Balancing on the road less traveled

Sitting down to the task of writing, I found my pen drifting inexorably to a personal recollection of the metaphorical transcontinental road that I had traveled to become a scientist, instead of reviewing a facet of our scientific contributions. Factors that prepared me for my improbable journey in an era when international calls were operator-assisted and unaffordable and the internet was the stuff of science fiction were my family's love and the sheltered environment of my all-girls school and college experiences, which nurtured my self-confidence. The path of scientific inquiry is heady, and it is hard. The paucity of diversity, of women and minorities, particularly as the road steepens, helps perpetuate stereotypes and inadvertently encourages disparities. It is my hope that by sharing snippets of my journey, enriched as it has been by a diversity of mentors, mentees, colleagues, and friends, and the opportunity to express my curiosity and creativity, that a young person contemplating the scientific road will find encouragement.