Alumni Stories: Jessica Linderman

What from your experiences, development, and research and interactions at Stanford have you found essential to success in your postgraduate career?

Much more than any particular skill set of knowledge knowledge, my time at Stanford taught me to think for myself as a scientist and gave me the confidence to find my place in the scientific community. There are high expectations, but I felt that I was rewarded for the hard work by being treated as colleague by the professors. I left with the ability to learn for myself and to find the resources I needed on my own.

What information would you share with PhD candidates who are interested in your current field?

There is nothing more rewarding than being able to put your own ideas to the test and watching the truths of nature emerge. And having some of the brightest and most passionate people in the world as coworkers keeps every day exciting.

What have you found personally rewarding about your work/field?

Academia is a field that requires passion and persistence. You have an incredible amount of freedom, but it is up to you to carve out a place for yourself scientifically and personally.

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