Barbara Gault
Institute for Women's Policy Research
Austin, TX USA
"Be willing to jump out of the plane, even though you’re scared to death and don’t have confidence in yourself. Just keep getting up and trying it again."
Career Roadmap
Barbara's work combines: Politics, Non-Profit Organizations, and Helping People
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
Take every opportunity that you can find to do research.
Here's the path I took:
Some High School
Bachelor's Degree
Psychology, General
University of Michigan
Graduate Degree
Psychology, General
University of Pennsylvania
Doctorate
Psychology, General
University of Pennsylvania
Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be an Executive Vice President:
Bachelor's Degree: Sociology, General
Graduate Degree: Sociology, General
Doctorate: Sociology, General
Learn more about different paths to this career
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
After dropping out of high school when I was 16, I went to a community college and transferred schools a couple times before earning my bachelor’s degree in psychology at the University of Michigan.
2.
While studying primatology in graduate school, I went to Uganda to study chimps—it was fun, but I realized I was more interested in human issues, so I switched my major to social psychology.
3.
I earned my Ph.D. and wrote my dissertation on political attitudes around social issues like welfare reform and criminal justice—I realized I wanted to apply my research skills to change policy.
4.
I started working in public policy to advocate for assistance for low-income mothers.
5.
I joined the Institute for Women’s Policy Research and worked hard to move up through various leadership positions.
6.
Once I became a mother myself, I realized that parenthood is essentially a second full-time job and I had to change a lot of my work habits.
7.
After working my way up to the executive vice president position at the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, my goal now is to start and lead my own research and policy business.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Friends:
Spending time in a doctoral program is a waste of time and a way to avoid work.
How I responded:
Create a community that supports you and shares your values.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
It took a while for me to come to terms with the fact that I was struggling with my mental health. It got better once I had accepted it.
There was a lot of family and home stress going on when I was younger. I ended up dropping out of high school because of those issues. However, I did go to college and eventually even got a Ph.D.