YWIB-Metro New York & New York Genome Center: Women In Genomics, March 19, 2024

In partnership with the New York Genome Center, Young Women In Bio Metro New York organized an exclusive tour of the New York Genome Center's facilities. The event exposed 15 high school girls to careers in genomics and gave them the opportunity to speak with real female scientists about their experiences. During the tour, led by Lara Winterkorn and Cindy Li, the girls had a chance to see the lab and the cutting-edge equipment used for DNA sequencing.

After the tour, there was a career panel discussion featuring some of the Center's leading female researchers, including Lara Winterkorn, Tracy Smith, Lindsay Reisman, Gesmira Molla, and Isabella Mascio. The girls asked a lot of questions related to careers in science and genomics, the type of work the panelists are involved in, their career trajectories, what led them to make certain career decisions, and the role of female scientists. It was very insightful to hear the girls asking about the gap between males and females in STEM. The panel also shared their top tips and advice on what to consider when deciding on a career in science and provided a better understanding of day-to-day life on the job.