Her Story
About Roberta
I started my career as an analytical chemist in the fashion industry and was promoted to senior chemist where I developed methodologies and handbooks still in use today. I worked at SGS directing a team of 15-23 people, deploying an FDA lab, achieving low detection limits for chromium-6 and PFAS analysis, and setting US as reference over China. I have also worked at Bright Test Laboratories, Petrobras, and ExxonMobil. Currently I am a scientific consultant at Vartas Laboratories while also helping place people in STEM jobs and training women for interviews.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Roberta
01What do you attribute your success to?
My success comes from resilience and a lot of study. I spend most of my days still studying, doing research, and looking for new information. Studying and researching is part of my job to know what is working now in science.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
One of my managers at ExxonMobil told me that in order to succeed, I need to know everything he knows. If I hold information, the company will always need me in this position and I'll never move up. Passing knowledge and showing everything I know made me grow and be successful.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Never give up. Trust yourself. You know enough. You know what you know. Trusting my feelings, my knowledge, and what I know was a good way to keep going despite challenges.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge is seeing successful women in high positions like directors and managers in science. It's a great opportunity for women to go there, face those situations, and succeed. We bring more sustainable arguments to meetings.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Be true to yourself, trust your feelings, trust your knowledge, trust what you know, and always learn. There's always a learning point in any situation, whether succeeding or failing, and use that to grow.
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