International Day of Women and Girls in Science

 

"I’ve always been very curious and wanted to know how things worked, so I think that naturally led me into the sciences. I’ve also always been motivated to help and serve people which drew me into public health."

LCDR Kelly Henshaw

Geospacial Analyst

How long have you been in science and technology?
My whole life? I think I can at least start counting from high school and college when I really got into chemistry, which ultimately led me into environmental health. I have been with ASPR for almost three years.

Do you have a specialty or focus area?
My primary field is environmental public health. I also really enjoy geographic information science (GIS) which is related to my current role at ASPR and can be used as a tool within many scientific fields.

What motivated you to take this career path?
I’ve always been very curious and wanted to know how things worked; that naturally led me into the sciences. I’ve also always been motivated to help and serve people which drew me into public health. When I discovered I could use my love of maps (GIS) as well to help emergency response work, I jumped at the opportunity to work at ASPR.

What specialty training or education prepared you for this career path?
I earned a Master’s of Public Health in Environmental Health, and later a Master’s in Geographic Information Science. I started off with bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and biology.

What would you say to a woman who is considering a career in science and technology?
Go for it! Science and technology can open so many opportunities (and adventures!) for you. There are lots of different options and fields that are encompassed by that, meaning you are likely to find the one that most interests you. By laying a solid foundation in science/technology in general, such as building the critical thinking skills necessary throughout the disciplines, it can allow you to move between and explore different fields like I did.

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