International Day of Women and Girls in Science
"Always take a step back, piece the picture together, and figure out a way forward when obstacles inevitably arise."
Heema Sharma
Medical Countermeasures Program Manager
How long have you been in science and technology?
I have been working in science and technology for nine years. I have been with ASPR for about two years.
Do you have a specialty or focus area?
My focus is outbreak response.
What motivated you to take this career path?
I took a human anatomy class in high school and discovered a passion for infectious disease. At the time, I thought my only option was to pursue a career in medicine. However, as part of my pre-med training, I did bench research and fell in love with it. I pivoted to pursue higher education from a research and public health perspective to further explore a future outside of practicing medicine. It opened a whole new world to me as I realized the field offered vast opportunities beyond the typical medical track.
What specialty training or education prepared you for this career path?
I received my Master’s in Biohazardous Threat Agents and Emerging Infectious Diseases from Georgetown University. I also received specialty training as a Technical Intramural Research Fellow with NIH to work in a high containment laboratory. However, while these experiences built my educational base and lab skillset, it was a completely different kind of training that has equipped me to succeed. I had the privilege to work with a manager who taught me to understand my work conceptually, think critically, and forge a path even in the face of persistent failure. This mindset continues to serve me today – to always take a step back, piece the picture together, and figure out a way forward when obstacles inevitably arise.
What would you say to a woman who is considering a career in science and technology?
There are three things I would tell my younger self and would share with anyone considering a career in science and technology:
- Science is a field rife with opportunity beyond the typical professions that come to mind. Don’t feel you need to stifle yourself to fit into a specific category. There are opportunities for you to find your niche, to be creative, and to build your own brand.
- Never stop putting yourself out there. Take a chance and speak to the guest lecturer for your class, attend conferences and connect with others in the field, reach out to university advisors and program managers. This network will help you find new and exciting opportunities that can take your career in unexpected directions. Don’t be afraid to pursue them no matter how much you may feel you are out on a limb.
- Failure is a big part of science. Whether it is a project gone awry or an experiment that you continue to troubleshoot, you will fail time and time again. Remember that science is an iterative process. Try not to internalize it, let it define your sense of self-worth or feed into any imposter syndrome. Instead, learn to thrive in the face of failure – understand what went wrong, explore your options, and adapt.
