Her Story
About Andrea
Andrea dAquino is a chemist and material scientist by training. She earned her PhD in chemistry from Northwestern University, where she conducted research in chemical synthesis. She then pivoted to material science and biomedical engineering for her postdoctoral research at Stanford University as a Schmidt Science Fellow. There, she developed new materials to improve treatments for type 1 and type 2 diabetes. After her postdoc, she explored science communication and community outreach through freelance writing, photography, and contract work with scientific organizations. Andrea is now seeking a position as a research scientist in chemistry or material science at a biotech company or university, driven by her passion for solving human health challenges and her commitment to community and growth.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Andrea
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to a lot of my community. It took so many people to kind of get me to where I am today, and I attribute that to many mentors, many leaders, many friends, coaches, people in my life who either gave me good advice or just encouraged me, believed in me, or supported me in my journey. It's really the people, I would say.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice is to embrace courage, remain curious, and follow what you're excited about, not necessarily what other folks are doing or where the funding's at, but do what inspires you and what motivates you.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don't be afraid to fail. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Don't be afraid to experiment. Don't be afraid to try something new. Embracing the courage to try new things, to experiment, to fail is so important in life, and especially in science. Embrace the mistakes. Embrace the falls, and just know that that's how you grow and how you learn.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Some of the biggest challenges that my field faces: funding areas of research that most importantly impact marginalized communities, women, people of color, low-income folks. We need more funding in those areas, more resources, and more people who care about those topics. Within the sciences, we need more women and minorities in more powerful positions in academia and in industry. We need more women leaders in the sciences.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
My values are first up probably at the top is health and well-being. I think it's so important to take care of yourself and take care of your family and friends. Community is so important above making money and being successful in your career. Having and supporting a really good community is so important. I also really value learning and a growth mindset. I think that has gotten me through so many big changes in my life and has allowed me to pivot many times throughout my career.
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