The Power of Women in Science by Kayla

The Power of Women in Science by Kayla - June 2021 Scholarship Essay

A Moment: I’m back in my freshman year of high school. It’s fifth period, physical science and I’m sitting in a plastic-mounted metal chair, my arms crossed atop cold, dark marble. I don’t worry about the residues from previous experiments that might cling to my sweatshirt sleeves. I am entranced, eagerly listening to the woman at the front of the class with long black hair and a nose piercing: Mrs. Spadafora.
Mrs. Spadafora wasn’t the first STEM role-model I had, but it is her and her contagious excitement for discovery and the universe that I still remember now, almost 8 years later. I recall of her love for her students, how she would lend out books from her personal library behind her desk, one permanently warped and crystallized from a spilled salt solution that evaporated ages ago. A geologist at heart, Mrs. Spadafora would rattle off puns about how GNEISS everyone was being in class, and that she would never take us for GRANITE. She was the first teacher to truly embody the fun and spontaneity of science and I knew immediately: I wanted to be like her.
7 years later and I’m not even close to studying the physical sciences. After a brief period as a biochemistry major, I quickly changed interests to the more tangible and human field of global health, while still attempting to exude the passion for my work as Kelly Spadafora did. There are fewer opportunities for puns now (why did the epidemiologist stare all the animals in the face at the zoo? - He was looking for zoonoses). Still, since deciding to pursue a masters in global health, I have shown my dedication in other ways. This past semester, I volunteered at Georgetown’s Vaccination Clinic, distributing vaccines to D.C. community members in high priority districts. I also started an unpaid internship with the Small World Initiative to help combat antimicrobial resistance and make STEM education more accessible to students, especially minorities and women. Finally, in a project I am perhaps most excited about, I also started working as a research assistant for the VERENA consortium, a collaborative group dedicated to understanding the mechanisms behind viral emergence. All of these efforts reflect the versatility and ubiquity of the global health field that I adore. How can I not be passionate about combating communicable diseases when there are so many frameworks to work under: epidemiology, microbiology, public service.
As I enter into my final year of my master’s coursework, I am eager to continue my studies while simultaneously giving back to the community and preparing for my career. This spring, I plan to go abroad for 3 months as part of a mandatory research project to complete my master’s thesis and, in doing so, I will continue to embody my interest in my research and global health in general, eager to learn from more passionate people wherever I go.