Salomé Llabrés Prat
She is a “Juan de la Cierva” researcher in the field of computational biology.
- Did you have any role models/referents growing up? Were they women? Were they from the scientific ambit?
My role model growing up was my mother. My mother got a PhD in Chemical Engineering but later, she gave up her scientific career to work as a pharmacist.
- Did you always think that you would get where you are now in your scientific career?
No, I didn’t. I meant to be a pharmacist but ended up pursuing a PhD in computational chemistry.
- Did you think, somewhere along the way in your career, that pursuing a career in science was not possible for you, given the gender gap?
Yes. I have two young kids (3 years old and 10 months old). It is specially challenging to be a junior researcher and a mom. Despite all the advances in the equality, parenthood is still more demanding for women than for men.
- To what extent do you think the male predominance in science conditions scientific research and disclosure? Has the situation gotten worse, better or has it stayed the same since you started your career?
Women are slowly reaching to the higher positions within the research environments. It has certainly got better since I started my career.
- Did you have any problems or challenges in your career because of your gender?
I experienced mansplaining and appropriation of ideas by male coworkers during my career, but I have been lucky enough not to have any serious problems in my career
- Send a motivational message to those little girls and young women who want to pursue a career in science but have doubts because of the gender gap or what their environment tells them.
You are good enough to reach your goals. Apply for your dream jobs even if you are not sure if you are qualified.