Women @ Energy: Dr. Maria Zurek

Maria Zurek is a particle physicist working in the Nuclear Science Division of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). She started her postdoctoral position at LBNL in July 2018. Maria is originally from Poland, where she finished her BSc and MSc studies in experimental physics at the Jagiellonian University in the beautiful city of Cracow. Maria obtained her PhD in Germany from the University of Cologne for her project performed at Research Center Julich. In her work, Maria studies the most fundamental structure of matter we are made of. She tries to understand how the spin of the proton originates from its internal components. To “look” inside the proton, Maria analyzes data from the STAR experiment located at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider at the Brookhaven National Laboratory.

As a kid I always wanted to know “why?”, not only “how?”. I was fascinated by math, physics and chemistry, but I also liked my literature classes. I had an extremely charismatic physics teacher in high school, and I wanted to be like him. I was amazed by the fact that the physics phenomena we discussed had a logical explanation. It was like a sophisticated game: I was trying to challenge myself to ask all the questions I could imagine about the subject I was studying, and then try to find the proper answer based on what I knew. I remember very well the experiment with simple particle detectors, which led me to many surprising realizations, like the fact that we are constantly bombarded by particles that are coming to us from space. I remember playing with these detectors to test different radiation sources, sometimes as surprising as... bananas. I decided to study physics, because I wanted to know more about the world around us, and I saw it as a good investment for my future. When I was in school, I was dreaming of being a science teacher; during my studies, these dreams turned into dreams of becoming a scientist.

My adventure with the world of particle physics started 10 years ago in one of the National Labs of the Department of Energy. After the second year of my undergrad studies, I spent the whole summer on an internship at Fermilab. I got completely hooked by the international environment of scientists working all together to answer the most fundamental questions about nature. I ended up visiting Fermilab every summer for the next four years to continue my project. Today, as a postdoc at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, working with the STAR experiment at Brookhaven National Lab, I’m still convinced that one of the most important things in science is teamwork and diversity of thought which comes from the diversity of backgrounds. I’m excited that thanks to my work and the work of my colleagues, we can get closer to understanding the greatest mysteries of our Universe. And I’m happy that I have a chance to do it in a collaborative, multinational, and inclusive environment.

I think that solution can be described in two words: inspire and improve. First of all, show girls and other underrepresented groups that STEM fields are absolutely for them. Give them role models, inspirational teachers, and a good STEM education system which is inclusive. Secondly, improve the environment. Academia and industry should be held accountable for addressing diversity by acknowledging that everyone can have biases. We should take action to reduce bias in schools and universities, in grant and prize committees, hiring procedures, and evaluation systems. We should work at the institutional level to make the environment safe, healthy, and supportive for underrepresented minorities. To really make a change, we should be honest with others and open to criticism. Sufficiently long parental leave, programs supporting returning to research after a career break, the possibility of using part of grant money for childcare, family-related costs or extra help in the lab for caregivers, special travel grants: these are some examples of policies that universities and grant givers should establish. We also shouldn’t forget about career-development and mentorship programs thoughtfully designed to connect successful representatives of underrepresented groups with each other and support them in an unfortunately often hostile environment.

The world of particle and nuclear physics is mysterious and beautiful, but as any academic job, it can be sometimes stressful and overwhelming. Search for good mentors who will help you on this path. Choose the people around you wisely. Passion is “contagious”, so search for tutors who are fascinated with their work. It will bring you joy for working with them and your projects. Try new things that spark your interest, and stick to the ones that bring you joy. Search for summer internships in national labs or universities. The best way to learn about the field is to see it from inside. Being a good scientist is very often different than being a “good student with good grades''. Search actively for small scientific projects that you can be involved in and see what it means to be a scientist. And last but not least, take your mental health seriously. Remember, your brain is like hands for a pianist and legs for a dancer.

I like organizing events for our postdoc community at the Lab, from social events to career-development projects. I’m a co-chair of the Berkeley Lab Postdoc Association. I have a WOO (winning others over) personality, and it’s extremely important for me to build a supportive community. I also love science outreach. Sharing my passion for physics, especially with students, brings me lots of motivation. I participate frequently, usually a few times per month, in science festivals, classroom activities and other outreach events. I collaborate on a regular basis with the Berkeley Lab K-12 education office and other SciEd organizations from the Bay Area. I’m happy that I can use my teaching qualifications in practice, and it allows me to feel the same excitement I felt back when I was teaching middle school students in Poland. I’m also a huge cinema fan, foodie, and I love traveling.

Learn more about our programs & resources for women and girls in STEM at /women