Scientista Presidents' Circle - Meet The President!

Sarah Tartaglia, Psychology, Loyola University Maryland

Meet Sarah Tartaglia; Scientista - Loyola University Maryland Founder & Director 

Tell us about yourself! My name is Sarah Tartaglia and I am currently a junior at Loyola University Maryland studying both Psychology and Sociology.  I am very much a “busy-bee” and like to keep myself busy.  I currently intern at the Baltimore Child Abuse Center, volunteer at the Refugee Youth project, I was recently accepted into the Psi Chi National Honor Society, and was recently asked to participate in Pace University’s very established internship at their Counseling Center in Manhattan. 

How did you decide to get involved in your organization? I have always been interested in efforts that aim to empower women.  When I heard about the Scientista Foundation, I thought that it was a wonderful idea.  For reasons I cannot think of, there are so few organizations that bring together women of science into a community.  I really wanted to be proactive in bringing a strong female group to the Loyola University Maryland campus.  By doing so, I hope to encourage female students to pursue careers in the sciences knowing that they have a strong support system to help them become successful.

What is your favorite organization event?
We haven’t had any yet. I’ll get back to you on this one! 

When you are not being a Scientista, you are most likely… Working at the Baltimore Child Abuse Center, volunteering for the Refugee Youth Project, under a large pile of textbooks doing homework, or reading a good book (currently I am reading Female Chauvinist Pigs by Ariel Levy—I highly recommend it!).

Which woman in science inspires you the most? This is a tough question…and while I am sure that many people will reference a somewhat “celebrity” woman in science, my answer lies closer to home (or closer to campus).  Dr. Theresa DiDonato, a professor at Loyola University, is a true inspiration to all female students who take her classes.  Dr. DiDonato studied Psychology and English at Wellesley College and then earned her Sc. M. and Ph. D. from Brown University.  Her research focuses on the cognitive processes that take place at the intersection of self and other.  Through hard work and determination, Dr. DiDonato has published many scholarly articles and has become quite successful in the field of psychology.  She proves to the world that you can be both beautiful and intelligent. I think that she also is a great example of what women have to offer to the world of science and discovery.  I am honored that she has agreed to help me launch Scientista on the Loyola University Maryland campus.

Why do you think organizations such as yours and the Scientista Foundation are important? As I mentioned in a previous question, it truly baffles me that there are so few foundations in Baltimore or on my campus that help bring together women of science.  There seems to be no shortage of organizations brining women in general together, or women of business together.  However, there still fails to be a large foundation in the area that aims encourage women in science.  I believe it is very important to promote women in scientific fields.  In my experience, it still seems as though the idea of women in science is considered taboo. There still seems to be disproportion in the amount of women versus men pursuing careers in chemistry, biology, engineering, psychology, etc. I think that organizations like Scientista are important to provide opportunities and support for women who do dare to step outside of societal boundaries.  These young ambitious women need to know that there is help for them when they feel discouraged or discriminated against.

What do you think is the most important scientific research or discovery of today? Being a psychologist, I am probably very biased.  In my opinion, the most important scientific discoveries involve advances in knowledge about positive mental health.   In the stressful world that we live in today, I think that is important to research areas that explore human behavior and human emotions.  When we formulate theories about behavior and emotions, we are then able to make advances in improving the human condition. 

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