Jessica

As we all know, we are capable of anything! We are currently going through one of the most exciting times in Science right now where the technology we are using seems to be out of this world. We are learning new things everyday about ourselves mentally, physically,… genetically? What am I talking about…..well well, have you ever thought….what exactly am I made of and why am I different from everyone else? Let’s begin from the beggining, you are made of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) that is stored as a code made up of four chemical bases: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T).   Now, lets talk about GENES. A gene is the basic physical and functional unit of heredity. Genes that are made up of DNA, act as instructions to make molecules called proteins. Now lets talk about your GENOME. A genome is an organism’s complete set of DNA, this  includes all of its genes. The genome contains all of the information needed to build and maintain that organism. Human DNA consists of about 3 billion bases, and more than 99 percent of those bases are the same in all people.

Where am I going with this. In April of 2003, the Human Genome Project (HGP) was completed. To make a long story short there were to two projects an international public-sector (collected blood from female and sperm from male donors) and Celera Genomics private-sector project (few different genomes was mixed and processed for sequencing. Craig Venter, the lead scientitst has since acknowledged that his DNA was among those sequenced. Soooo its HIS sequence! My opinion and others…). Anyhow, since then many genomes have been sequenced from bacteria to mouse. Currently, there have been 5 genomes sequenced, including Ventor, Watson, Xinhua-Han (Chinese genome), Yaruba (African Genome), and some Korean dude (as my mentor names him).

Currently, one can pay for your genome to get sequenced by companies like 23andme,  deCOde Genetics, and Navigenetics for about $1,000-$3,000 or so. There have been criticism about these types of at home personal DNA testing. Several brave souls have gotten their genome sequenced by two of these methods and have found some similarities and more differences. Dr. George Church, a professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School is running a Personal Genome Project. Its mission is to “encourage the development of personal genomics technology and practices that: are effective, informative, and responsible,yield identifiable and improvable benefits at manageable levels of rik , and roadly available for the good of the general public.” Their goal is to enroll 100,000 informed participants from the general public, focusing on technology, science, ELSI (ethical, legal, and social issues), health care, personal knowledge, and products. Currently, they have already sequenced the first 10 participants called the PGP-10.

This means YOU, yes, YOU, can get your personal genome sequenced!!!My question here is would YOU be interested? If you either had to pay for it or get it for free? Many people I asked have replied saying, o no way! Why…fears of getting your genetic information displayed publically, insurance companies finding out your at risk of diseases, your job finding out your at risk of diseases, your family finding out your at risk of diseases, or you finding out your at risk of diseases.

As a student of Genetics and this growing field of NextGen sequenceing and personalized medicine….Yee Haa, I totally would! I actually already submitted my name to the PGP as a participant. I am curious however as to how they are going use my information. Can you beleive how much info they are going to obtain!

My main point………..What questions would you ask?

Maybe some of these pertaining to diversity…………….why are we different, is it in our genes?, what genes may dictate race/ethnicity?, if we are of a certain race/ethnicity do we have genes that put us at a higher/lower risk for diseases?, does our race even matter?

OR Maybe these……..why am I short?, why can’t I run a marathon?, why don’t I like reading?, or why don’t I like onions?     

OR positive ones……why am I great at science?, why can I dance my tail off in rythm all night and not be tired?, why can I ask silly questions and be really loud and not be embarressed? 

All I do know is that we all are different in our own way. We can all accomplish our goals and conquer our dreams. Here at Mayo Clinic there are people from all over the world who work here, learn here, and live here. We are at the leading edge of science and we certainly are pushing forward. Currently, Mayo contains several NextGen Sequencers (i.e. Illumina) and are anxiously awaiting a SOLID system. As a graduate student you get to see these accomplishments in action and sometimes be a part of it. Me…I’d rather be apart of it!!                                                   Jess

 Every year, the Organization of Student Representatives seeks nominations for 2009 Arnold P. Gold Foundation Humanism in Medicine Award, presented by the Association of American Medical Colleges with the support of the Arnold P.Gold Foundation.  This award is received from all medical schools across the country. Leslie King-Shultz along with Kamran Ahmed and Elizabeth Scoville, the other two OSR reps from Mayo organized this years efforts for nominations. The process included students sending emails to solicit nominations from members of all medical school classes.  Dr. Eddie L. Greene was chosen as the professor who contained many qualities which fit the award, these included positive mentoring skills, involvement in community service, compassion, sensitivity, collaboration with students, colleagues, and patients, and modeling the ethics of the profession. Dr. Greene’s name was submitted so many times by students who have worked with him that he was the obvious choice for this year’s nomination. 

