Ep 77: A Bond of Purpose from Academia to Industry - The Journey

We are joined again by Christine Vazquez, a viral immunologist and Principal Scientist at GSK, to hear about her journey into science. The earliest memories from her childhood picture Christine sitting with her dad watching educational shows like Stories from the ER and dreaming of growing up to become a medical doctor. Her dad, especially, nurtured her interest in science and reading through books. As an undergraduate at Johns Hopkins University, she was introduced to laboratory research as part of the curriculum and immediately felt a spark. “I think for me, what I became more interested in after exposure to research, was …  I don’t necessarily want to treat patients. I want to figure out why they’re getting sick and how to help them get better. The broad interest still was the same; the research question changed,” explains Christine. This change in her perspective, and a strong aversion to taking the MCAT, encouraged her to look beyond medical school as the next stage of her journey unfolded. But, Christine didn’t really know if graduate school would be the right choice for her. More importantly, the experiences Christine had gained over time also evolved her perception of who is a scientist–some work at the bench and many others apply their knowledge to different fields like science writing and communications. There were endless opportunities for her at this stage; how could she make the right decision? Looking back at her journey, Christine had several influential mentors, especially teachers and guidance counselors who saw something in her that she didn’t even see in herself. They encouraged her to participate in extra-curricular activities and opened doors to new opportunities. If she could give one piece of advice to her younger self it would be, breath, it will all work out. Outside of work, Christine enjoys reading, especially literary fiction.

Check out the previous episode: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1720419/episodes/17378991 

Tune into this episode to learn about Christine’s journey:

• The importance of pivoting for Christine to find her way along her journey
• How her definition of “who is a scientist” evolved with different experiences
• Where Christine sees herself going next

Reach out to Christine: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-vazquez/ 

If you enjoyed this episode, also listen to:

• Ep 61: The Love Language of Organic Chemistry - The Journey
• Ep 65: Finding Your Fit: How to Navigate the Transition from Academia to Industry – The Journey

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