Heroines of Science - Highly Commended

At the start of the summer, we asked women postdocs to tell us their stories of their scientific inspiration and what it means to them to be a woman in STEMM.

This was to follow on from Borysiewicz Fellow, Lorena Escudero Sánchez’s, project to encourage more young girls to study science. Participants submitted stories, aimed at girls aged 10-12 years old, about their own scientific superpowers.

Lorena then selected six winning entries, who have all nominated a school to receive three copies of her illustrated school diary “Heroines of Science”.

We had so many wonderful submissions that choosing just six was incredibly difficult. So, we have also chosen to feature 10 highly commended entries – these Heroines of Science will also receive one copy of Lorena’s book.

Lorena said: "I want to personally thank and congratulate all the researchers who shared their stories with us. I've felt really lucky to read about their amazing work, and so inspired by their stories and their scientific superpowers! It has been really challenging to choose only six. My selection is trying to highlight the works that I've found most exciting, inspiring and well written, but also accessible to young girls and in line with the original project. I hope you will enjoy reading them as much as I did!"

Our Highly Commended entries are:

• Alexis Deighton MacIntyre
• Yudan Ren
• Hannah Rapaport
• Li Chin Law
• Rasanat Fatima Nawaz
• Kamila Jozwik
• Petia Tzokova
• Surbhi Goel
• Tammar Truzman
• Ingrida Olendraite

Alexis Deighton MacIntyre

MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit

Her story:
Growing up in Canada, I loved to explore in the forest and by the sea. I marvelled at the little worlds I found in the tidal pools, and I felt strong and capable when I climbed high in the pine trees. I had long conversations with my dad about the various plants and animals that shared our home, and I learned from the stories of the Indigenous people who are the stewards of the land. The nature around me kept me constantly curious and questioning. As I became older, I also turned this curiosity inwards. I remember noticing my sense of vision and wondering, how can this image that forms in front of my eyes actually come from my own brain? Does a thought physically exist?

Years passed, and it was difficult to decide what to study, who to become when I grew up. I had many interests, and I loved science, but I wasn’t sure I could pick just one thing. I also played the guitar. Feeling indecision and mounting pressure to commit to one subject or other, I finally chose to study music. After graduating, however, I couldn’t stop thinking about science. I wrote to professors who politely told me I couldn’t become a scientist with my music education. But I kept trying again and again, until I eventually met a neuroscientist who let me join her lab as a helper. I struggled to catch up and learn on the job. Sometimes, I felt lost or like I was an imposter, but I didn’t give up. And so, I found my scientific superpower, which is perseverance.

Today, I use my perseverance to solve tough problems, like designing a good experiment or fixing bugs in my code. Curiosity and passion are important, but perseverance means you never stop trying!

Yudan Ren

Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience & Department of Pathology

Her story:
Once up on a time, there is a tiny bamboo forest village in China. Every day, people worked in the rice fields to make ends meet. One day, a mum sent her 9-year-old daughter to a school in the nearby town. She got laughed at because it's her daughter, not son.

But because of that, the girl made her way to university in Shanghai as the first person ever from the village. She took a 1-year study break during her undergraduate to be the main carer for both parents when they were diagnosed with late-stage cancer. Sadness and sorrow brought numbness and darkness, losing both mum and dad within two months, but she did not give up herself.

And because of that, she made her way to Cambridge and was awarded her PhD degree, plus the MRC (Medical Research Council) Career Development Fellowship to work at 'The Nobel Prize factory', MRC LMB (Laboratory of Molecular Biology). Her work was chosen to be shown to Queen Elizabeth II in 2013 during her visit to the LMB. Her proposed new project targeting Alzheimer’s Disease was taken into a great success by colleagues and originated a startup company in 2023. Then she had her babies and started a decade of research career break to look after her children full-time.

And because of that, it took her 4 years and 10 months, talking to 39 PIs (Principal Investigators) about her returning plans, until she was awarded the Royal Society Daphne Jackson Fellowship in 2023. Thrilled and grateful to return to work on her own project studying how human viruses cause birth defects in babies. Being a mum and a scientist happily ever after.

Hannah Rapaport

MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit

Her story:
When I was at school, there were kids in my class who knew exactly what they wanted to do when they grew up – become a vet and look after animals, become a doctor and help people. But me? I had no idea. All the adults I knew had traditional professions – nurses, shopkeepers, engineers – none of which really excited me.

After finishing high school, I volunteered at a summer camp for children with disabilities. I was buddied with Joe – an autistic boy who changed my life. I had never met an autistic person before, and I was struck by Joe’s genuine nature. He was so confident in being himself. I was eager to learn more about autism. I also discovered my superpower: that I was really good at working with people.

Several years later, whilst studying psychology at university, I learnt that I could channel my curiosity about autism and my desire to work with people into a career in science. And that’s exactly what I did. Today, I am an autism scientist.

