Women In Science feat. Kaitlyn Morse

Introducing Dr. Kaitlyn Morse, founder and CEO of VaxSyna, which is developing next-generation vaccines to tackle global health challenges. She is also the founder and executive director of BeBop Labs, a nonprofit tracking ticks and tick-borne diseases.

In this conversation we learn about her experiences as a woman and mother in science, the unique challenges she has faced and how she overcame them.

From dealing with a hostile work environment, being stereotyped and facing discrimination, Dr Morse discusses the systemic changes needed to make science more appealing to women and offers invaluable advice to aspiring female scientists.

Could you please introduce yourself as well as your background?

Hello, my name is Dr. Kaitlyn Morse I have dedicated my adult life to solving problems that affect human and animal health. I am interested in creating solutions for these ailments using immunomodulation, immunotherapy, and vaccination. I’m a mother, a science geek, and a supporter for increasing women representation as leaders in Biotechnology (so post PhD career). I’m a serial entrepreneur, founder and executive director of a nonprofit BeBop Labs that tracks ticks and tick-borne diseases in NH and I’m the founder and CEO of VaxSyna that is developing the next generation vaccine platform to solve global health problems.

Have you faced any challenges or barriers as a woman in science, and how did you overcome these?

I have run my gauntlet of challenges unique to women including: being accused of being pregnant when I just sick, struggling to find work, picked on because I wasn’t a mother, being bullied and mistreated for being a smart female (hostile work environment that resulted in me needing to leave my job and having PTSD for 2 years), while being a mother being stereotyped as a “mompreneur” or not being fully invested because I also have a child. After a lot of time, testing myself by trying different career paths, and putting my lifestyle first I became an entrepreneur. Through all the challenges I have become more resilient, knowing myself better, quick to call out bad behaviors, and more assertive.  

Are there any changes that you would implement in the educational sector to make the field of science more attractive to females as a career path?

We are in an ultra-connected system of reinforcing loops where investment patterns, leadership patterns in business and academia, and entrepreneurship are modeled by men. This bias, also called pattern recognition results in the same type of individuals, typically white men being successful. Women face far more barriers to success than men, and seeing more men have more success enables this barrier further. Women are perfectly suited to tackle problems within the realm of biotechnology, the most powerful tool we have to make the world a better place. Women are hard wired to be self-less, to put solving a problem above our personal gain. But also, we have to confront systematic biases impacting our health and wellbeing, receiving worsening quality of care and are underrepresented in clinical trial research. Biotechnology research starts with doubt, without doubt we wouldn’t have scientific method and rigor. Women must navigate societies patriarchal structures, resulting in personal doubt. but this navigation allows for today’s women to be trained to question the system and experiment on leadership styles.

What would you say has been the best advice you have received during your career as a female working in your role?

Try to let things roll off of you. Do not take work personally, it is just business. In fact, use that as your internal mantra when things get tough. “It is just business not personal”, I say this all the time inside my head to not let emotions drive me.

What advice would you like to pass on to the next gen of females in science?

Explore yourself to get to know yourself, as soon as you know yourself stand up for what you want and need to be the best version of yourself. And along the way test what you think you want to be sure that is really you.

Not everyone will believe in you. Not everyone will want to help, some will even try to make you fail or make it harder. Those people are there to test your grit and this is where the true strength of women leaders shine brightest. All of the women leaders that are highlighted in this blog are here to inspire more to follow this path, and thus we will create a more inclusive and equitable society. So please continue to support our diverse leaders and uplift others along the way.

If you’re inspired by the stories and wisdom shared in our ‘Women In Science’ series and would like to contribute your own experiences, we’d love to hear from you. Women in Science at all levels, please email Katie and your story could be the next we feature.

You can also submit your story via this form.