Women in Science: Exclusive Interview with Professors Dana Alina and Haiyan Fan
The School of Sciences and Humanities would like to congratulate you with the International Day of Women and Girls in Science!
Let’s celebrate the incredible achievements of women and girls in the world of science. From exploring the mysteries of space to discovering cures for diseases, STEM girls are changing the world one breakthrough at a time!
We have prepared an interview with our faculty members – Dana Alina, Assistant Professor at Physics Department and Haiyan Fan, Associate Professor at Department of Chemistry, who shared their experiences of working in STEM as a woman and gave advice to girls who are pursuing careers in science.
What inspired you to pursue a career in science?
Haiyan Fan: I grew up in an area of China where the desert is the dominating landscape. I always wondered how to turn sand into quartz. As I grew up, I was amazed by nature and the universe with their wondrousness. I read and studied science trying to find the answer to anything and everything. Later on, I discovered my potential in teaching, and decided to teach science. Now, with 20 years of teaching under my belt, I find it incredibly fulfilling. Although I mainly teach chemistry, I also share important life lessons with my students along the journey.
Dana Alina: I was fascinated by the space trips of astronauts, and this made me think about space science.
Were there any specific challenges you faced as a woman in science, and how did you overcome them?
Haiyan Fan: I think the most challenging time in my career was when I was in my 4th year of PhD program, I gave birth to my son. I wrote my thesis using one hand and held my son in the other. I admit that it was difficult, but my passion for science and my love for my son helped me to go through the most difficult time in my life.
Dana Alina: I absolutely wanted to become a mom one day and I also wanted to become a scientist. The big challenge was to coordinate these two time- and energy-consuming “activities”, especially during the pregnancy and early-age of my children.
Could you discuss your current research or projects? What aspects of life your research is going to impact in the future?
Haiyan Fan: Currently, I perform research both focusing on the fundamental theory and nanomaterial synthesis, characterization and application. I am the first to successfully synthesize the carbon-based nanozyme with phosphatase activity and the first proposed phosphatase-based bactericidal mechanism. I hope to develop a new kind of antimicrobial agent that can effectively kill harmful bacteria leaving no chance for the development of drug resistance. I also hope that the nanozyme-based antimicrobial agents can be widely used in pharmaceutical, agricultural areas and food industries and bring benefits to humans.
Dana Alina: Currently, I am studying the magnetic field structure of a star-forming molecular cloud using the data I gathered at optical and radio telescopes in Japan and Spain, respectively. This is to add observational evidence of the magnetic field structure that allows to disentangle between different theories on star formation.
Have you encountered mentorship or guidance from other women in science? Are there any mentorship programs you lead or participate in to encourage young girls to pursue careers in science?
Haiyan Fan: At college, the professor who taught physical chemistry was an amazing woman. She set a great model for me to look upon and inspired me to pursue physical chemistry and to become who I am today. At Argonne National Lab, I was a member of the woman scientist committee. Back then, we often met with female college and high school students and gave them presentations.
Dana Alina: I did not have a dedicated mentor but I was lucky to have a female co-supervisor and a very supportive PhD supervisor. For example, my co-supervisor drove me to the maternity hospital, while my supervisor helped to prepare my apartment to the arrival of my first baby. Right now, I am leading the Women In Sciences Club where we focus on mental health support, soft skills development and science popularization.
What advice would you give to young women aspiring to pursue a career in science?
Haiyan Fan: I would encourage the young women to build up their confidence through hard work and independent thoughts. They need to believe in themselves that they are equal to their male colleagues; I will emphasize to young women that family and children could never be the barrier for us to pursue a career in science. Quite the opposite, our family and children should be our strong hold and great support to our career.
Dana Alina: I don’t like general advice, career choices are very personal. However, I’d recommend setting up some goals from the beginning but stay flexible and adjust on the go.
