Today for our spotlight on women in STEM we have Keighley Reisenauer who is a PhD candidate whose focus is cancer research!
What inspired you to pursue a career in STEM?
In 7th grade, we were studying Punnett squares and I was the kid who was asking for double crosses and more examples. That’s the earliest memory I have of really loving genetics. I took AP Biology my junior year, eager to test if I could do science at this advanced level. Through a combination of an incredible teacher (shout out to Mrs. Gilmore!) and engaging topics, I really fell in love with science, especially genetics and cells. When I was deciding where to go to college, I based my decision heavily on research opportunities for undergraduate students. Attending the University of Wisconsin–Madison, I was able to begin researching by the second month of school, working in a population genetics lab, studying fruit fly pigmentation. I transitioned to a different lab for my sophomore through senior year, which is where I did my senior thesis. All these research experiences lead me to wanting to pursue a PhD and continuing research in graduate school now.
How would you describe your work to the public?
Our lab studies a particularly hard-to-treat type of breast cancer called triple negative breast cancer. In a tumor, there are different types of cells and some of them do not respond to treatment very well and often cause the cancer to get worse or spread. My work focuses on understanding a small molecule that specifically targets these types of cells and makes them more likely to die when treated with conventional therapies, like chemo. There is not a lot of information about this molecule, so my job is to study how and why it works so well against these cells of interest, so that it could be used in clinical trials down the road. 3.What do you enjoy doing the most?
I love sharing science! There is a field called science communication, which I started taking part in around 2017 when I helped found an organization at Baylor called Present Your PhD. I have continued my work there, as well as establishing a curated social media page sharing science and becoming a scicomm fellow for the National Center for Science Education. All this allows me to practice my skills translating science and making it fun and exciting for everyone!
What is an accomplishment that a younger you would have thought unachievable?
I have been a one-track-mind kind of person for as long as I can remember and, now, I’m in a place where I am getting onto a new track that doesn’t perfectly line up with what I thought I’d be doing in my career. I always thought I’d stay in science and I never really considered anything else. Now, I’m brave enough to follow my passions, which are science adjacent. I will still be doing what I love in the sciences, but I’m stepping away from research after I graduate to pursue the parts of science that really excite me.
If you could give a piece of advice to the younger generation, what would it be?
Network and diversify. The career climate is one that requires you to have a diverse set of skills and a wide-reaching network. It may seem scary to reach out to people in jobs that excite or interest you, but I promise they’ll be happy to hear from someone who is interested in their work and will be eager to answer any questions you have. Take time to follow your interests and work on side projects, you never know when or how those skills will come in handy for future jobs!
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