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Catalina LopezCorrea @clopezcorrea
, 21 tweets, 43 min read Read on Twitter
I was born & raised in #Medellin Colombia, an amazing & vibrant city in the middle of the mountains.

Please do not mention #Narcos or #Escobar when you hear Medellin!

Medellin is much more than that #eternalspring #innovation #Entrepreneurship #mountains #coffee #greatpeople
I was born & raised in #Medellin Colombia, an amazing & vibrant city in the middle of the mountains.

Please do not mention #Narcos or #Escobar when you hear Medellin!

Medellin is much more than that #eternalspring #innovation #Entrepreneurship #mountains #coffee #greatpeople
Went to a great school in #medellin & at 17 started #medicine not because I wanted to be a clinician but because I liked the #science & my family and #mentors told me #medicine was broader and could open more doors for me #VoicesIWS #Thread☝️@IWS_Network
The big dilemma for me was #Medicine or #Biology
I initially choose #medicine and don't regret it...it opens many doors!
But my heart was always with #biology
Balance between #Passion & #strategy
#VoicesIWS #Thread☝️/3
@IWS_Network #WomeninScience
The first big challenge was to leave the country to #followmydream : go to France!
W/ no #funding no #grants I only had one month covered by my parents.
I had to work as #babysiter #cleaner & all kind of #studentjobs to pay for french classes #VoicesIWS #Thread 4/
@IWS_Network
In France the road was bumpy! I had to get a #fellowship to be accepted to the Master. After many unsuccessful attempts I finally got a @Colciencias grant! Getting a #lab, getting a #grant getting a project, all big challenges. #VoicesIWS #Thread 5/ @IWS_Network
My first attempt for a PhD in Paris lasted 6 months 🙄 #PhDnightmare w/ worst supervisor! Decided to move to #Leuven in Belgium, got best #PhDsupervisor
Challenges: #quitphd new #project new #lab new #country new #language, new #culture #VoicesIWS #Thread 6/ @IWS_Network
With a #PhD & good #firstauthor publications 👍postdoc was the natural path BUT I decided to explore the #private sector 😉 #leaveacademia to work with a #biotech company in London! New #country #language #culture #NewJob #VoicesIWS #Thread 7/ @IWS_Network
In London I had my first job in a #biotech company, met my partner ❤️and got exposed to sales, marketing #Pharmaceutical companies...lots to learn & to #adapt #Bioinformatics #genomics #products #services #business #VoicesIWS #Thread 8/ @IWS_Network
Many challenges in London: computer stolen with last version of my #theses & #nobackup job nothing like i thought, #traveling the entire week 🙁 #VoicesIWS #Thread 9/ @IWS_Network
After the UK (London & Oxford), the next adventure for us was Iceland! #backtoscience #backinthelab #Genomics and again, new #Country #language #culture working for @decodegenetics was amazing! 👍 #VoicesIWS #Thread 9/ @IWS_Network
Iceland was great #outdoors #NorthernLights #expatlife #Genomics new projects, new team, new opportunities! #VoicesIWS #Thread 10/ @IWS_Network
Iceland leads on #equalpay #GenderEquity BUT not for me! My less qualified/experienced MALE colleague was promoted to be my boss & lead the group 😡 #unfair #frustration #VoicesIWS #Thread 11/ @IWS_Network #WomenInSTEM
And here we go, the American Dream! From all places our next destination was Indianapolis Indiana! #pharmacogenomics #targetedtherapeutics #Hoosier #VoicesIWS #Thread 13/ @IWS_Network
As a triple minority (3L), visible and invisible, i am "used" to all kinds of #discrimination but the US was the first country we had to leave because of that! #Immigration #GreenCard VoicesIWS #Thread 14/ @IWS_Network
We decided to move to #Canada because of its #values #diversity #openminded #respectforpeople all great BUT finding a job -even w/ qualifications & experience- was a real #challenge #VoicesIWS #Thread 14/ @IWS_Network
Canada has been amazing to us, we both got great opportunities, but it has not been easy! #Hardwork #dedication #discipline limited jobs in our areas, #competition #VoicesIWS #Thread 15/ @IWS_Network
From studying #medicine doing a #PhD & living in 7 different countries, to being now a #ChiefScientificOfficer & #VicePresident the path has not been easy! #WomeninScience #womeninSTEM #womenwhoventure #womenintech #WomenEmpowerment #VoicesIWS #Thread 16/ @IWS_Network
After 20 years and 6 diferent jobs in #Science 🌎🔬 my advice for #WomeninScience:

* Dream Big

* Get the Right Education

* Work Hard

*Trust Yourself

#womeninSTEM #womenwhoventure #womenintech #WomenEmpowerment #VoicesIWS #Thread 18/ @IWS_Network
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