Katherine Lara
Associate Research Scientist II
Exelixis
South San Francisco, CA

 

When did you first realize you wanted to go into science? Were you a child, adolescent, young adult?
I have always liked science because I like finding answers to questions. I knew that I wanted to study chemistry my senior year in high school.During the beginning of the year in Chemistry II, a five step reaction went wrong in the first step. The teacher gave us the option to study it all semester in the lab to find out what went wrong or start again with new reagents. We chose the former and it really showed me that chemistry wasn’t just these silly models of atoms with electron rings around them --it was complex, sometimes unpredictable, but totally awesome.

What was the MOST effective attribute/characteristic of your FAVORITE career mentor, and how did that help you?
My favorite career mentor is the Senior VP of Operations and Human Resources at Exelixis. In the business world, it is incredibly impressive for a woman to have reached her level of accomplishment. She is driven, has very clear expectations of those who work for her, and expects greatness. Her most effect attribute is her natural ability to inspire those who work for her to want to work very hard. It is clear that everything, including her career, comes second to her desire for you to do great things. To ensure success, she makes certain that everyone has all the tools needed to make it work well and within established deadlines.

Where were you born and raised?
I was born in Phoenix, but only lived there briefly until my family moved to Albuquerque, NM. I lived there through undergrad with the exception of a short four-year stay in El Paso, TX. New Mexico is beautiful. You come in contact with all the desert dwelling animals seen in cartoons, such as roadrunners, snakes, scorpions and coyotes. Unfortunately poverty is very high because there simply is not much commerce. However, it is a great place to vacation. The skiing in Santa Fe is really good and the food…well, the green chili is so good I still have friends overnight it to me during harvest season!

Where did you receive your formal educational training?
I received my Bachelor’s in Chemistry at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque and my Master’s in Organic Chemistry from the University of Connecticut (GO HUSKIES!)

Who do you most admire, and why? (It can be a living or deceased person – someone famous or whom you know personally and does not have to be a scientist.)
Steve Jobs. This is not just because I love love,love, love! my MacBook or want the iPhone so bad I could cry. It is because Steve is an incredibly driven and focused entrepreneur who emphasizes the importance of design while understanding the crucial role aesthetics play in public appeal. As marketing is a passion of mine, what he has done with Mac is awe-inspiring. His work driving forward the development of products that are both functional and elegant has earned him my admiration.

Once you retire professionally, what would be the ONE thing you want people to most remember about you?
My work ethic. I want those who worked for me to continue to be inspired by me and what I have done. I want them to know that I would never have asked them to do anything I wouldn’t have done myself, and that I demanded the same level of performance from myself.