Meet Elizabeth Sydnor – Honoring Women’s History Month

Chef Derrick: Can you share a pivotal moment from your upbringing or early career that significantly influenced your professional path? 

Liz: One of the most impactful decisions I made for my future self happened when I was just 17 years old. I decided during my senior year of high school that I was not ready for college yet and decided I would join the Army after graduation. I was trained as a petroleum laboratory specialist and that was my first introduction into the laboratory; it came naturally to me and I knew I would stick with it. 

Chef Derrick: As a woman of color in your field, what unique challenges have you faced, and how have you navigated them? 

Liz: Unfortunately, it’s commonly known that black women in S.T.E.M. careers are a significantly underrepresented demographic. As a young microbiologist and currently a Director of Microbiology, I’m typically the only black woman in my work environment which comes with it’s own set of challenges. I’ve had to reaffirm myself often that I belong in the spaces I take up, because I’ve done the work just like everyone else in the room. This is what makes me so passionate to mentor young black women so they can get an earlier start to having tangible role models. 

Chef Derrick: Who are the women of color who have inspired you, and in what ways have they impacted your journey? 

Liz: The women in my family, particularly my older sister Danielle has made a tremendous impact on me. I have the pleasure of having a front row seat of her navigating as a black leader. I also had a black Director for a short period in my career while working for J&J. This was my first time seeing a black women in a position that I aspired to be in, within my industry. She took me under her wing and challenged me to grow. She undoubtedly played a major part in my fearlessness as a leader by just showing up as herself.  

Chef Derrick: How would you describe your leadership style, and how has it evolved throughout your career? 

Liz: I believe I’m a transformational leader. I’ve stored up all tips and tricks I’ve learned from good and not so good leaders I’ve had over the years. It’s really important for me to be intentional in being the leader I’ve always wanted and in many cases needed. I desire for people to be their best selves with no bias to where that may lead them. 

Chef Derrick: Can you recount a moment when you felt your work made a significant impact on your community or field? 

Liz: Being an industrial microbiologist that focuses on medical devices means I get to make a significant impact in my everyday work. It’s truly an honor to have worked on life-saving products that improve the quality of life for people all over the world. I worked on a product that repairs Dural defect (of the brain) and prevent further cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage and had the privilege of presenting this research at an international conference in Belgium. This was a monumental moment in my career and was a confidence booster for the young microbiologist I was struggling to find my place in the industry. 

Chef Derrick: What advice would you offer to young women of color aspiring to enter your profession? 

Liz: Find a mentor! I was blessed to work for a company that was really passionate about developing their people and had a structured mentorship program. It can be a little scary at first to open yourself up to feedback but the more comfortable you become with receiving feedback the more self-aware and ultimately the better person you’ll be. Additionally, you’re ~25% more likely to grow in your career than someone without a mentor. Lastly, my most important piece of advice is you are your biggest advocate. I tell just about everyone within my sphere of influence that no one will advocate for you as hard as you will advocate for yourself. You have to be willing to speak up for yourself no matter how difficult the circumstance. 

Chef Derrick: How do you manage the balance between your professional commitments and personal life? 

Liz: There is a time and place for almost everything. There will be times in your career that it’s important to make sacrifices however, you have to prioritize yourself. There were many sleepless nights in college and early in my career but I was very clear on what I was working towards. My son is almost 18 and I had to learn early on how to speak up for myself to make sporting events, school functions etc. When you commit to working hard and building relationships it’s a lot easier to manage your work-life balance.

Chef Derrick: What changes or advancements would you like to see in your industry to better support women of color? 

Liz: I would love to see my companies making a dedicated effort to recruit black talent at the college level. I would also love to see more exposure to black women in S.T.E.M at the middle school and high school levels. I can’t even recall how many times I’ve heard “Wow, I’ve never met a scientist before” from people in my community. I hope to change that by mentor more and more young black women interested in S.T.E.M. 

Chef Derrick: What inspired you to pursue a career in the military, and how have you seen the field of microbiology evolve over the years? 

Liz: To be completely honest I joined the military purely out of discouragement and access to college. When I was in high school the college application process felt extremely overwhelming and for an average student that wasn’t rolling in scholarship money, the military just seemed liked an easier option. I was a high school athlete so the physical aspects of the military didn’t scare me away. After I took the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB), which is the military entrance exam, I choose a Petroleum Laboratory Specialist from a list of options. The military was the catalyst to me focuses on life sciences in college and ultimately a career in microbiology. In 20 years of working in this industry, I’ve seen healthcare evolve with the advancement of technology. It has improved our ability to find and treat illness of all kind.