Amy Mahady
Research Assistant
University of Oregon
Milestones
My road in life took a while to figure out.
First I volunteered at a vet clinic.
Then I went to college and did the pre-vet curriculum.
Then I worked in Biochemistry, Ecology, Microbiology.
Then I got a Masters in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology doing molecular phylogenetics on fungi.
Then I worked in Neurobiology looking at RNA differences in dorsal root ganglia development.
Then I worked in Biochemistry working on Myotonic dystrophy, an RNA disease.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Career
Research Assistant
I perform research, manage a lab, and teach others to do the same.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Science
Art
Problem Solving
Day to Day
A great day at work is when I resolve a conflict between two people, help someone with the wording on their paper, replicate results that confirm a hypothesis, and develop a technique that is faster / easier / cheaper. Some days this happens, often some of the things here happen, occasionally there is total failure. That's okay. Even through failure can we learn something.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for high school students
Look around. 1.) Volunteer at the places you think you might one day be interested in working at. I volunteered at a vet clinic and I found out I loved the science but not the medicine. One trick: apply for a job that you don't have the credentials for but offer to work for free. 2.) Join a volunteer service: Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, AmeriCorp. You need a mixed bag of leadership and other skills. 3.) Find a mentor to encourage you. 4.) Interview an expert, you'll be surprised by their answers.
Recommended Education
My career is related to what I studied. I'd recommend the path I took:
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Friends:
"Can you even get a job?" "Can you support yourself?" "So, how many years in school does that take?" "It's a man's world, you probably won't end up doing it." "Are you going to teach?"
Challenges I Overcame
Financial
Drugs / Addiction
