1. How did you know you wanted to pursue a career in materials science?
Materials Science came to my professional career more as an opportunity rather than as a decision that I took in the first place. I was in my first year of my master’s program in chemical engineering at The University of Akron when my research advisor decided to move to the department of materials science and engineering at Texas A&M University. He offered me the opportunity to join his new research group and after some thought, I decided to take it. This was a difficult decision; by accepting this offering, I would have to move from Ohio to Texas only after a year of arriving in the US. Besides, I would have to take all my classes again for my master’s degree, this time in materials science. Despite this, there were two main reasons why I decided to leave behind chemical engineering and embark on a new journey in materials science. First, I was passionate about my research on designing coating technologies for preventing corrosion of metallic structures, and joining my advisor’s research group at Texas A&M, allowed me to continue with my research and to look at my project from a materials science perspective. The second and most important reason why I transferred to materials science was because of the mentorship, advice and support that I received from my colleagues and teachers. They gave me a high-level overview of materials science and I was fascinated by all of that. What I loved the most about materials science is how we can correlate the chemical composition and molecular structure of a material with its properties and how we can use these structure-property relationships to design materials with the desired performance. Although it was a challenge to join a master’s program in materials science coming from a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, it was one of the best decisions of my life, such that, after graduating from my master’s degree, I continue with my Ph.D. to become a materials scientist.

2. What does a day in your current role look like?  Do you get to do the hands-on lab work? 
Currently, I am a senior research specialist at Dow working in the product development team of advanced silicone elastomers. A typical day in this role involves conducting laboratory work to develop new silicone elastomer products or to enhance the performance of existing products based on business needs or as exploratory research. Besides formulating and processing these materials, I also perform laboratory testing to characterize their properties and overall performance for the desired application. Aside from my laboratory work, my role also involves designing experiments, processing and analyzing experimental data, documenting research findings and communicating results via presentations and technical discussions with colleagues.

3. What is the most difficult part of the job?
 
Dow’s ambition is to become the most innovative, customer-centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company in the world. My mission as a scientist at Dow is to develop high-quality products and technologies that are aligned to our ambition. This represents a big challenge for us as scientist because it is not only a matter of creating materials in a laboratory, but to ensure that the final products will bring value to our company, to our customers, and most importantly, that they are sustainable for the people and the planet. Despite being a challenge, I must say that this mission is also the most exciting part of doing my job and the reason why I became a scientist.

4. What is your favorite part about your job?
 
My favorite part of my job is to be able to collaborate and learn from colleagues from diverse disciplines, not only from a STEM background, but also from other areas such as marketing, sales, finance, supply chain, legal, etc. Working with these multidisciplinary teams allow me to engage closely in the different stages involved during creating and commercializing a new product. Furthermore, it gives me the opportunity to challenge my critical thinking and to contribute to my team towards a common purpose of creating innovative products and solutions for our current and future customers.

5. What is a piece of advice you would give to a young girl who wants to pursue a career in STEM?
Be passionate about your career and have FUN! If you love what you do, no matter how many  obstacles, challenges and failures you will encounter in your journey, you will always be able to move forward and take these situations as learning experiences that will make you evolve, adapt, and ultimately become stronger and more confident. I also recommend that you find mentors and colleagues that can help you in your career, but keep in mind that they are just giving you guidance based on their experiences and at the end of the day, you need to create your own career path. That brings me to my next advice; don’t compare yourself to others, everyone has a different skill set and interests, instead learn how to work in teams where everyone can showcase their skills and talents. Lastly, don’t be afraid of failure, it happens more often than we imagine but the good part is that it is completely normal, and it happens to all of us, we just need to embrace our failures and learn from them.

