My untraditional nature and my openness to possibilities have allowed me to embrace exciting new opportunities throughout my career. Although my career began in chemistry, I soon became fascinated with how chemicals interact in biological systems. Studying biological systems is exciting because, through it, we understand ourselves and are able to unlock important questions facing the human species. My advice to young women entering science is that enthusiasm should be the first and foremost criteria. Rather than choosing a field of science on the basis of job opportunities, I would urge young women to choose on the basis of what enthuses them.
Enthusiasm opens opportunities and leads to excellence.
I am particularly inspired by watching young scientists' eyes open up when they come to our laboratory and see a dull theoretical question become an exciting reality. I am also inspired by the storytelling nature of science. The scientist uses the skills of a detective, an analyst, and a narrator to unlock and communicate nature's stories. I am deeply committed to science education, which is also storytelling. Conveying the importance and relevance of science to people of many different socioeconomic levels, without being patronizing and without oversimplification, dilution, or distortion, is one of the scientist's greatest responsibilities.