Here are some kind words from students about Dr. Greene:

“He is able to engage students in such a way that they want to learn more from him, and he makes sure that everyone involved understands the material being covered. He is without a doubt one of the best instructors I have had not only in medical school, but throughout my life. He is an absolute superstar in teaching capacities.” Medical Student

“…he gave a lot of his personal time to his students, and was always willing to help. During my Ph.D. training, I ran into him a lot. He was always willing to stop and talk about my project and science in general. You can tell he loves what he does.” Former Student

Although, Dr. Greene was not selected as the finalist this year, all students feel he was certainly deserving of the award.

  On behalf of Mayo Clinic students and Diversity Bloggers Team, “Congratulations!!!” Jess

“525,600 minutes…five hundred twenty-five thousand moments so dear, 525,600 minutes…how do you measure, measure a year?” is the start of a famous song called “Seasons of Love” from the musical RENT. Well since you last read my thoughts and musings on this diversity blog—its been slightly longer than that—its actually been closer to 382 days or 550,080 minutes since my August 14, 2008 blog entry (rounding to the nearest day)…anyway, I figured I’d write down my thoughts on how 2008 ended and about 2009 so far as the year moves steadily toward the fall season which officially begins in less than three weeks time on September 21. When you last read my thoughts, I was breaking down what I thought the Olympics meant to China. I read that entry this morning and smiled. Not because I thought it was the greatest thing in the world, but because what I said a little more than a year ago is as true today as it was then. It might be even truer given how China owns a pretty substantial amount of US debt. In the past year, many things have occurred that have made me smile and a few things that have made me shed a tear. So I will bring all you out there in the blog hemisphere along with me for a walk through my thoughts… *

*Remember when Mr. Michael Phelps won eight gold medals at the Olympics? It was the last time I jumped off my recliner with such jubilation—both when Phelps out touched Cavic in the 100 butterfly or when Jason Lezak snuck in his fingertips to help the USA win the 400 freestyle relay by 0.08 of a second. I know I had a magical feeling that night.

**Remember when we all thought the stock market was falling through the ground, the first huge check was sent to all those Wall Street guys, Bear Stearns died, AIG was being about as irresponsible with money as possible (not that the other companies were responsible), and yes, McCain and Palin had made it interesting in the polls…only to have McCain say the fundamentals of the economy were strong, the stock market nosedived and Mr. Barack Obama started the final ascent toward the Oval Office…

**On a personal note: I remember vividly September 25, 2008 when I was at the soon to be vacated Metrodome for the best game I have ever seen. A 7-6 Twins victory that swept the Chi Sox, taking us into first place, and it was pandemonium inside that place. Visions of 1987 and 1991 were in my mind. I had never seen brooms brought to a baseball game before…I will never forget what will probably be my lasting memory of the stadium with a white roof and blue seats…

**Remember Election night 2008? No matter where you fell on the political spectrum, you had to admire the story of Barack Obama. You also had to admire the people who were inspired to believe that this country can do better, some for the first time. I generally am pretty skeptical about politicians (still am) but for one night, it was incredible.                         

Two quotes will sum up the night for me:

“If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.” President-Elect Barack Obama

“I have never had a president who inspired me the way people tell me that my father inspired them. But for the first time, I believe I have found the man who could be that president — not just for me, but for a new generation of Americans.” Caroline Kennedy in a NYT Op-Ed piece before the election.

I will never forget the look on the faces of the young people that night when they truly believed anything was possible—that the nation we all love and study in at Mayo, is a union that can always be perfected. Now Obama seems to be dealing with some tough times, but I hope that this fall we can come together to make the health care system better for everyone, not just those who have been incredibly blessed with great health care—like us at Mayo.

I call and challenge everyone at Mayo to get involved and speak up—Mayo is a great example of how medicine should be practiced…lets spread that message… **Remember what you did New Year’s Eve and your welcome to 2009 and goodbye to 2008?

**Remember the depths of winter? Well if you don’t, you will be soon reminded again…

**Remember when the stimulus package was signed and all the hullaballoo that created?

**Remember grad school interview weekend? I always enjoy these but this year it was different—this first year class is awesome! Just ask Amanda, Patrick, Danielle, Rachel, June, Fan Chi, Naomi, Mallory, or any of them. Again—awesome!!!!

