It is fascinating to consider that Duke’s illustrious Dean Valerie Ashby of Trinity College of Arts and Sciences once struggled with the same concerns of an inexperienced undergraduate student like myself. Even before she began college, Dean Ashby had set her sights on majoring in chemistry, but she still grappled with questions that are shared by many students such as what her career would be and what she would do with her degree. As Dean Ashby progressed in her career in academia to professorship, she continually battled with imposter syndrome, and despite her talent and strong work ethic, she questioned her abilities and sense of belonging. Dean Ashby’s journey to success is a remarkable and personal story of courage and inner struggle. However, one characteristic theme that distinguished Dean Ashby’s story for me was the importance she placed on the mentors she had in her life. Dean Ashby’s story was wonderful to me because many major steps in her life involved the guidance of trustworthy mentors that supported her in becoming the great Dean Ashby we know today.

Dean Ashby’s story highlights the responsibility and role of the mentor and mentee. Some admirable characteristics that Dean Ashby’s mentors displayed were their ability to encourage individuals to take the next step, their capability to instigate curiosity and creativity, and their willingness to deeply know their mentees. Heading into the end of her junior year in college with no research experience, Dean Ashby did not know what she wanted to do with her interest in chemistry. Her mentor at the time encouraged her to push forward and pursue undergraduate research in industry.

That summer, Dean Ashby experienced a level of excitement she had never experienced before. She had the opportunity to work on an original project in an agricultural company and even discovered a novel molecule. Through her work, Dean Ashby discovered her interest in research, and with the support of her mentor, she was inspired to attend graduate school. During her first year of graduate school, Dean Ashby met Dr. Joseph DeSimone – her exceptional PhD advisor. In an unconventional conversation, Dr. DeSimone presented Dean Ashby with two remarkably similar yet spectacularly different materials – Kevlar and Nomex. A slight difference in the molecular structure of the materials translated into exceptional differences in their characteristics and applications. Dr. DeSimone’s demonstration ignited curiosity and creativity within Dr. Ashby, and she worked in the laboratory to design new materials from fighter jet stealth coating to scaffolds for tissue engineering. As Dean Ashby finished her PhD, Dr. DeSimone suggested that she become a professor because he noticed her passion for research and service. He introduced Dean Ashby to her postdoc advisor in Germany who also believed and supported her decision to pursue a faculty position at a university.

As a member of faculty, Dean Ashby was in a drastically different world than she had been before. She now trained students for projects, obtained grant money, and devised ideas for her own research. As she observed other faculty and colleagues, her imposter syndrome influenced her greatly, causing her to overwork from the extraordinarily high standards she set for herself. Despite the support of great mentors she had throughout her life, this internal struggle could only be resolved if Dean Ashby alone allowed it to. Dean Ashby’s freedom from imposter syndrome is a crucial steppingstone in her story and is a beautiful demonstration of the role of the mentee.