6. Do you have any advice on how to find a research opportunity when in college?
 
First, you need to spend some time learning about the research area that you are interesting, if there are specific classes for those areas, I would also suggest that you take some of these classes, in that way, once you start connecting with professors and researchers, they can see that you already have some knowledge about the topic. It is also important that you attend events such as conferences, symposia, workshops, etc. where you will have the opportunity to meet professors and other students. I would also recommend talking to your academic advisor to learn about upcoming research events as well as research programs offered by the department or external institutions. My last recommendation is to connect and engage with professors and graduate students in the area that you are interested, they are typically looking for students to support them with their research. If they don’t have funded research projects available at the time, offer to volunteer, you will still gain research experience and they will consider you for future opportunities.

7. Is research at your company collaborative?   Do you have opportunities to publish in journals?  
 
Absolutely yes! all the products and technologies that we develop at Dow are the result of teams working together to achieve a common goal.
 
Yes! Dow offers several avenues how we can have an external presence as scientist, one of them being publishing our research work in journals. We also have other opportunities such as attending (and participating) conferences, participating in professional organizations and boards, providing seminars at universities and collaborating with external institutions (universities, national labs, etc.)
 
 
 
8.  Pursuing a degree in STEM feels daunting at times, any advice on how to navigate the stress that comes with coursework, research, etc?
 
First, it is important that you have an agenda or journal where you can manage all your projects, classes, research, etc., and their progress. Also, when designing your schedule of daily activities, don’t overload them with lots of activities that most likely you won’t be able to complete, that will only bring you stress and anxiety. Drop tasks that are not urgent or necessary and complete them in the order of importance starting with the activities with the highest priority or the ones that are causing you more stress. In planning your agenda, ensure that you are incorporating time for activities that help you releasing your stress. I would also recommend that you break down your large projects into steps, instead of defining an activity as “writing my dissertation”, you can set more specific goals such as writing a chapter or even writing a section of a chapter, in that way you will feel less overwhelm in trying to complete your entire dissertation as one activity and it will also bring you a sense of accomplishment as you are making progress. Speaking about research, keep in mind that it usually takes more time than you are expecting, so plan accordingly and give yourself enough room in case things go wrong. Also, when your research is not working and you are getting frustrated, I recommend that you stop working on those things for a few days, take a break from that work and then come back and try again. If things are still failing and you are getting more stressed, it would be better to reevaluate and perhaps change the approach or move on into something else. Lastly, make sure to connect with your classmates and colleagues from your research group, if you are feeling stress for your work load, it is possible that they feel the same way, so you can find ways together in how to help and support each other.
 
9. What was the biggest difference between research in grad school and industry?
 
Personally speaking, my research in graduate school was mainly focused on developing a mechanistic understanding of structure-property relationships that allow me to design materials with excellent performance. However, I did not pay much attention to the feasibility of making these materials at large scale as well as their final cost or repercussions to the environment when processing these materials. In industry, besides creating a fundamental understanding of our materials, it is critical to ensure that these materials that we develop at laboratory scale can be scale up to a manufacturing level and that they are cost-competitive to fit in the market. It is also essential that our materials fulfill our customer needs without compromising the future of our society and planet. 
 
10. Is it possible to invent a plastic that biodegrades in 10 years or less?  We need a material that is as durable and indestructible as plastic, but that biodegrades eventually
 
At Dow, we are committed with environmental sustainability. We are working together to make materials that can be biodegradable or that can be reused or recycled. In addition, we are also committed to reduce carbon emissions by implementing technologies that can reduce the resources needed in manufacturing our products. These efforts are part of our sustainability goals of implementing a circular economy to eliminate plastic waste and addressing climate protection.

What is the most difficult part of the job?
As veterinary pathologists, we are trained to examine tissue in a microscope and provide a definitive diagnosis. Sometimes we are not able to give a definitive diagnosis. Although this aspect may be a little frustrating at times, it is what makes it, in my opinion, an intriguing and life-long learning career.
 
What is your favorite part about your job?
The most exciting aspect of my job is working with infectious diseases and animal models. At Texas Biomed, we work in BSL2, BSL3, and BSL4. These represent different levels of containment of infectious diseases. There are few places in the world with BSL4 containment laboratories. TxBiomed is one of the few places in the world you can work with infectious agents such as Ebola and Tuberculosis. The best part is there is always something new to learn.
 
