Talking to children about your career in science can be totally unpredictable.  Even when you prepare a nice presentation and in-depth discussion about the pros and cons of a career in science, children will always surprise you with their reactions and questions.
In my TED Talk, I mention a presentation I did about the results of an environmental health assessment to a group of girls who had participated in the study.  I was surprised to be asked about my high-heel shoes and my curly hair!  
On another occasion, I did a cow eye dissection at my daughter's school.  While the girls' eyes got super big and they covered their mouths in gasps, the boys ran away from the dissection tray.  One of them nearly fainted and had to sit down.  Another boy said he "barfed a little bit".  But slowly, once the children got engaged in the activity, they did not want to stop.  They marveled at the gooey vitreous, looked through the lens, and drew pictures of the colorful tapetum lucidum.  Years later, I'm known in the school as the "mom-scientist".  The father of one of my daughter's classmates said: "she curiously dissects even the fish she eats for dinner".  
So I should have been prepared when I was interviewed for a new TV Show called Mission Unstoppable to air Saturday Mornings on CBS starting October 12.  After the show, the producers asked women scientists to read questions submitted by children.  In this episode, we were asked: How Useful Would You Be In a Zombie Apocalypse?  According to my 12-year-old daughter, that's a thing...
In my response, I had more questions than answers because I don't know much about zombies.  Still, I'm a scientist and a mom, so I know I would be really useful if one day the zombies do come. ;) ​​

Watch the show on TV (Saturday mornings on the CBS Network) or subscribe to their Youtube channel here: Mission Unstoppable

“What?!  You want to interview me for a podcast about fashion?” I said on the phone, incredulously.  
I continued, “Before I say you are crazy, maybe what you mean is that you want me to talk about the environmental impact of the fashion industry?”  (This is something that I have written about in one of my most popular research papers, so that would make total sense.)  “No,” said Misha Kaura, the fashion designer, and podcaster who was calling me on the phone.  “I want to interview you about the role of fashion in your professional life.”
Until that moment, I had not consciously thought that fashion played much of a role in my career.  Sure, I like to look nice and presentable, but that is a long leap from being fashiony.  
Misha’s invitation made me think.  Hmm…  I guess fashion does play quite a role in my professional life.  I did mention in my TED Talk that when I present about environmental health to girls, they also ask me about my clothes, shoes, or hair.  This can get annoying, until you think about it from their perspective.  I don't fit the media image of a scientist, so the girls are curious.  
For the podcast, Misha asked me to talk about my career path and when fashion entered my consciousness.  So I had to recall that my biggest role models were my aunts.  You see, I grew up in the mountainous countryside on the island of Puerto Rico.  My aunts were all professional women, 6 of them were secretaries.  That they had these glamorous jobs was pretty rare at that time.  And I wanted to grow up to look like them.
I remember that my aunts would walk down our unpaved road with their work shoes in hand.  When they got to the bottom of the mountain where the paved road started, they would wash their feet and put their heels on to go to work in the nice offices in the city.   To me, that was what a professional woman did.  
Now that I am an environmental health scientist, some people have the idea that I work with trees and forests and wildlife. But in fact, I work in an office and lab in a big hospital in Manhattan.   
Passion for fashion is important to me because many people think that a woman scientist doesn't really care about fashion.  Why would we, right?  We tend to wear lab coats and anyway, a woman who is brainy can’t possibly care much about her appearance.  That's if you believe the media.
For me, the concept of fashion is aspirational and also inspirational.   Aspirational because being a non-traditional female underrepresented minority scientist, I needed to break those stereotypes to be taken seriously.  Therefore, I started dressing more like who I wanted to be, a professional.  Like my aunts.  Carrying my high heel shoes in my hand until I get to the paved road. Literally and figuratively.  
Inspirational because, as I said in my TED Talk, when I talk to my students, especially young women and girls, it's really important to them to see somebody they would want to emulate. Now that I have a 12-year-old daughter I see more clearly how important this is to them.  I want to say to girls and young women: "you can dress and look anyway you want and still be a kick-ass scientist.  If you don’t fit the stereotypes, so be it."
I personally don’t have a lot of clothes, but what I do have I like. Last year, I joined the No New Clothes for a Year pledge.  I made the year,  buying only a pair of walking shoes and underwear, but cheated by having my friend, Martina Dietrich make me a dress for my TED Talk.  I got the jewelry from my friend Jane Diaz.  
So in the podcast I said that fashion style is not about having a ton of clothes or being trendy.  It comes with getting to know yourself and being able to reflect that knowledge in your own style.   Style comes from being able to wear clothes that make you feel in control, whether those clothes are the kind you see on the runways or the byways. 
Yes, being a woman scientist has the advantage of forcing people to see your brain power rather than only being measured by superficialities. That must allow for all styles to be represented.  Once I was wearing a classic Diane Von Furstenberg wrap dress at work, when a colleague sarcastically asked me "are you coming to the seminar or to a cocktail party".  In fact, I was going to both!
Fashion style is about wearing and looking like who we are and who we  want to be.
Listen to the podcast here: https://passionforfashionwithmishakaura.simplecast.com/episodes/misha-kaura-interviews-dr-luz-claudio-ArYr0Fco

