Noemi Mirkin
Assistant Research Scientist, Biophysics Research Division
University of Michigan
Fields: Physics, biophysics, chemistry, biochemistry
Specialty: Computation of force fields for molecular modeling; ab initio, quantum chemical calculations of biologically and chemically important molecules
Nominated by: Deanne Taylor
Excerpt from nomination: "With children and a full family life, Noemi Mirkin graduated with a physics degree from a demanding program at the University of Michigan several years ago. She was not only a 'non-traditional student' but she was also from South America and a non-native English speaker.
She is now a researcher with the Krimm Group here at the University of Michigan, doing outstanding work in an area of science where women are very much underrepresented: ab initio calculations of low-energy conformations of biologically important molecules, as well as development force field parameters for molecular modeling. This is a highly mathematical field that requires thorough knowledge of the supercomputers she uses every day. She has been published in several professional journals and is respected in her specialized field.
I have had the opportunity to work for her and she is not only incredibly competent but she is also an excellent and patient teacher of students. As one of her former students and a non-traditional woman student in my own right, I was lucky to be able to do research under her direction. Not only is she a dedicated and talented researcher, she also devotes much of her time to the Women in Science and Engineering project here at the University of Michigan."
What was your first job and what did you learn from it?
My first jobs were as a teaching assistant and research assistant for several undergraduate courses and a couple of research labs. I realized then how much I enjoyed the rewards of teaching, the intensity of doing research, and the academic life, where I could combine both.
Who is your hero, mentor or person you most admire? Why?
Throughout my career I have had several mentors. There are those who have taught me physics along the way. There are those who patted my back on the good days, but more important, those who encouraged me on those difficult days, when it seemed impossible for a woman with two little babies to pursue a graduate career in physics. I also encountered "anti-mentors." My first advisor in graduate school would ask me every day: "Are you sure you want to get a Ph. D.? Shouldn't you be home taking care of your two little girls?" He did undermine my resolve for a while, but at the end I gained inner strength and independence. After that I became a stronger and more determined woman and scientist.
Mentors have been important to me, but I also try to get my inspiration from everything and everyone.
What is your favorite book?
Usually my favorite book is the one I am reading at the time. I love everything I read!
If it is fiction, I immerse myself in that world and live with the characters throughout the story. If it is non-fiction, I usually find something fascinating that I can apply to my work and/or my life.
One book that had a great impact on my career was "Inward Bound" by Abraham Pais. In this book Pais describes the history of the physics of matter and physical forces in this century. It is a great insight in the interplay of theory and experiment, and it describes the times of progress and also the times of frustration, the courage of new ideas and the need to hold on to the old. I was inspired by his descriptions of the discovery of the first particle, the atomic structure and spectral lines, the formulation of quantum mechanics, the scientists involved, and many more events. His enthusiasm is contagious and it underscored how I felt about doing research and my life as a scientist.
What advances in your field do you envision over the next 10 years?
Advances in computer hardware and software technologies, and the development of more clever and efficient algorithms will make it possible to study the structural and dynamic properties of larger biological systems. One important problem that we will be able to solve is that of predicting protein conformation from the amino acid sequence.
What do you see as the single most interesting element of your work?
The design, planning and analysis of an experiment and/or calculation. And the satisfaction of knowing that my results are part of the greater world of science.
What was your greatest challenge and what did you learn from it?
My greatest challenge has been and always will be to maintain balance in my life. I am a scientist, but I am also a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, and a member of a community. As a scientist I am constantly pressured to keep physics and research as the center of my universe. But all these roles are important to me and I want to have some kind of impact in all the worlds I belong to.
I guess that what I have learned from all of this is that you can have it all ... but not necessarily all at the same time ...
What strategies do you use to maintain balance in your life?
Lists!! I am the "queen of list-making." Lists and a constant awareness of what is important at the moment.
What advice would you give to young women who want to enter your field?
Physics and especially biophysics are great fields! Physics training gives you a powerful and amazing comprehension of the world. I would tell them to get a good preparation in math, physics, biology and chemistry, and to get involved in a research project in their undergraduate years. And, the most important thing: keep an open mind and enjoy the ride!!
