The Randall Women in Science Inclusion, Diversity, Equality, and Allegiance group hosted a panel of women in science to learn what it is like to be a woman in a male-dominated field. The women who were on the panel were Dr. Lee Fortunato, Dr. Tracy Peters, Dr. Tara Hudiburg and Dr. Brenda Murdoch.
Each speaker shared their fields. Dr. Fortunato is a scientist of cellular virology, Dr. Peters focuses on phage biology, Dr. Hudiburg is a forest ecologist and Dr. Murdoch focuses on molecular genetics.
The panel heard questions from graduate students in science. The first question was about the panelists’ career paths, answered by Dr. Fortunato.
Fortunato earned her bachelor’s degree from MIT and attended graduate school at University of California, San Diego. She has been at the University of Idaho for 24 years working in her own lab and creating results.
The next answer was from Dr. Peters. Peters attended community college in Wyoming on the path to becoming a nurse. She then decided that it wasn’t for her and switched to phage sciences. She received her bachelor’s degree, attended graduate school and is now focusing on human health and continuing her study of phages.
Dr. Hudiburg was the next panelist to answer. Hudiburg has officially become a professor at the University of Idaho after 10 years of being on faculty. She has a bachelor’s degree in biology and works in forestry and the exchange of CO2 from plants to the air we breathe.
The last panelist to answer was Dr. Murdoch. She conducted animal science research at the University of Alberta in Canda and fell in love with academia, then spending four years in the UK researching mad cow disease. She has spent the last eight years at UI continuing that research.
The panelists were asked questions that were specific to each of them. The first question was for Murdoch, who was asked what advice she would give young women who are interested in academia. Murdoch answered, “You have to have thick skin and learn from failure.” In a male-dominated field, Murdoch gave advice to not be intimidated and work hard for what you want.
The next question was for Peters. She was asked what advice she has for women who face discouragement pursuing a career in science. Peters shared that with her having a two-year-old daughter she would get questions about being a career woman. Peters said, “You don’t need to justify your decision. Show this is what you want.” She added how anyone can do what they want, they just need to guide their life the way that they want to. They should not let anyone else tell them what to do.
The next question was for Fortunato, she was asked how she balances her personal life and professional life. She said, “Work hard, play hard.” Fortunato would work for four months on a lab or project and once she was done, she would take a vacation for three weeks to relax.
The last question was for Hudiburg. She was asked how she would encourage women in minorities to self-advocate. Hudiburg said, “you need to feel secure and not experience imposter syndrome.” She overcame this by co-authoring a lab that she helped edit.
The last question for the panel was to share a piece of advice from a mentor that has stuck with them. The first to answer was Hudiburg, who shared that a mentor had told her not to be afraid, to be selfish and to do something for herself.
Fortunato was next to share her answer. She shared that she was told to accept that her job is not a typical nine-to-five job.
Murdoch answered by saying everyone does not always have to put up a front. They need to not hide that they are regular people. Peters agreed that everyone has hard days and situations that happen and said that people can share their feelings while remaining professional.
The last question asked was if there were any institutional changes the panelists would like to see to improve gender equality. Everyone on the panel agreed that pay is something that could improve.
Grace Boehland can be reached at [email protected]