In this inspiring episode, we sit down with Dr. Davida Smyth from Texas A&M, San Antonio, who shares her journey as a first-generation university student from Ireland to the United States. Dr. Smyth talks about how getting to see bodily fluids in the clinical lab inspired her to pursue a career in science. She also stresses the importance of taking advantage of opportunities, approaching your professors, building classes around students' needs, and making science relevant. Tune in to hear Dr. Smyth's story and gain insight into how you can navigate your own path in the world of academia...or not. It’s up to you.

Davida Smyth is an Associate Professor in the Department of Life Sciences at Texas A&M, San Antonio. She developed several new courses that involve undergraduates in research and incorporate civic engagement and social justice into the curriculum. She is devoted to undergraduate research and her students have presented their work at several national and international meetings. With her undergraduate team, she researches the role of the built environment and anthropogenic activity in driving antibiotic resistance, a major global health threat. She also engages in pedagogical research on improving civic and scientific literacy in biology and integrating authentic research into the curriculum to improve student engagement and success in science. Dr. Smyth also guides and mentors future faculty and adjuncts to successfully apply for academic positions in teaching and beyond. Since 2014, she has been involved with SENCER (Science Education for New Civic Engagements and Responsibilities) and was appointed a SENCER Senior Leadership Fellow in 2018. Learn more: https://apps.tamusa.edu/course-information/Profile/Faculty/583?=Davida-Smyth