**On another personal note: Since I last wrote to you, I have basically finished all of my classes (1 credit left to go) and I have passed my written qualifying exam. October 6th brings my oral exam. Wish me good luck. I also have traveled to present research at AAI meeting in Seattle—which was pretty awesome…I even got to fly out there first class for free…

**Remember when summer started? Seems like yesterday right? During the depths of winter, I encourage everyone to think of those days—playing volleyball or taking a walk along the river or smelling the fresh grass at Mayo Field watching our 2009 Northwoods League Champion Rochester Honkers or the fun BBQs you were a part of this summer? With that last thought, I will wrap this up with some final thoughts—over the course of the last year, I have traveled around the state a lot seeing some beautiful things—a week in Brainerd in July with my best friend Jacob and his family playing golf, fishing, and jet skiing, countless trips to my favorite city in the world, Duluth, back home to the Iron Range, playing disc golf with Justin, hanging out with Eric and Kat and having some great fires, and shooting a handgun for the first time in a long time…I even went to an authentic midnight mass on Christmas Eve/morning in Hibbing, MN, the birthplace of Bob Dylan…

What will the next year bring? In a lot of ways I sort of know, but in a fascinating way, other things are a mystery…that’s the beauty of life right? But one thing I do encourage each and every one of you to do before Labor Day is this: Get up to St. Paul and go to the Minnesota State Fair…it is a great time to relax, walk around, learn something about the state you are getting a fabulous education in, and see the diversity of MN. You can say that there isn’t any of that here if you want to be ignorant. But a walk through, for example, the Fine Arts building at the fair will vindicate my comment that we are more diverse than you think. And the food is wonderful as always…the picture I place below here shows you the spectacle that is the “Great MN Get Together” with a quote that sums it all up—I saw this last year! “I’ve always loved the fair. As a kid, I loved it for the rides and attractions. As a teenager, I loved it as a place to take dates and hang out with friends. But as an adult, I love it as a showcase of the skills and talents possessed by my friends and neighbors, and as a lingering slice of Americana. When I walk onto the fairgrounds, I feel like I’m walking back in time.

I hope you enjoyed my walk back in time. Until next time, your friend and colleague, JJ

Hola!

Please enjoy my interview……………

Click on the link to hear the interview or silva-interview.  (If you have difficulty viewing the movie, please try this link: silva-interview-v6.)

If there are any new or interested graduate students out there with questions PLEASE ask away! Also, new graduate students (MGS, MSHS, MMS, MCME, MSGME, or others)….good luck on taking your first grad courses and remember it may seem hard and you may stop to think if you belong in grad school…but dont worry, YOU DO, we all go through this! Just keep your head lifted high and push through it.

 If you have problems opening the movie..here is a quick and nice summary of video!

When did you start work/school at Mayo Clinic? 2004 participated as a SURF (Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship) in Rochester, then came back 2006 as Pre-doctoral student

How did you become interested in or hear about Mayo Clinic? I heard about Mayo Clinic when I worked as a student technician in a medical oncology laboratory at UTHSCSA (University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio) while in college. I then applied to be a SURF! 

What do you do here at Mayo Clinic? What is your area of specialty? Currently, I am a fourth year pre-doctoral student in the BMB department with my focus in Cancer Biology (Genetics). My area of interest is focusing on identifying new novel long non-coding transcripts which I term NNK-induced transcripts (NiTs) and their association with cancer. 

Do you participate in any organizations, societies, clubs, memberships, professions at Mayo Clinic and/or Rochester community? At Mayo Clinic I participate in the IMSD program and manage the best blog in the world!? (By this I mean the Diversity Blog…for those of you falling to sleep…ha). In the Rochester Community, I am a Nursery Minister and a Social Justice Minister at Pax Christi Church. I am also a member of American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) and a proud Cambridge Who’s Who Member among Executives, Professionals, and Entrepreneurs. 

How does working at Mayo Clinic Rochester location differ from your hometown or where you attended school? Well, where do I begin…1.) I hadn’t seen snow since I was 5 years old!!! Yup, this poor little Tex-Mex girl has been freezing her tush off here in Minnesota. I was actually known as the “crazy Texan girl who was taking pictures in the snow” during Mayo Graduate School’s interview weekend. It has been very cold here in Roch but I have become a little more accustomed to it as the years fly by. 2.) Rochester community is very different than San Antonio. It is predominantly Mexican American population with lots of culture and great Mexican food! Not to say Newt’s hamburgers aren’t great, but you need to go up to the cities (Minneapolis) to get some flavor! I tend to put lots of pepper and jalapenos on everything I eat :) 

Do you consider yourself diverse? Well, do you think I’m diverse???…………I love Country, Spanish Rock, Mariachi, Tejano, and Hip-Hop music. I own two pairs of cowboy boots (one is made of lizard) and several cowgirl hats. I love archery (I have a hot pink bow with matching arrows) and have been to the shooting range. I can dance to just about anything salsa, tango, waltz, swing, hip hop, cumbias, etc. The majority of my sentences contain “Ya’ll”, “Porecito/a”, “Si/No”, “Mija”, “Darling” or “Sangwich”; not in the same sentence of course and not in that order. (ha) I talk really loudly and I use insane gestures with my hands when I talk. I love science and own the Journal of Science’s Human Genome Project T-shirt that has Chromosome 1 covering it entirely! (It’s pretty awesome!) Finally, I love cooking and I love eating very spicy foods!!! I think that’s fits me……Tex-Mex Woman in Science!

