Katarzyna Matczyszyn - 2018 SPIE Women in Optics Planner
Assistant Professor
Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Poland
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Country of Birth: Poland
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At my primary school we had a fantastic chemistry lab and a wonderful teacher who let us do experiments whenever we had good ideas. I was lucky to have another inspiring chemistry teacher in high school who sent me to a national chemistry competition. There, I met professors from my current university who impressed me. My university offered an opportunity to study in London in an exchange program, which I did as part of the Tempus project.
I am currently working in the field of biophotonics, which deals with light interaction with materials of biological importance, such as fotoactive bioprobes for DNA and protein recognition and manipulation, plasmonic nanoparticles, neurons, and liquid crystal phases of biological molecules.
Being a woman in my case means also being a mother of two children. It brings a whole new dimension to my life, but also takes a lot of time away from work and professional travel. You must know that if you are active and do a lot of things there will always be somebody unhappy about it – just try to think positive and the solutions will come. Do not hesitate to ask for help.
If you want to start a successful scientific career find the best possible mentor at the best possible university. Do not be shy. Work hard and read a lot. Keep an open mind on new ideas, trends, and scientific problems. Talk to wise and positive people and be active in the community.
From my teaching experience, I know that girls work just as hard as boys (or sometimes even harder) so they should not worry regarding a career in STEM. If you are interested in science, and new challenges are your passion – go for it!