Learn why Danielle Goudeau loves her job as a Scientific Engineering Associate at the Joint Genome Institute at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
June 13, 2019
minute read time
Danielle has a master’s degree in horticulture and agronomy from the University of California, Davis, but has a black thumb and kills any plant she touches. She became interested in microbes while studying at the U.S. Department of Agriculture how E. coli grows symbiotically in lettuce soft rot. When her husband moved to Pittsburgh for school, she got a job doing flow cytometry at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and fell in love with the technique. Her work in microscale applications combines the skills and interests from both of her previous careers. As part of the single cell genomics pipeline, she sorts collaborator samples and performs whole genome amplification. Her research and development work focuses on novel techniques for applying flow cytometry to isolate specific community members.
What inspired you to work in STEM?
I learned to scuba dive around 12 and became very interested in the ocean, and in marine mammals. This broadened into an interest in biology by high school and I knew I wanted to go into some sort of biological science by then.
I really enjoy the puzzle-solving nature of technical work. It’s so fun to find the solution to a problem or answer to a question. I can’t imagine another career that would exercise my critical thinking as much.
What excites you about your work at the Energy Department?
The collaborative nature of my work at a user facility. Working with [principal investigators] PIs from around the world on diverse projects means every day is new and exciting and makes me feel like I am contributing to the broader community.
How can our country engage more women, girls, and other underrepresented groups in STEM?
I think there’s a lot of great work to get girls interested in STEM, but there needs to be more work on retaining them in the field as adult women. To me, this starts with creating a culture where women feel welcome and on equal footing with male colleagues, and with allowing for work-family-life balance without having to sacrifice career advancement.
Do you have tips you'd recommend for someone looking to enter your field of work?
Start doing lab work early in your education so you can pick up skills and know whether it’s something you enjoy doing day in and day out. Keep an open mind about where your career might take you and always be ready to lend a helping hand.
When you have free time, what are your hobbies?
I love to read sci-fi and fantasy novels, play board games, barbecue, bake, and hike. I have a six-month-old baby, so finding activities I can do with him that we both enjoy has become my new challenge.
Learn more about our programs & resources for women and girls in STEM at http://www.energy.gov/women