Catherine Drennan
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA USA
"No one is so above everyone else that they don’t need other people’s help."
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Catherine's work combines: Science, Education, and Teaching / Mentoring
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
There have been times when people would think that I couldn't accomplish some particular thing because of my dyslexia, so I just shouldn't try. However, I always took that as a challenge to accept. I used it as motivation to prove people wrong.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Chemistry, General
Vassar College
Doctorate
Biological Chemistry
University of Michigan
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
As a child, my school struggled to place me at the correct reading level—I seemed very intelligent to my teachers but I had undiagnosed dyslexia and therefore had difficulty reading.
2.
My mom advocated for me and did a lot of research to get the right diagnosis and support for me.
3.
I always knew I wanted to go to college and chose Vassar College because I wanted a more liberal and contemporary atmosphere.
4.
I originally thought I’d either study biopsychology or drama, but I took a chemistry class, fell in love with it, and ended up earning my bachelor’s degree in chemistry.
5.
After earning my undergraduate degree, I taught high school for three years—I found that I really enjoyed teaching and working with students.
6.
I earned my Ph.D. in biological chemistry from the University of Michigan.
7.
I’m currently a professor of biology and chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
8.
In addition to teaching at MIT, I’m a professor and investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Peers:
I don't think you can do that with your dyslexia. That's too much for you.
How I responded:
There have been times when people would think that I couldn't accomplish some particular thing because of my dyslexia, so I just shouldn't try. However, I always took that as a challenge to accept. I used it as motivation to prove people wrong.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I have dyslexia. As a child, school was a struggle. I was undiagnosed and my teachers didn't understand why I couldn't read. As I got older, I didn't want to be judged, so I hid it. Now I know that being open about it helps both myself and others.
I'm a woman in a male-dominated department and I have dyslexia, so I've struggled with imposter syndrome. Talking to others helps because you start to realize that you're not alone. So many others face this struggle for a whole variety of reasons.