nAJLA KSOURI

I’m a PhD student and my thesis is about the application of bioinformatics in plant breeding (using peach as a study case). Actually, bioinformatics has become an important part of many areas of biology and plays an important role in today’s plant science. Yet many vital processes in plants are still to be characterized. To address this knowledge gap and to answer interesting questions, we are combining bioinformatics tools and genomics.

The amazing thing about being a woman scientist is the satisfying feeling that somehow I am contributing to the scientific community. I enjoy exploring things a lot and investigating how mechanisms work, then feel so excited at the results. Additionally, science is social and being a scientist allows me to make invaluable connections.

I remember when I was doing my degree in Agronomic Science Engineering, I was disappointed to see a clear imbalance in employment opportunities between men and women. Now, during my PhD, gender differences and competition with my male colleagues is not an issue. However, I am starting to get some comments from people that it’s time to think about having a family and that my career as a scientist is hampering me from doing that.

Marie Curie is the first name that comes to my mind when thinking of amazing women in science. She is a source of inspiration as she is the first woman in history to win a Nobel Prize and the only person to win two Nobel Prizes in two different disciplines. She is an excellent example that true success and fulfilling your dreams is possible with passion and determination.