What types of hardships or hurdles did you have to overcome to get your education or profession at Mayo Clinic? Well, to begin I didn’t grow up with lots of money; my parents divorced when I was very young and we moved into our grandmother’s house in a pretty bad neighborhood. I started working to support myself when I was 16 years old and continued working full time throughout college until I came to Mayo. My mother was also diagnosed with cervical cancer while I was in college and I took very good care of her. (She has been cancer free for 7 years now!!!) Although, there were many hurdles and hardships throughout my journey to get to Mayo, my strong religious beliefs and lots of love and support from family, friends, and great mentors allowed me to be where I am today. 

How has being from a diverse background helped you succeed in getting your education or profession at Mayo Clinic? I am a recipient of the AACR Minority Scholar in Cancer Research Award. I am also an IMSD fellow and I run this blog…….woohoo! 

Coming from a diverse background, do you feel that people treat you different at Mayo Clinic or Rochester, MN? Honestly, YES of course. Not always in a negative manner but if there is a program, group, committee, or club that contains anything to do with minority students (being the only Mexican in the graduate school…currently) my name tends to be called upon. I’m just extremely happy that I enjoy being an advocate and I have a very good way of getting my voice heard! In Rochester….lets just say, I stand out in a crowd. 

Do you feel that diversity plays a role in the education you are receiving (grad/med school, IMSD) or as a professional at Mayo Clinic? If yes or no, explain. I don’t think diversity plays a huge role in the education I am receiving. I think I am fortunate to have been accepted into the Mayo graduate school program and think they push all of us to be the best we can actually be and even better. The IMSD program however, does stand out in the aspect that we get to meet several successful researchers and doctors of diverse backgrounds. We also have a very nice community of diverse students who get to come together and help each other out. 

Do you think Mayo Clinic and/or Rochester, MN and/or your program is diverse? Does this affect you? Would you change it or leave it the same? If you would make changes, what would they be? Please explain.  Mayo Clinic is diverse, with people coming from all over the world….Rochester not so much. I do think the graduate school has some diverse students but I can count them in one hand. I think it would be nice to see more familiar brown beautiful faces; however I think the times are changing and things will hopefully be different in the future. One thing to note…is that there are many females compared to males in the program, which I think personally, is awesome!! YOU GO GIRLS!! 

If you have any other comments/points/reflections about diversity, education or Mayo Clinic please use this space to comment. With all in all said above, Rochester may not be the most diverse place, may not have the best enchiladas verdes or tamales, and may not be the sunniest or hottest place in the world. However, the WFMC (World Famous Mayo Clinic) is located in Rochester and the best graduate program, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine Graduate School, is in Rochester so what else could you ask for…there’s low crime rate, no traffic, you can get anywhere in 5 minutes, all roads/buses lead to Mayo, its inexpensive to live, and if all this doesn’t help you can always go to Mayo Jacksonville or Mayo Scottsdale locations! ….One thing to note is that you will get the best education here at Mayo, whether it is in medicine or basic science, and this will always open many doors for you in the future!! 

 Your TEX-MEX Queen, Jessica Monique Silva   

Updated: 8/12/09

Name:  Marina Ramirez-Alvarado

 When did you start work/school at Mayo Clinic? April 1^st. 2002

How did you become interested in or hear about Mayo Clinic?When I was a postdoctoral fellow at Yale studying mechanisms of amyloid formation using a model system, I attended the FASEB amyloid meeting and met Angela Dispenzieri, currently a professor in the division of Hematology here at Mayo. She expressed interest in having a basic scientist working on amyloidosis working at Mayo. I was starting to get ready to consider options for independent investigator jobs in the Midwest (my husband is from Afton, Minnesota). I visited Mayo very informally the summer of 2000 and gave an informal seminar to the division of Hematology in December of 2000. The department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology advertised two assistant professor positions in January of 2001 and I applied to the job. The rest, as they say, is history.

What do you do here at Mayo Clinic? What is your area of specialty?  I am a protein biochemist interested in the mechanisms of amyloid formation in light chain amyloidosis, a rare and devastating hematologic malignancy and protein misfolding disease. My lab performs biochemical, biophysical and cell culture studies. We work together with a team of hematologists and nephrologists that manage the treatment of patients suffering this disease.  I am the team leader of a group of talented technicians, students and postdocs. My first PhD student (Dr. Liz Baden) graduated in January of 2009. I serve as principal investigators on grants from the NIH and American Heart Association and as co-investigator on an NIH funded clinical trial project. I co-direct the advanced course on Biological Macromolecules in the fall and lecture in the Genome Biology and Molecular Biophysics courses for first year graduate students.  I am part of the advisory board for the IMSD program here at Mayo. I have served as the BMB department seminar series coordinator, BMB SURF director, member of the BMB education committee, member of the MD/PhD admissions committee and a member of the CTSA curriculum committee for the pre-doctoral program.

