Girlstart’s Women in STEM weekly series highlights various women who are making a difference in STEM. Be inspired as these incredible women describe how they became interested in their field, provide insight into a day in the life, and share learnings from their experiences.

Suzanne Szewczyk

Research Scientist @ Gilead Sciences

Suzanne’s favorite subjects in school were always Science and Math, but she first realized she loved Chemistry in the 10th grade. Her love of these subjects led her to become a Research Scientist and we are so honored that she has chosen to speak with us today about her career and the ways in which she uses her skills to tackle important world problems like those in the medical field!

Can you explain what your job looks like?
I am a synthetic organic chemist by training and I currently work as a medicinal chemist at Gilead, a pharmaceutical company. I learned to synthesize complex molecules in a laboratory setting during my graduate education as a way to make compounds found in nature or design new molecules with interesting biological activities. Some examples of these activities include compounds that are antiviral or antibacterial. I currently use these skills to design and synthesize new molecules to be tested by biologists for their potential use as new drugs for human diseases.

What are your favorite things about working in research?
I am always inspired by the idea that science could help us answer almost anything about the world around us. Scientific research is like a never ending puzzle. It is much less about memorization and more about logic and creative thinking. I love working with my hands and appreciate being able to have a job where I get to do many things during the day, not just sitting at a desk. An understanding of science is really important to have as we often need to advocate for ourselves and our family when it comes to getting good medical care.

What type of projects have you worked on?
In graduate school I worked on synthesizing a complex neurologically active molecule found in nature. I also worked to develop new synthetic methodologies utilizing palladium and nickel catalysis. In my current role, I have been working on projects related to liver diseases and HIV therapeutics.

What would you say is your greatest accomplishment to date?
As someone who grew up in rural Pennsylvania and going to a small school, I never thought I could get into a school like Yale and complete my PhD. I am the only person in my family to ever receive graduate education. I also accomplished this as a woman in a field that is male dominated. Less than 10% of PhD chemists in industry are women.

Why is confidence in STEM so important for girls?
It is extremely important for girls and women to be confident in their intelligence especially in STEM fields. Women are still less likely to be in these positions than men not because they are not capable but because of the historic challenges women have faced and perpetuated sexism. I think a STEM education is one of the most reliable ways for women from any place or background to find success and work. Growth and innovation in STEM is a rapidly growing field in the world and in America. I hope more women will bring their creativity and diverse experiences to this field.

What words of encouragement would you share with girls who are interested in pursuing a career in STEM?
The best way to get a degree in anything is to never quit. Keep learning, keep applying and keep retesting if you have to, just don’t give up.