SARAH'S JOURNEY TO CHEMICAL BIOLOGY

 Can you share a bit about your background and how you became interested in chemical biology?

After retiring from competitive figure skating in 2020, I enrolled at a community college to explore my interests outside of skating and found myself fascinated by my chemistry and biology classes. With a recommendation from a professor, I landed a position at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory as a research assistant studying how climate change influences the metabolism of Arctic permafrost microbes. In this position, I learned molecular biology techniques and had a mentor who had studied chemical biology and recommended that field of study given my interests at that time. 

 What inspired you to pursue a major in chemical biology at UC Berkeley?

The main inspiration came from my lab mentor at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory who herself studied chemical biology and encouraged me to look into it given my interests at the time. I also enjoyed my chemistry and biology classes and was considering a career in medicine so all of these aligned to help me make my decision. ● Were there specific experiences or role models that influenced your decision to enter the STEM field? Yes! As I mentioned earlier, my lab mentor was incredibly encouraging and supportive; I don’t think I would have had the confidence to even consider chemical biology at Berkeley without her. Also, growing up, I was surrounded by a lot of skepticism about medical treatments and I’ve always wanted to have a better understanding of the science behind medical research and applications.

 Can you tell us about your role in the Berkeley STEM Club and how it has contributed to your STEM journey?

Of course, I was (and still am) the outreach coordinator for the STEM Club, which is a club focused on providing community college students with resources, connections, and opportunities to further their interests in STEM careers and research. The STEM Club has allowed me to meet other students with a similar passion, and together, we’ve provided workshops, application tips, and mentorship to community college students who have limited access to research opportunities.

 What aspects of chemical biology do you find most fascinating or challenging?

Oooh, this is a good question! I’m not able to point to a specific aspect of chemical biology that I find particularly challenging because it all feels challenging to me! But the challenge is what fascinates me! I absolutely love studying the biochemical mechanisms and pathways that are crucial to life itself through a lens that aims to understand how to apply this knowledge to treatments and other interventions.

 Are there any specific projects or research experiences that have been particularly impactful for you?

Yes, I worked in an environmental microbiology lab at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, which is where I found out that I loved the research process and was interested in learning more about it. In that role, I also realized how difficult it was for community college students to get access to research opportunities which prompted me to get involved with educational outreach programs such as the Workforce Development and Education Team at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

How did you manage to balance your involvement in extracurricular activities like figure skating with your academic responsibilities?

It was definitely hard, but I think I was able to do it because I knew that I loved doing both! Of course, it takes time management and discipline, but it also requires a lot of self-reflection and asking yourself, “Are these things what I truly love and enjoy doing?” If the answer is yes, then the sacrifices required to juggle multiple responsibilities don’t seem too bad!

 What advice do you have for girls looking to balance multiple interests?

I know that balancing multiple interests is very time-consuming, but make sure you take the time to reflect! Don’t end up burning out because you just keep going and going without taking the time to take a step back and re-evaluate what you’re really doing and where you want to go. Figure Skating Achievements:

Congratulations on your achievements in figure skating! How was your transition from figure skating to academia?

Thank you! The transition from athletics to academics was definitely challenging and scary. I left behind familiarity and confidence in an area that I had trained for years to jump into something completely new and different. Thankfully, I had a good support network and also took the initiative to ask people that I knew that had made a similar transition. I was also very fortunate to have a couple friends who were going through the same thing so being able to share our experiences and rant about our struggles to one another made it a lot easier. 

Are there any parallels between your figure skating journey and your journey in STEM?

Yes, both require long-term dedication and commitment. Things rarely come out perfect on the first try. I think that the ability to come back from setbacks and to keep pushing towards goals is a very important trait in professional sports and scientific research. Persistence is key.

 As someone actively involved in STEM, how would you encourage more girls to pursue careers in this field?

Reach out to people in STEM that you admire or are just curious about (just like Navya does!). Not only does this help with making connections and meeting potential future mentors, but it also gives you a better idea of what opportunities there are and what you’re interested in!

What are your aspirations for the future, both in your academic and professional life?

A short-term goal is to graduate with good grades of course! Beyond that, I’m honestly not quite sure. In my time at university, I’ve found that I really love outreach work and directly conversing with people so I hope my future career will combine face-to-face interactions with my interest in biochemistry.

 Is there any advice you would like to share with young girls who are considering entering STEM fields?

STEM can be scary and seem challenging, but you can do it! I tell this to a lot of people, but I think it’s a very important piece of advice to keep in mind, “Don’t self-select.” What does that mean? Don’t think “Oh, I’m not smart enough to apply to this STEM program or this research lab or to study this particular field…” You never know until you try! I was guilty of this; I would think “Oh, I’m definitely not competitive enough or smart enough to apply to this lab so I just won’t apply.” Don’t make that decision for yourself! Give it your best shot and send out the application or that email and you might end up surprising yourself. 

What message would you like to convey to educators and parents to support girls in pursuing STEM careers?

Let them explore! STEM is so broad and there are so many opportunities. It’s not just research; there are many different ways to get involved so I think it’s important to let them figure that out.