Stephanie, 24, asks: 
How did you know this is what you wanted to do? I’m majoring in medical/molecular biology and I haven’t decided what I want to do career wise. There are so many things involved in the world of biology, it makes it hard to pick something. 
 
Hi Stephanie, That is certainly a great question. Number #1 find a mentor by reaching out to your professors. I would highly recommend exploring research opportunities in your local university during the semesters and explore internship opportunities at the center for disease control (CDC) during the summer break. This is time to build your resume and learn new skills that can only be gathered with hands-on experience in the laboratory setting.
 
From Ilia on Facebook:
I saw in the news that vets are vaccinating primates for Covid-19.  What can you tell us about how Covid-19 affects primates?  Do you have any experience or have any colleagues in your industry researching if Covid is just as lethal in primates as it is in humans?
 
Hi Ilia, at Texas Biomed, we have worked with primates as animal models for Covid-19. I can tell you from experience that monkeys get infected with COVID19, but do not tend to develop the lethal outcomes seen in humans. Monkeys were used to test the safety and efficacy of our current Covid-19 vaccines. 
 
From Ilia on Facebook:
Will scientific research ever reach a point when we no longer have to experiment on live animals?  (I’m a rabbit rescuer)
 
Research in animals is a highly regulated industry. All research follows the three Rs, which represent: Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement. The current pandemic has shown how animal models save lives.
 
Submitted anonymously:
What does a day in your current role look like?  Do you get to do the hands-on lab work? 
 
A typical work week consists of performing necropsies at different level containment laboratories, collecting tissues, spending many hours at the microscope, and writing pathology reports. Pathologists are also involved in scientific manuscript write-ups.
​
What is a piece of advice you would give to a young girl who wants to pursue a career in STEM?
 
Number #1 and most important step is to find a mentor by reaching out to your teachers or professors. I would highly recommend exploring research opportunities in your local university during the semesters and explore internship opportunities throughout the US or abroad. Your time as an undergraduate student is the perfect time to build your resume and learn new skills that can only be gathered with hands-on experience in the laboratory setting.
 
 
You now work at a research institute; did you have prior research experience?  Do you have any advice on how to find a research opportunity when in college?
 
Number #1 and most important step is to find a mentor by reaching out to your teachers or professors. I would highly recommend exploring research opportunities in your local university during the semesters and explore internship opportunities throughout the US or abroad. Your time as an undergraduate student is the perfect time to build your resume and learn new skills that can only be gathered with hands-on experience in the laboratory setting.
 
Is research at your institute collaborative?   Do you have opportunities to publish in journals?  
 
Yes, absolutely. Veterinary pathologists are also involved in scientific manuscript write-ups of research projects. We are also able to pursue our own research interests and publish on those topics.
 
We have had a rough year dealing with the pandemic and the road to vaccines.  What is the most impressive scientific advantage that has come out of it?  
 
 The most impressive scientific advances, in my opinion, have been how quickly researchers throughout the world have been able to develop, test and deploy a vaccine for a novel virus in record-breaking time. I think this sets a very positive precedent for the treatment and vaccine development of other infectious diseases.
 
 
 

Alondra, 21 asks:  What excites you the most about your job? What keeps you motivated?
 
Although there are several things in this field that excite me, one of them at the forefront is the challenges forecasting. Weather is always changing, from day-to-day to seasons to unique weather events.  There is always new experiences and challenges and no two days are ever the same. This means that the learning and growing never stops.  From employing all of your skills to forecast each unique weather event to learning and employing the latest research findings and new technologies...the challenges and developments is the only constant.  Although I enjoy these things greatly and they truly are my favorite, my passion is communicating this science to the community and partners. The science of meteorology can be a thrill and its phenomena quite impressive, but it is useless if people don’t understand clearly what is going to happen and how to stay safe.
 
