Her Story
About Claudia
Claudia Carvalho is a biology and public health researcher and educator with academic experience since 2009. She currently serves as an Assistant Professor at Fort Hays State University, where she teaches biology and cell biology to pre-health students, advises pre-med students, and conducts research on antibiotic resistance genes. She holds a PhD in Public Health from Walden University, a Master's in Microbiology from Fort Hays State University, and a Bachelor's in Biology from Fort Hays State University. She began her career as a lab coordinator before advancing to her current role. Her professional values include integrity in science and resilience, and she attributes her success to surrounding herself with supportive mentors and colleagues.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Claudia
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the people around me, especially having a good mentor, advisor, or supervisor who understands my role and helps me succeed. Success is also about surrounding yourself with the right people who support your professional growth.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've received is to avoid burnout by not saying yes all the time. Even while pursuing your passions and dreams, it's important to take breaks because breaks are just as productive as staying busy.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don't give up. Your words matter and your opinion does matter. Make your voice heard and don't be shy about voicing your opinion or contributing. It can be discouraging when your ideas are dismissed but then a male colleague says the same thing and everyone agrees, but keep going.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Opportunities include experimenting with ideas at a small university, pursuing grants for undergraduate institutions, and starting outreach programs. Challenges include dealing with narrow-minded people in a small rural community and being an African-American Latino immigrant at a predominantly white university in rural Kansas.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
In my personal life, family is my biggest value as I am a family person. Professionally, integrity is essential especially in science to disseminate trustworthy information, and resilience to persist and not give up on things even when you don't have control.
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