As a young girl I dreamed of being a mother. As a college student I thought I should become a psychologist, something I knew women did. As a PhD student I just followed opportunities to do the science that I had a passion to do. However, at the end of the training I needed a job, but my family and new baby had brought be back to Alaska and there were few options. Professor Larry Duffy, Chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, got me my first job. Today I am a Professor of Neurochemistry, and I have a small company supporting development of the first thermolytic to make Targeted Temperature Management for neurocritical care accessible for rural and remote emergency medicine. Based on discoveries about hibernation made from study of Alaskan animals we have developed a therapy to save lives in Alaskan rural communities. Throughout my career Dr. Duffy has been a mentor and a constant source of support for myself and for my students, particularly my diversity students. Larry led a ten year, NIH funded program in neuroscience that not only launched my career, but the career of many students at UAF. Larry listens to what a student wants and helps to open doors along the path. He has helped develop interdisciplinary degrees such as one in indigenous medicine for a young student who is now a practicing physician and the first MD in Alaska to achieve traditional Tribal Healer status. The University of Alaska Fairbanks opens opportunity to recruit and mentor underrepresented students who otherwise might never know that research exists or how higher education can lead to careers with daily demand for creativity and intellectual engagement. Inspired by Dr. Duffy’s approach to give diversity the benefit of the doubt my laboratory has been blessed by contributions from extremely talented, Alaska Native and first-generation college students. These former students, now my peers, bring a wealth of diverse perspective to how we do science and what questions deserve attention. I thank Dr. Duffy for giving me and other students who don’t fit a traditional mold the benefit of the doubt. Our diversity students have made and continue to make significant contributions to chemistry, biochemistry and the health sciences.

Giving diversity the benefit of the doubt

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.