On March 6, Dr. Mingyi Xie, Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Cancer Center, gave a presentation at Yale School of Medicine entitled Early Career Perspective at a conference in which his mentor, Dr. Joan Steitz, was the keynote speaker. The title of the conference was "Metamorphosis: Perspectives on Science and Mentorship Along the Career Trajectory".
Before coming to UF, Dr. Xie was privileged to spend six years as a postdoc in Dr. Steitz's lab.
Dr. Joan Steitz is Sterling Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. She is the recipient of the 2018 Lasker-Koshland Special Achievement Award in Medical Science for her pioneering role in expanding our understanding of RNA biology and her lifelong advocacy for inclusion of women in the sciences.
In addition to his 30-minute presentation, Dr. Xie served on a panel for which Dr. Steitz was the moderator. This panel responded to questions from the MD/PhD student body on mentor/mentee expectations throught career phases and how these expectations change over time.
Dr. Xie felt honored to be chosen to be a part of this conference. The legacy of Dr. Steitz's impact on Dr. Xie, both personally and professionally, will have an impact on his lab and the students that he mentors for years to come. At the end of Dr. Stetz's lecture, she highlighted the importance of diverse viewpoints and the need to take on the most challenging questions. But most importantly, "If making discoveries in science brings you joy, go for it!"