I should use a magnifying glass to be able to see the percentage of underrepresented minority women in the graph above. This graph, published in a paper written by officials from the NIH, shows the percentage of women and men underrepresented in academia (African-American, Hispanic, Native American, Pacific Islander...) and those that are "well-represented" (White, Asian).(1)
According to the paper, underrepresented minority women make up a healthy proportion of graduate degrees awarded, but our numbers dwindle at the highest levels of academia. There are hardly any tenured full professors who are women of color. I care about this because I am indeed a Puerto Rican, female, tenured professor, and I am NIH-funded.
Although the reality of this lack of people who look like me in academia stares me in the face every morning when I arrive at work, seeing it depicted in this graph makes me feel even lonelier.
I swear that I try to do my part to increase the numbers of underrepresented men and women in academia: I mentor. I develop and get funding for training programs. I recruit. I create networks. But there are many forces that contribute to the attrition of women and minorities from the highest levels in academia. Loneliness is certainly one that I can attest to, and also discrimination and exclusion, both subtle and overt. It seems to me that students come to academia, they see the struggle, and they leave thinking "I don't want to put myself through that". And I understand.
Many minority students have asked me "How do you do it?" "How do you persist?". Here are some of the things that I hope can help underrepresented students and faculty, both male and female, survive and thrive in academia:

1. Don't take it personally: When you feel excluded from meetings or opportunities in your job, and this happens repeatedly, it can really take a toll and erode your confidence. If you can objectively say that the reason for your exclusion is not due to your lack of expertise, then you must realize that the problem is probably not YOU. Realizing that someone else who looks like you may experience the same issues will take the burden off of you. If you are doing your best and are competent in what you do and you find that you are still excluded from opportunities at your job, know that you are not the problem. Discrimination or unconscious bias, whatever you want to call it, can destroy the confidence of even the most talented person. Don't let it get to you.
2. Question the reasons for your exclusion: Not taking things personally doesn't mean do not take an activist role. For example, if you find out that a meeting is happening to which you should have been invited because of your expertise, ask why you were excluded. Unconcious bias causes us to become invisible because we are just not thought of as "members of the club". I once was excluded from a business trip because the planning for it happened among colleagues who lived in the same high-income neighborhood. Since I live in a racially-diverse neighborhood, I was not thought of for the business trip even though it was in my core area of expertise. 'Out of sight, out of mind', so to speak. When I spoke up, the oversight was corrected and I was asked to lead the business trip. Sometimes you just have to take matters into your own hands and advocate for yourself.
3. Keep your head up: And I mean that literally. Experiencing persistent and repeated instances of exclusion due to overt racism or unconscious bias takes a toll on even the most confident person. Very few people can manage that without it eroding their own self-confidence. I know it can be very hard, but remind yourself of how far you have already come, in spite of all the obstacles. One of the hardest battles you are probably going to face is the one inside yourself. Maintain your dignity and know your worth.
4. Educate yourself: Even if your area of expertise has nothing to do with human resources, be armed with some knowledge about these issues. Become the "go-to" person in your department who knows about this stuff. It doesn't take getting a degree in race dynamics to become the most knowledgeable person in your office about underrepresentation in the workplace. Just by reading a few key articles you will likely be the most learned person on this subject among your coworkers and superiors. Share this information whenever you can.
5. Find allies: Is there someone in a position of power who understands your value? This person doesn't have to be someone of color. Mentors are important allies for sure, but there may be other people in your circle or just outside your immediate circle of colleagues who can also act as champions for your career. Is there a chairman who has cited your work at presentations? Is there a full professor whose lab you rotated through as a postdoc? Is there a course leader whom you helped as a teaching assistant? These can be people who can help you in times of crisis.
6. Laugh in the face of bias - This is hard. I know that feeling discriminated against is no joke. But as my mother says: "Hay que reir para no llorar". There have been times when I have found that a little laughter has made the truth bombs land more effectively. For instance, I was once asked to give a talk at a government agency. The meeting had been set up by email, so the organizers had never met me in person. During a coffee break, while I was checking the microphone, the head of the agency came to me and said: "Hello, are you Dr. Claudio's secretary? I'd like to meet him". Without missing a beat, I replied: "Surprise! I am Dr. Claudio, pleased to meet you". Noticing his awkward discomfort, I added with a smile: "Relax, it is a good surprise." After he recovered, he asked me if I would write a chapter for their report. I answered with a smile: "I would be delighted" and then I gave a killer presentation.
7. Defend others: Sometimes we can find it difficult to argue against unconscious bias out of fear that our actions may be viewed as self-serving. For many of us, it's easier to defend others than to do it for ourselves. If this is how you feel, find a more junior person who can use your help. Be a champion for someone else in your situation.
8. Propose solutions: Does it really help to complain about the lack of underrepresented minorities in your organization but do nothing about it? Propose some solutions. When your department announces positions available, distribute the announcements among your networks. Help identify seminar speakers from diverse backgrounds. Bring up the issue of diversity at meetings. Don't worry about sounding like a broken record, always being the one to bring up the issue of diversity. So what? Soon enough, others will catch on and you will not be the only one raising their hand about this.
9. Mentor: Being an underrepresented minority is a lonely feeling. It can be difficult to be the only person of color in your office. If you feel this way, surround yourself with students who need mentoring. Let it be known that you are a great mentor to other students, particularly for those who are underrepresented minorities. The word will spread and soon enough you will have more people who look like you around you because it will be known that you are a person to go to for advice and solidarity. You can help yourself by helping others.

Not everyone will agree with these ideas, but these are things that have helped me cope over the years. Some people may find these ideas not aggressive enough. Others may see them as too much. Somehow, I have managed to survive and in some ways, thrive in academia. These are some things that I would have told my younger self if I had known what I know now. This is how I persist.
___________

1. Valantine HA, Lund PK, Gammie AE. From the NIH: A systems approach to increasing the diversity of the biomedical research workforce. CBE Life Sciences Education 15: fe4,1-5, 2016

 In an interview for a Mother's Day article, a reporter asked me to talk about the best career advice that my Mother ever gave me.
My Mom gives me a lot of advice, but it has never been particularly career-oriented.  Nevertheless, I have found that her wisdom can be applied to all aspects of my life, including my professional life.
As I answered the reporter's question, I struggled to translate my Mom's advice from her original Spanish, not just because of the language, but because my Mom speaks in funny anecdotes that may not make much sense to you at the moment.
Writer Emily Moore, captured motherly career advice from my Mom and 12 other professionals in her article for Glassdoor.com, the employers rating website.
Here is the section on my Mom:
"Although my mother only has [a] middle-school formal education level, she is one of the wisest persons that I know... Roughly translated, one of the best pieces of advice that she has given me is 'Try not to lose the rope trying to catch the goat.' What she means by this is that when you have something (a rope, a job), don't throw it out trying to get the next thing (a goat, a venture) — that rope can help you catch many other goats if you learn how to use it.
I have heeded my mother's advice by building on my career from my steady base as a tenured professor.  From this position, I have written a book, built a consulting business and helped others build their own careers. So I feel that I have used my rope to catch many goats."