I work with autistic people who cannot speak. Many people have assumed that autistic people who can’t speak also can’t understand language. The goal of my research is to turn the tide on this assumption. Using brain recording technology, I hope to develop a method that will allow autistic non-speakers to demonstrate just how much they understand.

Becoming a scientist has been one of the best decisions of my life. I get to follow my curiosity, work alongside wonderful autistic people, and travel the world – sharing my research and learning from other researchers. I am so grateful to be following in the footsteps of many inspiring female autism scientists, like Temple Grandin and Uta Frith. Maybe, one day, I’ll be able to pass the baton on to you.

Li Chin Law

Cambridge Centre for Advanced Research and Education in Singapore (CARES)

Her story:
Science has been a part of Li Chin Law's life since she was young, shaping her dreams and ambitions. As a child, she dreamed of becoming a scientist. Growing up in a poorer family made her realise that she had to study hard to achieve her dream.

After earning her bachelor's degree, Li Chin worked as a process and piping engineer in a shipyard, developing a passion for the maritime industry. Her dedication drove her to further her studies, but financial constraints meant she had to juggle work and a part-time PhD. When studying, she worked full-time as a research engineer, with her research focusing on maritime decarbonisation. She integrated her knowledge in the naval industry into practical science. Despite the challenges of balancing both, she completed her PhD in four busy years.

Now, she is a research fellow who has just started her own consultation company, EMICAST. Her research tackles global issues by making ships greener and more sustainable. She has developed two useful tools on the websites lowcarbonship.com and emi-cast.com. These tools aim to help maritime stakeholders to understand how well their ships are performing, calculate penalties, and check if they comply with environmental regulations. Currently, she is working on the invention of an AI model that processes big data and helps design future low-carbon ships.

Li Chin's scientific superpower is her ability to blend science and technology to protect our oceans and planet. Looking back, many life choices have brought her to where she is today. She believes that every step taken today connects and brings her closer to the dream she had when she was young. Becoming a woman in STEMM would allow her to inspire others to pursue their dreams despite the challenges that may appear along the way. Just do it!

Rasanat Fatima Nawaz

Department of Psychiatry

Her story:
I research young people's mental health, particularly in schools. My journey into this field wasn't straightforward. At school, I struggled with science and maths. I often had panic attacks when asked questions and even skipped exams out of fear of getting things wrong. Maths, in particular, was daunting, and it still is. But when I work at my own pace, I’ve found that I can tackle complex statistics and answer the questions that really matter.

It wasn’t until university that I realised the power of moving at my own pace. Given the freedom to lead my own learning, I discovered my scientific superpower: the ability to keep trying and resting when I got tired or overwhelmed. This superpower, the strength to persist, has allowed me to overcome challenges that once seemed impossible.

Now, I stand in front of large audiences, talking about mental health and publishing research that uses complex statistics. I still get nervous - I sometimes sweat, my face goes red, and my heart races - but I am proud of myself for having the courage to try.

As an Orthodox Muslim woman who wears a jilbab, I understand the importance of representation in STEMM. When my little sister drew a picture of a scientist, she drew an Orthodox Muslim woman in a jilbab because, to her, that’s what a scientist looks like. That moment made me realise that I do belong - I am a scientist.

My superpower, having the courage to try, can change the world. It reminds us that persistence, even in the face of fear, is key to making a difference. By embracing this, I help others find the strength to face their own challenges and lead fulfilling lives.

Kamila Jozwik

Department of Psychology

Her story:
I got into science through curiosity about the world around me. I built “constructions” from everything, which potentially contributed to my interest in dissecting how the brain works. Being in a music school playing the piano and doing visual arts like painting and macrame taught me the importance of mastering one’s skill, which applies to the scientific path I am on now where you constantly learn new things and deepen your thinking. 

I consider my specific scientific superpower to be extracting, interpreting, and modelling the information about how we experience the visual world. I get to spend time trying to understand how we recognise faces and objects and assign them meaning. Aiming to understand what are the characteristics of our visuo-semantic experience, and reverse-engineer how these processes work in the brain using brain-inspired artificial intelligence models. Beyond the contribution to building knowledge (which I consider a value in itself as often many applications came from basic research), my research has the potential to contribute to understanding which specific aspects of visual and semantic experience may go wrong in developmental and mental health disorders that have strong visual components (e.g., autism, anxiety, psychosis).

A broader superpower of a scientific mind is to naturally wonder how things work and not take things for granted, asking what the evidence is proving this statement is correct. It is almost like retaining a curious child’s mind for your whole life.

I consider being a scientist a privilege. While I noticed differences between the opportunities for and of treatment of women and men in STEMM, the biggest disparity I noticed is when scientists decide to become parents. Yet, caring for my children and seeing them develop seems to be one of the most curious experiences and wonders so far, inspiring some of the scientific questions I want to ask.

Petia Tzokova

Department of Engineering

Her story:
My name is Petia and I work at the Engineering Department at the University of Cambridge. I’m a researcher and my research is on structural engineering. Structural engineers work with architects and others to design and build buildings, bridges and other man-made structures around us. As a researcher, I am working on developing new design methods to be used by structural engineers working at a company, with the aim of reducing the material used in buildings and structures. I also teach students structural engineering as part of my job.

