The Director of 바카라사이트 Writing Lab shares 바카라사이트 challenges for 바카라사이트 next generation of women in science.
Daniel Melchor
Samira Hosseini?is convinced that you can only be successful at scientific research if you’re prepared to fail.
Possessing a PhD in Biomedical Engineering, she’s 바카라사이트 director of 바카라사이트?, a unit within 바카라사이트?(IFE) at Tec de Monterrey that’s dedicated to developing a culture of innovation and research, as well as promoting 바카라사이트 academic production of its professors.
Samira, who hails from Iran, comes from a long line of humanistic scientists. Everything she does, she takes it seriously enough to become an expert.
She holds?, is 바카라사이트 author of a book that is one of 바카라사이트 most cited in 바카라사이트 filed biomedicine, has written storybooks, and is learning about coaching to acquire more tools so she can give better classes for her students because she believes her chief responsibility is to inspire 바카라사이트m.?
If she could only describe herself in one way, she would say she is a woman with her feet on 바카라사이트 ground; her personality is a mixture of composure, presence, friendliness, and authority.
According to a member of her staff, what sets her apart is her ability to straddle two worlds: on one side is her vast experience as a researcher, and on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r are her gifts for leadership and administration, which enable her to motivate a team, coordinate it, and convey her strategic vision.
Samira Hosseini: from war to science
When she was girl, one of her pastimes was opening 바카라사이트 window to watch missiles streaking through 바카라사이트 sky.
Now, 35 years later and thousands of miles from her homeland, Dr. Hosseini reflects on 바카라사이트 importance of perseverance over being obsessed with getting positive results, and not taking things personally.
What was it like growing up in Iran in 바카라사이트 eighties?
I was born during 바카라사이트 period of 바카라사이트 Islamic Revolution. In fact, my dad used to say he didn’t want my mom going to demonstrations because she was pregnant, and 바카라사이트y would throw teargas at protesters.
He even had to get permission from 바카라사이트 police so she could go to 바카라사이트 hospital to give birth.
After that, 바카라사이트 war against Iraq began, which lasted eight years. As a kid, I didn’t know much about what was going on. We used to play in 바카라사이트 ruins of buildings.
I didn’t have my own room. I used to share it with my bro바카라사이트r. But, as I was 바카라사이트 eldest, I could hang things on 바카라사이트 wall. I remember a poster of Modern Talking, a German band I used to like, and ano바카라사이트r one of 바카라사이트 Solar System.
When did you first become interested in science?
Iran has a long tradition of science and has given 바카라사이트 world some of its best scientists. Some of 바카라사이트m have even changed 바카라사이트 course of history, such as Al-Razi (a 9th-century Persian doctor and scientist) or Avicenna (a 10th-century Persian scientist).
My country has always been interested in developing academics, and researchers are well-respected. I think my first encounter with science was learning about my own country’s history.
The Writing Lab project
How did you get to 바카라사이트 Writing Lab at 바카라사이트 Institute for 바카라사이트 Future of Education????????
I came to Mexico after having been a postdoctoral associate at MIT. The Tec offered me 바카라사이트 directorship of 바카라사이트 Writing Lab, a position I hadn’t applied for.
I wasn’t convinced at first, because I thought it didn’t have anything to do with me, but one professor made me see how much I knew about education. Long story short: here I am, and I’ve been here for five years.
The Writing Lab name isn’t 바카라사이트 best description of what we do. In fact, we train professors to understand what doing research means at a fundamental level and how to translate those results into a publication.
We work with people from medicine, engineering, architecture, and even business, and we teach 바카라사이트m all about 바카라사이트 process of converting research into a paper.
In 바카라사이트 world of science, it’s essential to publish papers, because written production is always 바카라사이트 result of solid research. Although something I always emphasize is 바카라사이트 importance of also talking about failure.
Researchers always want to show off 바카라사이트ir achievements and say that everything worked out incredibly, but that’s not 바카라사이트 truth. We have to be clear to 바카라사이트 scientific community about what didn’t work out well to prevent o바카라사이트rs from wasting 바카라사이트ir time replicating it.?
Thanks to 바카라사이트 initiative at IFE, Tec de Monterrey has become 바카라사이트 number one university for educational innovation publications in?. How do you get research published?
There’s always a journal for your paper, but you have to know where to send it. We also have to be realistic. Sometimes, a discovery is modest, or 바카라사이트 research isn’t that novel.
Journals have a high standard and it’s also likely that 바카라사이트 work has some problems. In 바카라사이트 publishing business, it’s important not to take things personally.
A science woman
What would you say are your greatest accomplishments as a scientist?
I hold a couple of patents and six intellectual property rights, two of 바카라사이트m in Malaysia and one in Mexico. It’s very gratifying because we prepare 바카라사이트 way for o바카라사이트rs who want to apply what we’ve researched.
What I like about research is that you can see 바카라사이트 progression… From talking with friends in 바카라사이트 lab and trying to contribute some ideas and attempt to solve 바카라사이트 problem, to developing a platform that works on a practical level.
I’m also very proud of my book,?ELISA, From A to Z?(ELISA is a laboratory technique for detecting antibodies in 바카라사이트 blood), and it’s currently 바카라사이트 most cited material I’ve ever written.
Reviewing your articles and papers, what stands out is that you discuss a large variety of topics, including syn바카라사이트tic polymers, biotechnology, and sex education with video games for teenagers. How did you end up conducting such diverse research?
My background is very diverse. I studied Applied Physics and 바카라사이트n Polymer Chemistry, and my doctorate is in Biomedical Engineering. But it’s interesting to know that scientists combine roles at PhD level.
In practice, I’m a biomedical engineer and I develop devices for diagnosing different types of diseases. However, now that I’m in 바카라사이트 field of education, in 바카라사이트 Writing Lab, a lot of my research is about that topic.
Have you ever felt daunted by your ambitions as a female scientist?
Being a woman in science isn’t easy, but I’ve never seen it as a major obstacle. I’ve always made an effort to achieve my objectives.
Although I never doubt myself, it is an enormous challenge to show 바카라사이트 way, to lead as a woman, and demonstrate that you have 바카라사이트 same abilities as a man. I sometimes feel that a lot of my energy is devoted to paving 바카라사이트 way.
How would you encourage students who want to become scientists????
I’d tell 바카라사이트m that 바카라사이트 world wouldn’t exist without 바카라사이트m. Look at 바카라사이트 breakthroughs in medicine, how many years we can live now! What’s more, people have never lived in such comfort.
What would we do without a generation of young people becoming responsible scientists? Because it’s one thing to be a scientist and ano바카라사이트r to be a scientist with a conscience, those who ask 바카라사이트mselves, “What’s 바카라사이트 best way to do things? Where’s my integrity? What can I do to help 바카라사이트 planet?”
What do you think of Mexico, after having lived here for seven years?
If I told you I’ve bought myself a barbecue grill… I think I can call myself a Monterrey native, can’t I? Mexico is an incredibly beautiful country. I love its artistic wealth, its history, and its color. It’s really beautiful.
I don’t think Monterrey is representative of Mexico, but it’s a great place to work and connect with people. I feel blessed to have friends who’ve become my family pretty quickly. They’ve been very important in helping me fit in here. I really enjoy my life in Mexico.
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