Seventh interview with amazing women in STEM I met thanks to Instagram and Twitter.

Today we host dr. Ariana, a medical doctor, mother of a 5-month-old boy.

Hi regenmedica! First of all would you like to tell us something about you?

Hi Martina, I’m Ariana Baptista, a medical doctor from Venezuela. I’m 32 years old. I do love research so I did a M.Sc. in Regenerative Medicine from Queen Mary University in London, UK. 

When did you start your Instagram account? How did you get the idea?

After finishing my M.Sc. I decided to create my IG account due to the misinformation about stem cells and regenerative medicine in Spanish, my mother tongue language. I want to explain in a straight forward manner to everyone what stem cells are and how they works.

Can you tell us something about how you balance work and private life?

My husband takes parenthood seriously, he takes care our baby while I’m at the lab. He works from home, so it’s easier to stay with our 5-month baby boy. Also, I can manage my time at work, it’s quite flexible. Plus, I’m living a few blocks from the IVF clinic which is absolutely great. These things helped me a lot how to balance my life as a mum and a doctor in a lab. It’s exhausting sometimes but I’ve got time to do both things and that’s great.

During your university studies how many women were in course? Why in your opinion?

In my bachelor’s were many women, in my M.Sc. just a half. 

Have you ever felt harassed or being kept apart as a scholar because you are a woman?

Never. I had a great lab supervisor during my M.Sc. and he always encouraged me to pursue a career in academia, even though the gap between men and women is massive.

How did you became passionate about science? 

Wow, I think since I was a little girl. I did medicine first, but the last year of med school I’d realised that science is exciting. From that I changed my career path. It was one of the best decisions of my life to do the M.Sc. rather than a medical residency.

Would you like to talk briefly about your job?

Currently I’m the director of the human reproduction lab of an IVF clinic. Also, I’m the genetic counselor from the clinic.

Thank you so much for your time. Lastly, can you give any advice to girls interested in stem?

Just listen to yourself. If you want something, do it. Read, do your research. You’re enough to be a scientist or doctor.