ROle Models
AMY-CHARLOTTE DEVITZ (CHARLOTTE)
Job Title: Frontier’s Masters Student in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Michigan
Disability: Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Pandysautonomia (EDS + PANDYS)
Why did you want to work in STEM?
To be honest, science is all I ever wanted to do. I wasn’t always sure of what specific field I would go into, but I love being outdoor, exploring and catching critters, and I was fascinated by the natural world. While my disability is genetic, I didn’t start showing symptoms until the end of high school and my world was turned upside down. As I entered college, I found science to be a comfort and distraction, even though I was unsure of how my condition would shape my career. In many ways, my disability is what gave me the drive to keep moving forward and now I am doing work that I absolutely love.
What’s your favourite thing about your job or about working in STEM?
I think my favourite part is being surrounded by a diverse community of people who all share the same passion and drive for learning and unraveling the mysteries of the scientific world. I have found more acceptance and support in this community than anywhere else and it is incredibly empowering.
What are your top tips for a disabled young person interested in STEM as a career?
As supportive and accepting as most of the scientific community is, just like the “real world” , you will encounter people who doubt you and your ability to succeed or who aren’t willing to help to accommodate and work with you to overcome access barriers; don’t let them discourage you. I encountered several people who flat out refused to even try working with me and who told me I would never be able to do field work and now I’m working with an amazing advisor and I’m in the middle of my first field season.