Championing Women in Science

Primary responsibilities: Lead the company’s cell biology and cell therapy efforts and enable our customers to leverage the power of cells to improve human health by providing a comprehensive selection of high-quality products.

What would you say is the key to your professional success?  

A love of learning and hard work. I’ve always been interested in trying new things and taking different paths.  To quote “Lean in”, your career should be a jungle gym, not a ladder.

What advice would you give to women in science? 

Do what you are passionate about and don’t be afraid to try something new.  It was a bit of a risk leaving my post doc and going into consulting, but I’ve always been happy I decided to try something new and to push myself in new ways.

Primary responsibilities: Leads a team focused on fostering scientific engagement and collaboration with the Company’s largest global clients. Fundamentally, my team exists to inspire and accelerate innovation, oftentimes starting with complex challenges that span multiple businesses and functions, both in Thermo Fisher and in our client organizations.

What do you find most exciting or inspiring about your role?

It is the perfect nexus of my scientific and commercial experience. I have direct reporting lines to the Chief Scientific Officer as well as Head of Corporate Accounts, so I am exposed to the best of both worlds, in leadership, talent, and new learning opportunities. Arguably, the most inspiring part of my role is connecting the dots for our customers. There aren’t many companies who are able to bring the scale and breadth of technologies and capabilities that Thermo Fisher offers. It is incredibly empowering and motivating.

What has surprised you about your career so far?

What is a surprise to others, as well as me, is the unplanned path my career has taken. I am relatively risk tolerant, and took several risks that changed the direction of my career in profound ways. Though common today, 25 years ago, it was quite uncommon to make the leap from academia to industry, or from a scientific to commercial role. My first role in industry was in marketing, having had no education, training, or experience in this area. My first sales role was as a VP, again having never “carried the bag” or developed a forecast. I’ve always lived by the mantra that very few things in life are irreversible. If you make a career decision that doesn’t pan out, you can always choose to exit the situation with grace and professionalism.

Primary responsibilities: Partner with internal businesses to promote the application of chemical analysis in the life sciences manufacturing space; find collaborations internally that bring additional value to customers.

Most exciting part of your role: The changing environment that the pharmaceutical industry is experiencing is a great place for chemical analysis and its capabilities, especially in the Process Analytical Technologies space where customers are rushing for solutions.

Advice for women in science: Find a place that you love working at, which respects, supports and helps you with your ambitions and moving towards your dream job. In addition, build your network! Being connected with the right people enables new doors to open and gives you opportunities to learn!

Primary responsibilities: Lead the Genetic Sciences Commercial Marketing team.

Most inspiring part about your role: As a molecular biologist, I’m inspired by our customers’ desire to understand and control complex biological processes. Every cellular system is impacted by multiple factors and interactions. It takes tremendous creativity, tenacity and discipline to deconstruct it, cut through noise and isolate the most critical components.

How did you transition from academia to industry?

I began my career in R&D in Applied Biosystem’s Molecular Diagnostics group. Based upon my experience developing clinical assays, I was recruited into a Field Applications Specialist role. It was one of the most foundational opportunities in my early career. I was exposed to a wide range of applications, market segments, laboratory types and their challenges. It gave me a greater appreciation for diverse customer needs and product specifications. Through that experience, I transitioned into Product Management and eventually into Business/Market Development. In every situation, I rely upon my customer experience to ensure we deliver enabling and highly reliable solutions to address their scientific goals.

What is your top piece of advice for other women in science

Every successful person needs a mentor, not just one, but several. Look across age, gender, race and functional groups to identify people whose professional and leadership styles you admire. Seek them out, don’t wait for a formal program to initiate the relationship. You will be amazed by the number of caring Thermo Fisher colleagues who are eager to invest in your career growth.

Primary responsibilities: Manage the Transfection portfolio in the Biosciences business.

What has surprised you about your career so far?

I’m pleasantly surprised by how much science I’m learning while doing business. It’s fascinating to be in the front line of life science research and innovation.

How did you transition from academia to industry?

I spent so much time waiting in graduate school, waiting for cells to grow, waiting for peptide synthesis to finish… Scientists have important missions, yet scientific research can be extremely time consuming without good tools. I became passionate about helping scientists innovate faster and realized business acumen would help me to make a larger impact in the industry of serving science, so I pursued an MBA, and joined Thermo Fisher in the General Management Leadership Development Program.

