Carolyn Landel
At 10 I received my first chemistry set and a designated “lab space” in the basement. Thanks to the support and encouragement of a few dedicated teachers, I was the first in my family to go to college, earning a doctorate in biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of Chicago. Eventually, I packed up my beakers and Petri dishes to focus on science, technology, engineering, and math education programs and policy—here I found my life’s work, and I have never looked back.