Each year March is dedicated to Women’s History Month. LMU Seaver College is celebrating this month by featuring some of the amazing women in our college, who are extremely successful in their fields. Cheers to celebrating Seaver’s own wonder women! Here we feature a Q and A with Wendy Binder, Chair and Professor of Biology.
Q: Please share with us why you wanted to pursue your Ph.D. and work in higher education?
A: I fell in love with biology in middle school, but it took me awhile to realize that I could do biology as a profession (I thought of it as a means to a health-professions career initially). I have always enjoyed school (yes I was that geeky all along), and once I realized I could continue to study biology and never have to leave the University, I knew what I wanted to do.
Q: When you advise students, what words of wisdom do you find yourself sharing consistently with different students over the years?
A: It really depends upon the student. I try hard to personalize all of my interactions with students – everyone is different. I do try to emphasize my deep belief in hard work. Hard work, persistence and resilience are requirements in almost anything we do, so I try to let students know that they have all of the ability they need, but without those qualities, it can be hard to reach any goal.
Q: As a woman in STEM, is there a woman that you’ve looked up to or who has influenced the work you do? Who is that person? And how did they influence you?
A: My advisor was a woman, and she is likely one of the most important reasons I was able to succeed. She was supportive and encouraging to me, and seeing her be so successful (she’s internationally known and respected in the field), really gave me the view of someone like myself.
Screenwriting major Abigail Braccia and entrepreneurship major Sara Appelqvist contributed to the Women’s History Month series. This article was written by communications major Jordan Lindsey.