Liset asks:  How can high school and college students better prepare during school to be a meteorologist? Both academically and life skills wise.
 
I highly recommend that you focus on your science and math classes in high school as these will give you a strong foundation for the meteorology courses. If you can complete advanced courses such as pre-calculus, earth sciences and/or computer science, they will give you a great lead. For communicating science, polish your writing and oral skills in the English class.  Every structure needs a solid foundation and this is your foundation. 
 
While in college, try to get a degree in meteorology or atmospheric sciences. Some of the requirements will vary depending on what you want to focus your career on. If you want to be on T.V., then you will need a Broadcast Meteorology degree. If you want to work for the National Weather Service, you will need these basic requirements (https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1300/meteorology-series-1340/). If you want to be a researcher, you should focus on getting a doctoral degree. It is important to mention that you do not need a bachelor’s degree in meteorology to get a master’s or doctoral degree in the same field. You can check this list of degree programs in meteorology or atmospheric sciences and their requirements:
https://nwas.org/membership/committees/education/colleges-universities/
 
Overall, the most important thing you can do to prepare yourself is challenge yourself.  Be uncomfortable and don’t fear challenges.
 
Anonymous asks:  What do meteorologists do for fun at work?
 
I always say that you are never too old to play with balloons! :) 
One of my favorite and fun things to do while at work is to release weather balloons. The weather balloon is released twice a day from different parts of the world and at the same time. It has an instrument attached to it called a radiosonde, and it collects measurements of temperature, humidity, pressure, wind speed and wind direction as it moves up into the sky. Its data is relevant to understand the current environment and also for the computer models that are used for weather forecasting. You can watch a short video here:
https://twitter.com/IshaRenta/status/1257997560125456384
 
Other than that, every team has its own dynamic and it always provides laughter even in the most stressful of times.

 
Anonymous asks: What advice would you give your younger self?
 
I would say: “Be persistent and stay focused on your goals. It will not be a straight line from point A to point B. There will be curves and dangerous turns, but you have to keep aiming at that goal. Make sure you put in the work and don’t settle for anything less than perfection.  Strive for the highest grades and be fearless about getting experience and exposure to the field. Don’t forget to always give your best and put your heart into everything you do, because everything that is done this way will bounce back to you in blessings. Most importantly, always be thankful to those that have extended themselves in support to you, and make sure you pay it forward to those coming behind you.”
 
 
Anonymous asks:  Can meteorologists predict how cold a winter will be? How far ahead can you predict the weather?
 
Before I answer the question, I would like to clarify that weather and climate are not the same. Weather is the state of the atmosphere at any given time and place. While climate is the long term average of the weather in a given place. Climate is the usual weather you expect, while weather is what you get.
 
Now back to the question:
Meteorologists use seasonal *climate* predictions or outlooks to determine how a season will be compared to the normal (average) temperature and precipitation. These are useful to look at the winter season and determine if it will be colder or warmer than normal, or wetter or drier than normal for a particular region. You can check the latest winter outlook from NOAA in this website: https://www.noaa.gov/media-release/us-winter-outlook-cooler-north-warmer-south-with-ongoing-la-nina
 
For the second question: Skillful *weather* predictions can run out to about 7 to 10 days depending on your source. Climate predictions can be used to predict longer periods, like seasons, years or decades ahead.
 
Anonymous asks:  Where are the best places to live on earth in terms of fewest natural disasters?
 
Based on several online resources, it seems like Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are the safest places on Earth due to their geographical position away from major weather related events, and also no earthquake activity.  Keep in mind that the average temperature over these regions can go from 50°F in winters, to 110°F in summers, so it can get very hot. 
https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/a25230/safest-place-on-earth/
 
 
Anonymous asks:  What major or focus do you need to study to become a meteorologist?
 
A college degree in Atmospheric Sciences, Meteorology or Broadcast Meteorology will help you become a meteorologist. An Atmospheric Sciences or Meteorology degree should have all the courses needed, but if you want to be on T.V., you should study Broadcast Meteorology, which includes the communications courses needed and the green screen experience.  But again, as I answered in another question, math and science are your foundations in either path you take.
 