Do you participate in any organizations, societies, clubs, memberships, professions at Mayo Clinic and/or Rochester community?  I have been a member of the IMSD advisory board for 4 years. I am a member of the Association of Women in Science.  I am an active member of the PTSA in my son’s school (Rochester Montessori School) and have co-chaired 3 fundraising events to continue to build the outdoor environment and to increase the energy efficiency at his school. I am a dedicated Christian and serve as a member/missionary of People of Hope, a Lutheran church in mission here in Rochester. I participate as worship leader, and sing and play the guitar as a member of the praise band during worship services. I have participated in the Habitat for Humanity Women Build project and hope to participate in more Habitat for Humanity projects.

How does working at Mayo Clinic Rochester location differ from your hometown or where you attended school? Rochester is a very small city compared to Mexico City (current population of the Greater Mexico City area exceeds 20 million people, the third largest metropolitan area in the world). Mexico as a whole is a very young country: half of the population is under the age of 25. Mexico City has very mild weather with minor changes in temperature and sun light throughout the year so Rochester is very different from where I come from. I understand diversity as having people from different cultures and ethnicities. With that in mind, Rochester is far more diverse that Mexico City in my opinion because there is representation of a wide variety of cultures and ethnicities here in Rochester. Mexico City is populated mostly by people of Mexican origins.

Do you consider yourself diverse? I consider myself diverse. I am a Mexican-born woman and I am very proud of my Mexican heritage and my culture. I am a history buff and have carried around with me all throughout my scientific journey books about the history of Mexico. When I was in college, I learned how to speak the ancient Aztec language. My husband is an US-born American citizen. We encourage our diversity by celebrating our holidays both in the Mexican and the American way. I speak to our son only in Spanish. However, I don’t think that being diverse means being isolated from the numerous cultures and heritages living in Rochester and in general in the US. Being diverse gives you the responsibility to teach others about the true nature of your ethnicity, to become an ambassador of your culture and to create bridges.

What types of hardships or hurdles did you have to overcome to get your education or profession at Mayo Clinic? Did your diverse background have a role in these hardships? I am the only one in my family with a graduate degree. My oldest brother and I are the only ones with a college degree in my family. My family had to make tremendous sacrifices to offer to all of us a private, bilingual education and I am forever grateful for the opportunity. I always liked to travel and when the opportunity came to study abroad, I took it enthusiastically. I first felt that European students and scientists were ‘better’ than me and I was not part of their ‘league’, but little by little I realized that my Mexican colleagues and I had the potential to be as talented scientists as anyone in Europe or the US and what most of my Mexican colleagues lacked was English proficiency.   Once I felt ‘part of the big league’ I never felt any different in terms of my education.

There have been numerous hardships and hurdles in my journey as an independent investigator at Mayo. However, I don’t think that my diverse background had a role in these hardships in a direct way. In the past couple of years I have learned that women in general tend to volunteer to do more of the thankless duties in a department compared to our male counterparts. We do this because we want to contribute to our community and be good citizens but more often than not we end up spreading ourselves too thin and losing the precious time we need to think. This happened to me. With the help of my mentor, Grazia Isaya and my department chair, I drastically reduced my commitment to things outside my own research and started appreciating the importance of focus on our work. Since the reduction of my outside committees happened, I have started two new lines of research in my laboratory, so it has definitely paid off.

I also think that women and men deal with hardship differently and that in general women tend to be harder on them than men are. This is true with the way we deal with paper rejection and bad grant scores.  Last, but not least, women’s schedules tend to be busier because women are in general in charge of most of the household responsibilities, child care, family care, elder care, connections and social life in general, so when we go home, we have a full schedule of activities and duties to cover. I am always running around and I have a full schedule even on weekends. I tend to do more than one thing at a time. I don’t have time for casual chats in the corridor or to socialize with my colleagues and sometimes that makes me feel that I don’t belong to the “club”. I do a lot of my thinking when I am alone driving or while I take a shower. Any moment counts since the priorities in my life are such that preclude me from having much time left for anything. I don’t regret my very busy life since this is my choice, but I recognize that there are dramatic differences between what I have on my plate and what’s on my colleagues plate. I think that little by little my male colleagues recognize the differences in responsibilities that women scientist have outside of the work environment.

How has being from a diverse background helped you succeed in getting your education or profession at Mayo Clinic? The only thing that my diverse background has helped me relates to the start up package when I was offered a job at Mayo.  Mayo was trying to come up with a package that could fulfill my equipment requirements. During one of these negotiations, I was told that I could get extra 10,000 dollars for equipment because I am a minority and there had been a fund to support minority recruitment. I joked with my administrator that I should get 20,000 dollars because I am a double minority. I didn’t get the extra money…

At this stage of my career, there are very limited opportunities for grants geared towards diverse people compared to the opportunities found for students and postdoctoral fellows.

