Influential Woman · Science

Alexandra Tsokol

Adjunct Instructor, General Chemistry, Metropolitan State University of Denver

Denver, CO 80224

4Awards received

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree PhD in Chemistry Degree Lviv State University Degree Leadership Program Degree Iowa State University Cert PhD in Chemistry

Her Story

About Alexandra

My parents are scientists, so science has been part of my life since the beginning. I started in the field when I was 17, working initially in crystallography. I'm originally from Ukraine, and I moved to the United States for a job opportunity. One year later, I received a permanent position at Ames National Laboratory, which is a Department of Energy laboratory run by Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. There, I worked in material science, focusing on cutting-edge research in magnetic refrigeration, a new technology for cooling and heating that's about energy. It was tough being one of the few women in my field. Women occupied low positions there, and it wasn't always smooth. Sometimes people would come and ask permission to look at me to see if I was really there. It was some kind of a zoo. But I had big achievements working in magnetic refrigeration, and the field has made big progress toward production and management on a national and world scale. I have about 150 publications in journals of material science, physics, and chemistry, with pretty much input from the worldwide scientific community through citations. I stopped working about 20 years ago due to disability, but I'm still active, working from home on projects I didn't finish. I also supervised students from Iowa State University who came to our laboratory for internships, teaching them and helping them develop. I had a couple of very good students, and when they left, I gave them recommendations, and they were accepted to master's programs at MIT and other institutions. The educational aspect was pretty much part of my job, and I never stopped learning myself. I was invited to the Leadership Program at Iowa State University, which I successfully finished, and it helped me in the future.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Alexandra

01What do you attribute your success to?

First of all, I was accepted to the National Laboratory because I had the education that fit the field. I had pretty much big education, including chemistry, physics, mathematics, and educational science. So I was in a position when they started checking me on what I knew and they did not know. It was a tough way, but they accepted me to this field which I'm doing. My broad educational background across multiple scientific disciplines gave me the foundation I needed to succeed in cutting-edge research, even when I was being tested and challenged by my colleagues.

02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?

I was invited to the Leadership Program at Iowa State University, and I successfully finished it. That program helped me in the future. The most important lesson I learned is to always keep getting education. I never stopped learning myself throughout my career. The educational aspect was not just part of my job in teaching students, but also in continuously developing my own knowledge and skills.

03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?

It was tough, honestly. I was not among many people who worked there. They sometimes came to us and asked permission to look at me if I was really there. It was some kind of a zoo. It was tough. Only men were in my field, and women occupied low positions there. It wasn't everything very smooth. But I had big achievements working in magnetic refrigeration field, which is a new technology for cooling and heating technology about energy. It's not working yet on a large scale, but we have made big progress. It's been accepted to production and management, and it's being transformed to a national scale and world scale. We don't have many women who do work in this field. Unfortunately, not many American girls go into it. They have Chinese students and scientists, mostly from China.

04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

I'm single and have a daughter who lives in Chicago while I live in Denver. Mostly in my life right now, I'm taking care of my health. I do pretty good in aspects of my health. Education has always been important to me. I never stopped learning myself, and the educational aspect was a big part of my job. I always kept getting education throughout my career, and that continues to be a core value for me.

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