Anonymous asks:  Other than weather forecaster on TV, what other jobs do meteorologist hold?
Meteorologists can become weather forecasters or researchers for the federal government, such as the NOAA (National Weather Service), NASA, the Navy or the Air Force, and others. In the state governments they are employed within their departments of natural resources, air quality or the state climatologist office. Private companies also hire meteorologists, some examples are:

• Insurance providers (risk management and mitigation)
• Energy providers
• Emergency management organizations
• Consulting firms 
• Agricultural businesses 
• Transportation industry (aviation, highways) 
• Weather instrumentation (development and sales) 

There are also meteorology professors that teach and do research educational institutions.
I found this good resource of meteorology careers here: https://www.weather.gov/media/bro/outreach/pdf/CareerOpportunitiesMeteorology.pdf
 

Peggy, 65 asks: What are a few ways to excite young children, birth to age 8, and playing with math?
The best activities for young children are hands on activities which allow them to use math. These activities allow them to make the connection to math and the real world. Games are also helpful. Children like games. Make up math based games and challenges. It is important to start simple and build on what they know. A good website is Adapted Mind:   https://www.adaptedmind.com/  
 
Anonymous asks: What suggestions do you have for teachers that want to get students excited about mathematics?
Hands-on projects and competitions. Teach students to work together in groups. Have them explain concepts they understand to the rest of the class or other students who may be struggling. Incorporate activities that address all students' learning styles. Have them do activities which indirectly incorporate math - art projects, games etc.
 
Anonymous asks: What do you find most interesting about Math? It seems really confusing and hard to me.
I love the challenge of Math and showing students it is not as hard as they think. Math to me is like a puzzle - you need all the pieces to solve a problem. Math is also a language! If you are not familiar with the words, the symbols of math, how can you understand math? 
 
Kevin, 17 asks: How does one study effectively?
To study effectively, it is important to understand how you learn. Are you a visual learner, auditory learner and kinesthetic learner. All methods of studying do not work for all people. Some people can stay for hours studying or some people need to do it in short bursts over many days.  However, if you really want to learn and understand class material it is important to build on your familiarity with the concept. That means taking the time think about the concept and  explaining to yourself your understanding of the concept, taking notes, reviewing our notes immediately after class, obtaining clarification for the things you don't understand through asking questions or doing your own research to find the answer, practice working out problems/ watching video explanations, setting up specific time in your day dedicated to studying. Doing all these things helps to exercise your brain and build your knowledge.
 
Learning Assessment; http://www.educationplanner.org/students/self-assessments/index.shtml
 
Sal, 25 asks: Hi Cathy!!! What led to your decision to pivot from a career in STEM to a career in outreach? And what advice would you share for someone who would consider doing something similar down the line in their career?
I wanted to impact students at an earlier age, allow them to believe that they can be good at math and hopefully they would pursue college majors in math based fields. I also wanted the opportunity to develop programming to address students' access to resources to develop skills which will allow them to excel in STEM based majors.
 
If you are interested in doing something similar, I would suggest tutoring privately, volunteering for outreach programs, partnering with outreach programs to plan and host outreach events. This allows you to learn what students are struggling with directly from students and gives you insight into how to address the needs of students.
 
Jocelyn, 19 asks: What advice would you give to an aspiring women of color mathematician?
Always look for opportunities to further develop your knowledge, teach/tutor math ( it helps you to better develop your understanding of math and how to teach it to others). I do puzzles and brain teasers to develop problem solving and critical thinking skills. Practice, Practice, Practice.!  In my math classes, I would do questions beyond the assigned homework to practice. I would work through all the examples in the chapter presented in class, to understand what was being done and why when solving the problem. I find that students tend to overlook worked examples. Don't be afraid to fail/make mistakes it is the only way you gain understanding and learn!

​