To read the full article and see pictures of each contributor with our mothers, click HERE .

Growing up in the public school system in Puerto Rico, I was taught Spanish and English starting in first grade. Although my fluency in spoken English wasn't great, the instruction that I received was good enough to allow me to read textbooks and scientific papers in their original English. Learning both languages helped me become a scientist.
When I came to the States to study neuroscience, the fact that my first language was not English was seen by my professors as a disadvantage, something that I needed to overcome. In time, I discovered that my bilingualism was, in fact, an advantage. Being able to speak Spanish and English opened a world of opportunities for me in my scientific research, my international collaborations and my personal life.
Now that I have a daughter, I want her to have the same advantages that being bilingual has given me. I believe this will benefit her future career and also will help her interact with her extended family in Puerto Rico. There are additional advantages to being bilingual that support this decision. Bilingual children are thought to have improved social skills and may have some advantages in cognitive skills.
However, it has not been easy to raise a bilingual child in the US. There is no foreign language instruction in most public elementary schools and only 18.5% of public school students take foreign language classes. In our household, Spanish instruction is important enough to warrant the extra expense of Saturday classes, Spanish books, and a conscious effort to speak Spanish at home. The biggest challenge has been my daughter's desire to fit in with her peers, which I can understand. What has been harder is the occasional intolerant comments from people who find it offensive when we speak Spanish in public, and worse, the occasional teacher or acquaintance who argues against it because of their own biases.
Every parent wants to give their child their best chance to succeed in life. Teaching my child my first language is just one way in which I try to do just that. I hope dual language instruction will open a world of opportunities for her future.
Dr. Luz Claudio is a tenured professor of environmental medicine and public health. She is the author of the book: How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper: The Step-by-Step Guide, coming out soon in Spanish.

Oprah Winfrey's speech at the Golden Globes was posted on my social media feeds so many times that I finally gave in. During a break from working 10-hour days on a major deadline, I clicked on the link with one hand while holding a bowl of plain rice (my dinner) on the other.
For the first time ever, I felt like one of these "celebrities" was speaking directly to me.
Me too, as a young girl of color, aspired for more than sitting on my mom's linoleum floor. And I too still look up to other people of color who have achieved the impossible -they have managed to be seen and heard.

Olivia was a star in my research team. Degree in epidemiology, totally competent in biostatistics, good writing skills, and wonderful at presenting seminars. All of that wrapped in a joyful personality. And even bilingual in English and Spanish. She is Puerto Rican, like me!
In short, Olivia was the perfect. Our research was going well when one day she came to me and said: "I am leaving research to become public school teacher".
After my initial shock, I don't remember (or don't want to remember) what my overt reaction was at her news. But I am quite sure that I was not supportive.  
I was "training" Olivia to become a mini-me. Go on to get her doctorate degree, become a faculty member, get her own lab... Now to see her jump off that track was disconcerting. Had I been a good mentor? Did I fail in steering in the "right" direction?

What work-life balance?!
It was my first book signing event at a national conference. 'Excited' did not begin to describe how I felt. Being able to present my book to a crowd of like-minded people was such a great thrill!
But when I realized that the dates of the conference conflicted with my husband's planned business trip, I went into panic mode. Will I have to cancel my book signing event? I had no one who could take care of my daughter for the weekend while I attended the conference. So, breathing deep and hoping for the best, I paid the train ticket to take my daughter to the conference with me. Had no choice.

​I was recently asked by a reporter about the mentors who helped me along my scientific career. I've been blessed with many mentors over the years, but one always stands out in my memory: Dr. Celia Brosnan. She was my main thesis mentor during the doctoral program at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Brosnan's method of mentoring me was simply this: focus on your strengths. 
Once she identified that I was a strong writer, she gave me more writing assignments. Getting some wins early in scientific writing gave me the confidence to stay in the program and to gain the other skills that I needed to succeed in STEM. I have found the hard way that not every mentor will do this.