From a young age Jean wanted to do something to help others and had a vision of becoming her own boss. Jean thought maybe she would be a doctor or a lawyer. But, she enjoyed being outside and being active. As a child, she spent hours exploring the woods near her home, collecting flowers and rocks, and observing birds that flew seamlessly from tree to tree. Her desire to help others and her love for nature and discovery fueled her decision to become a scientist.

She had a sense of adventure fostered by her parents who loved to travel across the United States. While in junior high school, Jean’s mother took Jean and her younger sister to visit the Middle East. Her father was working at the time and when he took his wife and daughters to the airport, he told them to travel safely as they were going to a part of West Asia that was very conservative. Women did not usually travel without their husbands.

In Israel, they stopped at the Western Wall where visitors prayed. Some pressed written wishes into crevices of the ancient structure. Jean wished her travels to such exotic places would never end. After Israel, Jean’s mom took them to Jordan. The drive through the desert from Israel to Jordan left a significant impression on Jean.

Back at school, Jean had an English assignment to write a poem. Jean wrote about the Middle Eastern desert that came to life in her mind as if she were still in Jordan. In the poem Jean recreated the image of the scorched earth she had observed. The class voted on which poem was the best one. Of the 30 kids in the class, 25 voted for Jean’s poem.

“I won,” Jean thought.

Just as she started to feel a sense of pride, Jean’s English teacher, a large man with glasses, stood over Jean – and in front of the entire class –  asked Jean, “Who should win?”

Jean knew he thought Melissa was talented and Jean knew Mr. Colon wanted Melissa to get the award. Jean said Melissa should win.

And that was that.

It wasn’t the first time and it wouldn’t be the last time an adult disappointed Jean.

Jean worked hard through college and her career eventually took her to far reaches of the world she had wished to see. Currently, Jean was collaborating with immunologists in Jordan, bringing back fond memories of her travels there decades earlier. She thought about how reaching her current position was not without difficulties. As she flew into Amman, Jordan’s capital, Jean thought back to her younger self, the advice her dad had given about traveling safely and the poem she had written about the desert.

Jean now thought about her perseverance and how it got her through many challenges. But, the word perseverance has undertones of courage.  And, Jean didn’t really think of herself as courageous as much as just being stubborn. Whatever it was, it helped her reach her career goals. With the vision of the desert, Jean was headed back to Jordan to collaborate with scientists at the local universities.