Primary responsibilities: Manage the product commercialization process of the life sciences portfolio.

How did you transition from academia to industry?

Shortly after finishing my PhD in Molecular Biology, I started at Thermo Fisher Scientific as a R&D Scientist in Molecular Biology where I researched and developed molecular tools and solutions for customers using the Product Commercialization Process. My career has since gone from the lab where I utilized our Product Commercialization Process tool to now managing the Product Commercialization Process across multiple divisions. I am excited to see where my career will evolve from here!

What is your top piece of advice for other women in science

Networking is crucial for women in science in order to grow and elevate their career. Networking activities can be found through various organizations geared towards women in science as well as companies who hold such events. I made sure to meet fellow women in science in order to learn their career paths as well as build my network, which has been vital to my career path.

Primary responsibilities: Help customers achieve goals and resolve issues by providing pre and post sales technical support as part of the quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction team.

Most exciting part of your role: Every customer I interact with is unique and I love the variety in my role. It is extremely inspiring and motivating when they come back with appreciation on how I helped them save time, money and meet deadlines.

How did you transition from academia to industry?

During my postdoctoral research, I conducted informational interviews with industry professionals and identified roles that fit my personality and career goals. This process also helped in the application and interview process since I had built a network within the industry.

Primary responsibilities: Identifies, maintains, and grows appropriate Immunocap Diagnostic Test targets. Manages accounts from sales opportunity to revenue generation in a solo territory. Educates providers on testing their patients who present with appropriate symptoms and history.

What do you find most exciting or inspiring about your role?

I get to help clinicians help their patients with suspected allergies by educating them on our diagnostic offerings. Every time they get called a “hero” I am excited for them and the small part I have played. Changing mindsets can change lives!

What is your top piece of advice for other women in science

Always lead with the mindset that you deserve a seat at the table. Have clear goals, make those goals known to others in your network, and always be pushing to surpass them.

Primary responsibilities: Manage complex negotiations, launch new business efforts, and drive deeper penetration with current customers.

What has surprised you about your career so far?

My career has been a rainbow of diverse and exciting experiences. In my 29-year career, I’ve worked in the lab at a large pharmaceutical company then managed an organic chemistry lab. In my sales role I’ve traveled the world, won awards for achieving sales targets, met people at all levels within the company, and have remained actively involved in the community that I live and work.

What is your top piece of advice for other women in science?

I am a huge fan of the book “Lean In” by Sheryl Sandberg because it encourages women to get involved and not sit on the sidelines like spectators. As women in science and business it is extremely important to take a seat at the table, ‘lean in’ and participate in the conversation.

Primary responsibilities: Lead Bioinformatics teams working in next-generation DNA sequencing; responsible for our AmpliSeq Design pipeline, designing all primers for our products, custom designs for key customers, AmpliSeq.com, developing and launching algorithms and analysis solutions for our products, and Immuno-Oncology.

What do you find most exciting or inspiring about your role?

It is incredibly rewarding to innovate, push the field forward and launch so many widely used products. It’s fascinating to experience bringing DNA sequencing from an interesting research tool to seeing this technology make such an impact in oncology, inherited disease, and other applications. I also enjoy mentoring and growing my team members and seeing them develop from young scientists from academia to become leaders in Biotech.

What is your top piece of advice for other women in science

Persist. When career challenges arise, try to see them as opportunities for you to grow and learn and improve. Focus. Learn what outcome will make a big impact and help you grow and focus on doing that.

Primary responsibilities: Technical lead for new product development; Develop cell based assays for GPCR screening of chemical libraries (catalog products); Design and develop custom cell based assays; Coordinate product development and interface with other departments to improve product vitality; Analyze, interpret and integrate complex sets of data.

What has surprised you about your career so far?

Having the opportunity to work with so many people who actually want to help me to learn and grow.

What do you find most exciting or inspiring about your role?

The fact that our work helps our customers to achieve their goals in a timely manner. Some of their goals in-turn help make our own lives healthier and safer.

What has surprised you about your career so far?

The speed at which the work moves in industry vs academia is much faster. In academia, you can spend a lot of time on a project answering as many questions as you can. In industry, it’s quite different. You must stay extremely focused and move the project forward as efficiently as possible.

What do you find most exciting or inspiring about your role?

I have always wanted to contribute in some way to cancer and disease treatments. Developing cell culture media that can be used in clinical trials allows me to play an important part of this process.