Color, Women and Scientists in Vogue!

At last! It is here! The time to embrace the journey we selected and so fiercely have held on to. Like the awakening of daffodils in spring, the cherry blossoms in D.C. and the first hints of spring, we are at a historic moment that speaks of opportunity, optimism and may I dare say, peace! Like hibernating bears—decreasing exergy expenditure to a minimum to keep vital functions going through the winter—we in science have gone through a year of isolation, devastating loss and a reckoning of the inequalities that plague our institutions and affect scientists of color. 

Faith, courage and enthusiasm have been hard to muster throughout this time. Yet, we must not ignore that it is data that could have better guided our response to the pandemic and science that has now given us vaccine options that bring promise of curtailing the severity of COVID-19. And while we were horrified by the events surrounding the storming of the Capitol, I dare you to put on your technicolor glasses, get your microscope or your telescope, and search for hope to get us through this next phase. 

I speak with joy and optimism. Why? We have a newly sworn in administration that has elevated the role of science adviser to the cabinet level. We have a woman of color and daughter of a scientist mother as vice president. More and more, our peers are actively speaking out to increase representation of people of color in physiology and other STEM disciplines. So, I choose to think of our times as an opportunity to take a deep breath, appreciate how far we’ve come and use that spirit to mentor and support our colleagues and trainees. 

Personally, when I read that Vice President Kamala Harris’ mother was a scientist, I could not help but reflect on the many times when I felt insecure and inadequate when leaving my children with their caretaker to go to the lab and start an experiment. I had mentors that tried to assure me that they would be OK even if I was not the one feeding them their bottle each time or helping their teachers supervise recess when they were in school.

I was convinced I was depriving them of my motherly love and that I was jeopardizing their chance for success. Fast forward 30 years, and here is an accomplished woman who will help lead our country through this pandemic. And I wonder: Did her mother have the same concerns and insecurities? I also wish I could travel back in time and tell Assistant Professor Patricia Molina: “Things will be OK; your kids will do fine; and oh, the places you will go!”

It is that spirit that I want to encourage our early-career scientists to embrace! It is also the message that I ask mentors to convey to their trainees. If your passion is there, if this is your life, if discovery and scientific exploration is what drives you, then roll up your sleeves, sharpen your minds and embrace the challenge. Breathe the excitement of the moment. Who knew you would be in vogue!

Patricia E. Molina, MD, PhD, FAPS, is a proud Brown mother of three. She is also department head of physiology at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans and past president of APS and the Association of Chairs of Departments of Physiology. 

This article was originally published in the March 2021 issue of The Physiologist Magazine.