. In general, know you are not alone in how you are feeling- reach out to professionals for help. Coaching is another way to have professional support. I have recently relied on coaching for a more directed goal oriented approach to my career.

Impostor syndrome is a real thing. The feeling that some how they let you in to a club you aren't qualified for and that someone might "find you out", we have all had it. Men feel impostor syndrome too. Impostor syndrome is real. Learn to recognize it then  acknowledge it but don’t let it drive your career. From "Confidence Code" by Kay and Shipman, women only apply when they have 100% of qualifications for a job, men will apply with 60% or less qualifications. This is part of impostor syndrome so apply apply apply!

Rage rain aka crying in the office. I think in 20+ years in an office I have only cried once because I was sad  and my feelings were hurt, the rest is what I call rage rain- I am so angry and frustrated that I cry. I have learned to moderate some of this (focusing on and counting my breaths, having sips of water, expressing my dissent earlier, etc) as someone once gave me the advice that when you cry it then becomes about the crying and not about the issue. Which is great but there are times I am still just that frustrated. I let it out and get on with what I need to do.

Physical health is important too. Running, yoga, dance and kayaking keep me busy and allow me to check out of work for a while and stay active. I feel my best when I can work out multiple times a week and be ready to work then when the time comes. Even a simple walk during lunch time helps burn off stress and re-center my mind. Of course, check with your doctor before starting an exercise program. 

Know your why and let it guide you

Knowing why you are doing something keeps you going even when you are having the inevitable hard day at the office.  This reason is larger than yourself and your work.  For me my best work comes when it is aligned with my passion for my technical work AND helps others in the community become the best version of themselves.  Self reflection to explore your "why" can be exhilarating and affirming or scary. Sometimes you might find what you are doing isn't in line with what you really are passionate about.  Minor tweaks can sometimes really help here. For example, when choosing between committees or projects, choose the one that  would better align with your why will help you feel more connected to your work.  This self reflection also helps when it is time for a new position.   You will never be 100 % ready for a change do it anyways. Make sure that the work will either fulfill your "why" or teach you something that will further your "why" overall.  

After doing some self-reflection whether journaling or creating a visual representation of your thoughts, you can set goals to go towards your why.  Short term (weeks to months) and long term goals (months to years)  can help you organize what you need to learn as well as give you a way to know what to focus your energy on. The only person you can control is yourself. Use that vast power wisely.

Summary

A strong sense of why you are doing your work, coupled with a strong network and caring for your physical and mental health will help you thrive in the sciences.  I hope these tips can help create the career that inspires you and helps serve a world in need of the science you do!

What are some other techniques used to succeed? Feel free to leave them in the comments.