I would say that my scientific superpower is designing structures and buildings that use a lot less material than usual. This will change the world by reducing the carbon footprint of buildings and structures, and so will help to reduce the effects of climate change. An additional advantage is that the buildings are also cheaper due to less material being used. 

I was inspired to do science, maths and STEMM more generally when I was young by my parents who were scientists. However, I got into engineering by first being interested in architecture, since I also enjoyed art and design at school, as well as science and maths. I decided to specialise more towards the technical and scientific engineering side of buildings, as this was more interesting to me.

What it means to me to be a woman in STEMM is working on new research that has the potential to be adopted by structural engineers and change the way we build things around us. It is unfortunate that women are still underrepresented in engineering and STEMM more generally, and so to be a woman in STEMM also means supporting those who are underrepresented, including women and girls, who have an interest in STEMM to pursue this amazing path!

Surbhi Goel

Institute of Computing for Climate Science

Her story:
As a kid, I'd spend hours wondering how different nights would be without electricity. No light bulbs, no late-night social media scrolling - just pitch black! But thanks to science (our real-life magic), we've got ways to light up the dark. Now, we've got different ways to power up our gadgets - coal, gas, oil. These are called fossil fuels and are like Earth's version of junk food - they produce tons of carbon when burned. And too much carbon in the atmosphere is not good.

Now the amount of carbon has actually gone too far, and because of that, Earth is warming, and the weather's going bonkers. The movie "The Day After Tomorrow" is like a sneak peek into Earth's wild future. That movie was a lightbulb moment for me. I knew right then I wanted to work on fighting climate change. But the next sensible thing to think was, how do I realise my dream? I started reading a lot of articles, stories of men and women who are already working in the field, and talked to my teachers to get some insights on how I could go forward. One cool way I found out was to design computer models that could help predict future weather. This could help farmers, governments, industries, etc. to plan ahead for how they can navigate the changing climate. Since then, I have been working to build these models using Machine Learning to do my part in addressing the Climate Change problem.

Here's the deal: it doesn't matter where you're from. What counts is where you want to go. Believe in yourself. Everything will teach you something. So, stay curious, keep learning, and trust me, you'll make yourself proud one day and make the world a better place for everyone.

Tammar Truzman

MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit

Her story:
I grew up in a very strict religious environment. When I was 12 years old, I found a book about astronomy. For the first time, I learned that the universe had existed for billions of years! I was shocked and felt like precious knowledge was being kept from me. In my community, core studies weren’t taught, and I mainly learned the Tanach. Even going to the public library was forbidden. I had very limited access to science, and it wasn’t acceptable for girls to argue or ask questions.

My curiosity was my superpower. I secretly bought books with money I saved from babysitting, even though they were often taken away from me. But no one could take away my thoughts. I was a free queen of thought in my mind, asking questions and dreaming of exploring the world.

At 18, I realised I couldn’t live the life expected of me. I left home with nothing and worked hard to get into university. The road was challenging. I often felt alone, worked multiple jobs, and at times nearly gave up, but I found support from kind people who believed in me.

Studying at university was about more than just learning subjects. Science opened so many doors for me - the door to freedom of thought, to accepting new concepts, to meeting different people from around the world, sharing ideas to make the world a better place.

Today, I’m a postdoc, studying what happens in the brain and language after a stroke. It is so exciting, and I’ve learned that if you have a dream, you must chase it. Science is more open to women than ever before, with opportunities and support along the way. So, never be afraid to ask, “Why?” - it might just lead you to where you’re meant to be.

Ingrida Olendraite

Department of Pathology

Her story:
When I was a kid, I was obsessed with bugs and the wonders of nature: whether in forests, fields, or lakes. As I grew older, I realised that physics could explain a lot about how the natural world works. Later, something unexpected happened: I discovered the incredible world of biochemistry.

At one point, I thought it would be cool to sketch out a molecule of "wood" in my notebook. But I quickly found out it was way more complex than just one big chemical structure. My curiosity led me to explore different topics, and I discovered the fascinating world of molecules like DNA, RNA, and proteins, and how they function in all kinds of even unexpected life forms.

What really drew me in was the diversity of life and a fascinating amount of information needed to help us understand nature. That’s why I got into bioinformatics - using computers to answer complex biological questions. I focused on studying thousands of previously unknown viruses, sometimes called "viral dark matter," each with its own unique molecular rules.

These skills allowed me to contribute when COVID-19 happened. I got to advise my home country’s prime minister and various hospitals during the pandemic. Along the way, I learned how to lead projects and teams, share knowledge, and make science fun and understandable.

Oh, and I also became a parent! My baby boy taught me exceptional time management. Now, I was trusted to be the chief scientist at a bioinformatics company, where my team will help scientists around the world with exciting research - from studying microbes in our gut or lakes, to understanding medicines or how a disease works or even creating synthetic genomes.