Interview conducted and written by Modesta Abugu.
Mentors play a crucial role in the success of graduate students. They are not only vital in helping students grow and excel in their research, but also contribute to building next generation leaders with extraordinary mentorship style.
Dr. Martha Burford Reiskind is one of the female scientists who understands the difference mentorship makes for graduate students’ success and is working to change the system of academic mentorship in graduate school.
As an Assistant Professor of Population Genomics and Director of the Genetics & Genomics Scholars program at North Carolina State University in the United States.
Dr. Burford Reiskind helps young scientists value collaborative science and trains them on the skills they need to succeed in their program.
Dr. Burford Reiskind holds a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz and did a post-doc on evolutionary ecology at Cornell University.
In this interview, Dr. Burford Reiskind describes her career trajectory in animal genetics and genomics and shares some advice for early career women scientists.
It’s important to find your advocates. They are probably not in a position as vulnerable as you are. Find those people that can advocate for you.
Dr. Martha Burford Reiskind