Dr Anna Boegehold

Postdoctoral Fellow

Director, Water Works Park Pilot Plant, Healthy Urban Waters Field Station, Wayne State University

I’m a scientist with tattoos and I love my tattooed skin!

One of the reasons why I love the hashtag #ScientistsWithTattoos on Twitter is that it demonstrates one of the many ways that scientists are also people with personalities outside of their work. Granted – all my tattoos are of plants, animals, or atoms – I really like being able to express myself with tattoos. And I feel comfortable in my tattooed skin!

On transitions: Everything at once

Starting a new job while going through a major breakup and having to deal with occupancy changes, the loss of one house member, and the search for new ones is not ideal. I can’t say, “Hey can we postpone my start date so I can spend a few days crying and eating pizza and figuring out my personal life before I embark on a journey to write grants and do research on an almost entirely new subject?”

Separating myself from my science

Dr. Anna Boegehold, a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, she shares her story about some unique challenges in academia she has faced as a PhD student.

What it’s like being a first-generation PhD candidate

I’m very privileged – I have a supportive family, supportive friends, a loving partner, a nice, safe place to live, health insurance, clean running water, and all of my basic needs are met. However, I do face some unique challenges in academia being a woman and a first-generation college student.