Planned serendipity

Abstract

"I'm a bitch, I'm a lover, I'm a child, I'm a mother . . ." I could add "I'm a professor" to the chorus of the Meredith Brooks' song. The different aspects of my life each inform the other and make me who I am, and I really wouldn't have it any other way. At different times in my life, the balance among these roles has shifted, but overall I can say that I have been blessed with a fantastic partner, delightful daughter, and an engaging and successful career. I've often been asked to describe my career path and how I came to be a successful woman in science. During a leadership workshop, it occurred to me that the best answer was "planned serendipity." Many of the opportunities in my life often seemed to me to be the result of good fortune and circumstance, but upon further reflection, are linked to choices I made that put me in the right place with the right connections or skill set to be offered those opportunities. I think this is also true of my journey as a mother and professor.