Meet Dr. Beata Mierzwa
Beata is a Postdoctoral Researcher at UC San Diego, and the founder of Beata Science Art. Beata combines science and art to share the beauty of biology with the world. In the lab, Beata studies how human cells divide with the aim of improving the way cancer is treated. Along with her academic career path, Beata creates drawings, fashion, and video games to communicate science both inside and outside the scientific community. The mission of Beata’s science outreach is to get creative students excited about careers in STEM.
Outside of her work, Beata likes to unwind by spending time in nature or playing video games. She believes that there is so much to experience in this world (both real and digital), and is always trying to explore new places and try new things. Some of her other hobbies include drawing and crafting, which she has been able to turn into a science communication itself!
Postdoctoral Researcher, UC San Diego; Founder, Beata Science Art
PhD in Molecular Biology, University of Vienna & Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, 2016
Diploma in Molecular Biology (equivalent to a master’s degree), University of Vienna & ETH Zürich, 2012
Who influenced you to pursue an education and/or career in STEM?
While it’s difficult to pick just one person, a huge inspiration for me was my biology teacher in high school. Her classes were always chaotic because she was too kind to be teaching a room full of unruly teenagers, but her classes got me excited about all the fascinating things that make life possible, and she was the first person to suggest I check out our local research institute, which is where I ended up pursuing my PhD. Sometimes what matters most is not the facts that someone teaches you, but rather the direction they inspire you to take!
What has been your biggest challenge and how did you deal with it?
My biggest challenge is oftentimes my own doubt. It’s very normal in science to feel uncertainty because a big part of research is doing experiments that end up failing. It’s easy to forget that many experiments are something that nobody has ever done before, so of course it's going to take a few tries. Despite being aware that this is a natural part of the process, it took me a while to internalize this, but being able to take failure as a learning experience and keep going is very important both in science and in life.
What does your day-to-day role look like?
I usually start my day in the lab, where I grow different types of human cells, perform experiments, and use powerful microscopes to study how they divide. In the evenings and on weekends, I work on my science art and communication projects – this could be drawing, designing a new fashion item, speaking with students, or working on my video game.
“This is me when I was in high school, holding up a painting I made of Björk- my favorite musician and role model at the time, whose uniqueness and authenticity continue to inspire me to this day!”
-Beata
