𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐧𝐨𝐧-𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐲?
I don’t have one specific woman scientist who inspires me above all others. I respect all women in science for their dedication and contributions. When I started working in the medical biology laboratory, quality assurance was being implemented. I was impressed by the standards and patient-centered approach, which inspired me to commit to working at IPC.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐮𝐞 𝐚 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞?
During my studies, I was fascinated by microbiology. When I had the chance to do my internship at IPC, I knew it was where I could practice what I love. With passion and commitment, I later pursued my PhD and developed my career in both medical biology and research. It’s not easy to balance both, but loving what you do helps you stay focused. Choose what you truly like and stay true to it.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐮𝐞 𝐚 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞?
Build hands-on experience early through labs, internships, or research projects. Real experience builds confidence beyond textbooks. Pursue science with passion and persistence. Challenges and failures are part of the journey. Treat setbacks as learning opportunities, not roadblocks.

𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞?
I was naturally timid and struggled to speak up. Traditional expectations in Cambodia amplified this. Over time, my passion helped me overcome these fears. Work-life balance, especially as a mother, is also challenging. However, there are strengths, including gender-focused funding opportunities that support women in science.

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧?
I encourage critical thinking, open idea-sharing, and mentorship in my lab. I support students through internships to help them gain confidence and skills. I also promote work-life balance and encourage staying active, as it strengthens resilience and confidence.