Stories from the Field

Amanda Field, senior administrative assistant of the Chemical Engineering Program for Texas A&M University at Qatar, believes that careers aren’t set in stone. She talks about the varied paths she has taken and asserts that women are more respected in science because they’re working harder to prove themselves.

After being told she wasn’t particularly smart, Mary Shultz, a professor of chemistry at Tufts University, set out to prove otherwise. She talks about the importance of doing what excites you and encourages women to never take “impossible” for an answer.

Lucy Eubanks, retired professor at Clemson University, discusses the importance of flexibility, and recalls how telling men she was a chemist elicited a very different response than telling men about her other passion: the violin.

Linda Wang, senior editor at Chemical and Engineering News, talks about how she incrementally turned a beloved hobby into a vital and exciting part of her job.

When Maria K. Burka began looking for jobs in chemistry, she was told not to use her first name on applications because “if the interviewer saw you were a woman, they wouldn’t even bother interviewing you.” She talks about the challenges she faced, the importance of letting go of the past, and why she believes chemical engineering is now the scientific field most welcoming to women.

Sharon Haynie, principal investigator at DuPont, shares the advice that helped her get savvy and make the most of her experience at MIT.

Ruth Woodall, director of Tennessee Scholars at the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Nashville, Tennessee, talks about the rewards of teaching in the 21st century and the importance of encouraging the next generation of chemists.

Sarah Mullins, a researcher in the chemistry of inorganic materials for 3M Company in St. Paul, Minnesota, talks about her love for science and how she plans to use it to create more opportunities for women in STEM fields.

Maureen Rouhi, editor in chief of Chemical & Engineering News, shares the worldview that guided her journey toward a career in chemistry as well as her very proudest moment, which involved a much different kind of science.

Patti Parziale, manager of the Fungicide Discovery chemistry group at DuPont, shares her secret to building a strong reputation and successful career. Hint: It’s not the 5-year plan.