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."
Career Roadmap
Catherine's work combines: Science, Education, and Teaching / Mentoring
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
Follow your curiosity and you can overcome almost any hurdle. If you want to do science, put yourself out there and do it—even if your school didn't have the proper resources and you feel as if you're behind everyone else. Seek out other resources and look for opportunities. I also strongly advise students to find a mentor to support and guide them. This is such an exciting time for science! The students who are training now are going to make major change in the world.
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.