Erin Baker
Associate Professor, Chemistry Department, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
Main research aims? My research group is examining how chemical exposure affects human health by studying the exogenous chemicals we are exposed to in our daily lives and the endogenous molecules they affect.
A problem that could be tackled interdisciplinarily… Interdisciplinary work is extremely important for tackling the complex challenges of the 21st century. We commonly work with experts in microbiology, toxicology, new machine learning techniques, and advanced statistical approaches to assess vital biological and environmental problems facing the world. This combination of expertise and the use of our advanced analytical methods has enabled the discovery of new molecules, pathways and perturbations which would not have been uncovered without the knowledge of all researchers involved in the studies.
Most memorable advice? Some of the best advice I have received is, “You can never make everyone happy, but you can always make everyone angry.” This has helped me worry less about people who criticize my efforts even when I am trying my hardest, for example, when I am teaching or organizing meetings.
