Celebrating International Day of Women and Girls in Science with…
Karyna Howell
MSc student in Soil Science
What excites you about science?
I think science excites me so much because it empowers me with the tools to find the answers to questions that we all walk around with. For example, when we were kids, we all learned that plants needed soil, water, and sunlight to grow. We would put our little seed into a cup with soil and wait, and suddenly, a little green plant would pop out! Which was so exciting! And it stirred all these questions of why and how! Studying science in my undergrad and now in graduate school lets me get into the nitty-gritty of the biochemical pathways, the physiological structures, and the chemistry of the soil that allows that plant to pop out, which is a truly beautiful thing to understand.
When did you discover you enjoyed learning about science?
To be honest I think I always loved the scientific process because giving anyone the tools and methods to answer questions about the natural world is so empowering, especially when you are a kid.
Who is your role model?
My role model is the scientist Mae Jemison. If you don’t know who she is, please look her up. It is so worth it, but she is the true embodiment of her own quote: “Never limit yourself because of others’ limited imagination.”
What is the greatest challenge you had to tackle?
The biggest challenge I had to tackle was finding where I belonged in the scientific community. My final year of my undergrad in biochemistry, I felt so lost and disconnected from my goals. When I graduated, I decided I would try a lot of different jobs, which was the best decision I could have made because I found what I didn’t like and eventually stumbled my way here into something I love.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
I don’t have an exact plan but I plan to keep doing science and learning new things and see where I go!
Tagged with: 2024, Soil Science, Women and Girls in Science