Coming from a diverse background, do you feel that people treat you different at Mayo Clinic or Rochester, MN?Not really, although I try to be very friendly with people all the time and sometimes people turn away and don’t make eye contact with me. This happens on the street, in my floor, and all around campus. I don’t think this is because of the way I look; it is mostly because some people are used to minding their own business and may feel that my smile may be an intrusion to their personal space. In Mexico, we have literally no personal space and you can start a conversation with anyone at any point.

Do you feel that diversity plays a role in the education you are receiving or as a professional at Mayo Clinic? I have been really pleased to see the emphasis on diversity here at Mayo, mostly from our College of Medicine (IMSD, graduate and medical school).  I have also been involved with some initiatives to help professional women to develop their careers here at Mayo. A lot is being done and a lot needs to be done and part of my role as a diverse woman in science is to identify issues that are important to maintain a diverse education environment and workforce here at Mayo and to work together with the different groups involved in making changes.  It is not going to happen overnight, so we have to be patient, but we cannot become complacent either.

Do you think Mayo Clinic and/or Rochester, MN and/or your program is diverse?I believe that we are making great progress in having a diverse Mayo Clinic, particularly in our College of Medicine but more needs to be done. My department is unfortunately not diverse. I am the only faculty member of diverse ethnical background out of 55 members. There are only 8 female members of our faculty (2 in Scottsdale) according to our website. Only 2 women have primary appointments in our department. Mayo is not alone in this regard. Numerous studies have shown that there is no bias with any gender in medical school and the disparity has greatly diminished in graduate school in Science Technology and Mathematics (STEM), but at the academic independent investigator level, there is a disparity between male and women professors that becomes worse and worse as faculty members become more and more senior.  I don’t think there is a ‘magic bullet’ that will change this disparity overnight. The issues involved in this disparity are complex and hard to tackle. People of diverse background may not feel comfortable being one of a kind in a group of people (lack of mentors of their diverse background), so they may tend to go to professions or work areas where there are already more members of diverse backgrounds. In the case of women, many women that are about to become independent investigators may feel compelled to find a job outside academia because those jobs may be more flexible or adaptable to raising children and caring for elderly relatives.  Many women also take a less demanding job to allow their partners to fulfill an ambitious career. Some women leave academic workforce because they find the environment too isolating and family unfriendly.  Hiring freezes across institutions are making the problem persist since there is no opportunity to diversify the workforce at the moment, maintaining the disparity where it is.

Since we cannot change the hiring freeze at the moment, Changes could be implemented to make our environment more family friendly by finding out a good way to allow part time work opportunities for independent investigators. That will allow more women to fulfill their family responsibilities while still conducting basic research. At the moment, there is no such thing for investigators at Mayo or many academic institutions. It requires a carefully crafted plan approved by each Department together with the Research committee.

Other things that members of the diverse community can do is to understand that changes in the culture have to happen and they can happen if we communicate about how we feel with our male and non-diverse counterparts.

I also think that as a diverse person, I can make an effort to fit in with the rest of my colleagues and find common interests that will make us feel less isolated.  We have to move out of our comfort zone and start building bridges.

Reflection::: As members of the diverse community at Mayo, I believe that it is our role to become role models and cheerleaders of the future generation of diverse scientists and we have a responsibility to do everything we can to be part of the larger community. We cannot isolate ourselves, we need to be brave and create bonds with everyone, regardless of their background. These bonds could be based on our passion for education, research or our medical practice. We are the bridges that will bring more diversity into our community.

Here is a little 10 pointer on how to survive graduate school that I found online at Bitesize Bio: Brain food for cell and molecular biologist by Suzzanne Kennedy. http://bitesizebio.com/2009/07/29/pointers-for-new-graduate-students/ (I even made a comment and she responded )

Some of my extra tips:: (1)asking senior students about the mentors you are deciding to do rotations with (they will be very honest to you!), (2) participate in school clubs, societies, etc. (this will help you meet other students), (3) Write down EVERYTHING!! Whether its lab notes, protocols, ideas that came to your mind, ways to improve something, or even someone you met that you like their research, and finally (4) love what you do!! If you are interested in your research you will prosper and be motivated to go into the lab everyday.
Let me know what you think and give those students out there more tips!!!

Jess

Posted by Jess

Name: Brittany Alexander

 When did you start work at Mayo Clinic? I started working at Mayo in 2008, during my sophomore summer in the Public Affairs department. This summer, I am in the Education department interning for the Office of Diversity.

 How did you become interested in or hear about Mayo Clinic? I heard about Mayo Clinic through Inroads— an organization that works with inner city minority youth and assist them with career training and professional development. Also, my dad is a new patient here receiving a kidney transplant.

 What do you do here at Mayo Clinic?  My position at Mayo is to identify materials, record short videos and draft text to refresh the MSHS recruitment site and also to help with initial stages of marketing and research for MSHS. I also help with the education diversity blog located on Mayo’s education web site.

 Do you participate in any organizations, societies, clubs, memberships, professions at Mayo Clinic and/or Rochester community? No, I don’t participate in any extracurricular activities here in Rochester, MN—although I would love to volunteer at the Ronald McDonald’s house.

 How does working at Mayo Clinic Rochester location differ from your hometown or where you attended school? Mayo isn’t that different from where I attend college. Both towns are small and not as diverse as my hometown in North Minneapolis, but both places have evident diversity. Just like Mayo, the minority population at my school is increasing and diversity is becoming more noticeable. It is more common in both places to see someone who looks like you. My hometown in North Minneapolis is predominantly of the African- American race, but there are also a variety of cultures and races that makes my hometown unique and diverse. As far as the weather, Minnesota is Minnesota! Hot summers and bone chilling winters is something that I am used too.

 Do you consider yourself diverse? Yes because I am an African American and because I am a woman. Although it is extremely common to see a successful African American woman or African American period, you don’t always see them where you are employed, especially in small cities like Rochester or Mankato. I feel that I play a big role in making Mayo and my school diverse, not only because of my color or my sex, but because of my beliefs and morals. They also play a big role in my diversity.

 What types of hardships or hurdles did you have to overcome to get your education or profession at Mayo Clinic?  Receiving an internship at Mayo wasn’t that hard of a fight because they are accustomed to difference in a way. But I will say that because I am a minority, I still have to fight a bit harder to achieve internships and jobs because of set stereotypes. 

 How has being from a diverse background helped you succeed in getting your education or profession at Mayo Clinic? I think that my determination and desire to learn is more helpful in my success than just my diversity. Most certainly my diversity has played a part in my success, but I wouldn’t solely place all of my achievements on it.

 Coming from a diverse background, do you feel that people treat you different at Mayo Clinic or Rochester, MN? Yes, I do. Unfortunately, people still live off of stereotypes and treat you based off of those stereotypes even if it is unintentional. That’s just how some people are raised or act. There have been a few occasions where I have felt uncomfortable walking into an office at Mayo and people have just stared or ignored me. I felt awkward, like I didn’t belong there, so I would stay to myself until it was time for me to leave that office.  There have also been times when I have been to the mall or grocery store and have been followed around, but this type of treatment I tend to ignore. I’ve dealt with it all my life and I feel that the more I am able to push past it, the stronger I am able to grow. My parents have always taught my siblings and me to keep our head up, even when we’re down because it will make us stronger, and this is what I do when I feel stereotyped against or ignored. Although I do have negative experiences, I have experienced positive ones too. There has been staff that has made me feel extremely welcome by acting as a resource for me and being helpful in my projects. 

Do you feel that diversity plays a role in the education you are receiving as a professional at Mayo Clinic? Yes I feel that diversity plays a role in everything in life. As far as it being a factor in my internship at Mayo, I definitely think that it has it perks and disadvantages. Being on a predominately Caucasian campus, being diverse can certainly earn you points in a variety of aspects, but the biggest disadvantage is that you still can sense a stereotypical environment at times. 

Do you think Mayo Clinic and/or Rochester, MN and/or your program is diverse? Does this affect you? Yes, I feel that my department is diverse and I think things are fine. Of course, adding more diversity to anything is a great, but I feel that my department is moderately represented well with a variety of minorities and a diverse staff.

 Interview taken by Jessica Silva

Name:  Jim Maher

 When did you start work/school at Mayo Clinic? Summer, 1995

 How did you become interested in or hear about Mayo Clinic? I was working as an Assistant Professor at the Eppley Cancer Institute at the University of Nebraska medical Center in Omaha.  A friend from Caltech visited Mayo in Rochester on a job interview.  He was impressed and sent me a note that I might be interested.  I responded to a position announcement in molecular medicine, came for a visit, and then found that a basic science faculty opening in biochemistry and molecular biology was even more attractive.  I had a fine position at Nebraska, but Mayo’s generous offer included some very unusual features that attracted me here.  The chance to continue to recruit and mentor PhD students (one of my favorite roles) was very important.

 What do you do here at Mayo Clinic? What is your area of specialty? My primary responsibility at Mayo is to act as a basic scientist in biochemistry and molecular biology and serve as principal investigator on competitive national grants from NIH and other funding organizations.  I spend more than half of my time in this role.  My laboratory (GU16) studies three general areas: 1) the origin of DNA stiffness and the proteins that enhance DNA flexibility, 2) artificial control of gene expression using small RNA molecules, 3) unusual cancers caused by defects in metabolic genes.  Through this work I serve as mentor for a variety of undergraduate and graduate students.  I have mentored 14 students to the PhD degree, with two more in process.  Part of being a basic scientist at Mayo is teaching.  I co-direct the fall Biochemistry core course for all graduate students, and teach a bi-annual course on DNA/protein interactions.  I also consult with Mayo staff interested in other scientific and medical problems.  This has led to our projects on aptamers applications in multiple sclerosis and our work on cancers involving metabolic defects.

 In addition, because of my interest in graduate education, I share responsibilities for serving the leadership of Mayo Graduate School as one of the Associate Deans.  This role involves overseeing strategic planning and management of the school and its ~150 PhD and MD/PhD students, along with SURF and MS students.  I chair the PhD admissions committee and very much enjoy this role.

 Since 2004 I have been fortunate to serve as director for two NIH grants that support diversity in future PhD scientists training at Mayo.  The PREP grant (postbaccalaureate research education) serves B.S. and B.A. graduates for 1-2 years of additional research training and education prior to acceptance into PhD or MD/PhD programs.  The IMSD grant (Initiative to Maximize Student Development) serves URM PhD and MD/PhD trainees in Mayo Graduate School.  Together, the two grants provide more than $500,000 in annual funds for student stipends and partial support of a management team including myself, and Drs. Karen Hedin and Dennis Mays. 

Do you participate in any organizations, societies, clubs, memberships, professions at Mayo Clinic and/or Rochester community?  I am a committed Christian and enjoy the opportunity to share how a personal relationship with Jesus Christ continues to affect every area of my life.  I serve the congregation of Autumn Ridge Church in a variety of ways, including as a musician (bass), lay teacher on the relationship between science, scripture and spirituality, and as the leader of various special projects including an original music CD in 2000 that raised $15K for Rochester Area Habitat for Humanity, the committee that oversaw design and construction of the church’s $14M campus in 2005, and management of the church’s annual Arts Series hosting national artists.

How does working at Mayo Clinic Rochester location differ from your hometown or where you attended school? Rochester is the smallest place we’ve ever lived (compared to Madison, Los Angeles, and Omaha).   This took some getting used to.  I tell the story of being stunned when we moved here in 1995 and there were only two bike stores in the phone book when I went to find a part for my daughter’s bike.  I calmed down when I realized that I probably only really needed one bike store.  I dearly miss Madison, which is both a state capital and home of a huge university.  I miss undergrads and the vitality and challenge to authority that they bring (these would both be good for Mayo Clinic).  I don’t miss the traffic of LA or Omaha.  I look forward to the day what a strong University of Minnesota- Rochester will attract thousands of undergrads to Rochester.  Although I enjoyed the lovely Southern CA weather, I love the seasons of the Midwest.  Omaha and LA were both more diverse places than Rochester.  However, that is changing and I am proud to be part of that change even as a white male.  I enjoy hearing from some of our students that Rochester is a national destination for Somali and Hmong people because these communities are better established here than in most large US cities.

Do you consider yourself diverse? My ethnicity and genetic heritages are not diverse for the Midwest.  I tend to think quite differently from the corporate side of Mayo Clinic (likely due to my training as a skeptic at the University of Wisconsin).    I am committed to enhancing the diversity of U.S. science my enriching the training of excellent URM students.  This will help American research to be effective and creative.

Do you feel that diversity plays a role in the education you are receiving (grad/med school, IMSD) or as a professional at Mayo Clinic?  Learning from the perspectives of other cultures and races is a tremendous experience.  It is one of my favorite aspects of directing our IMSD and PREP programs.  Getting beyond scientific training (job #1) to hear about student perspectives and insights in politics, public policy, spirituality, family relationships, and public service is a great experience.

Do you think Mayo Clinic and/or Rochester, MN and/or your program is diverse?  Despite excellent efforts, only certain training programs at Mayo reflect the degree of diversity seen nationally in America.  Our medical school and graduate school and SURF undergrad program are doing quite well in this regard.  There is room for improvement in our allied health staff and particularly our physician and scientist staff.  We believe that creating a diverse “campus” academic atmosphere at Mayo is a key step to recruitment and retention of students and workforce that reflect our national diversity.

Final reflections::::: My colleagues sometimes think it is weird that I tell my Mayo students that my goal as a faculty member is not to try to convince them (URM or majority) to continue on for a career at Mayo, but to leave the institution after training and thrive wherever their career leads them- telling the story of their remarkable experience as a trainee at Mayo.  This may be the best way to share with the world the great opportunities to enhance diversity while training in the very unusual and stimulating Mayo research environment.

Interview taken by Brittany Alexander and Jessica Silva