Merced Sun-Star 2018 20 under 40: Anna Beaudin

Age: 39

Occupation: Assistant Professor, Molecular and Cell Biology, UC Merced

Favorite quote or saying, why?

“You’ve got to get up every morning with a smile on your face and show the world all of the love in your heart.” It’s kind of my favorite version of “treat others as you want to be treated.”

Community or professional highlights:

I struck gold when I was lucky enough to join the faculty at UC Merced and community here in Merced. I have found both my academic community and the surrounding community to be exceptionally warm and welcoming.

Since arriving at UC Merced, my greatest professional accomplishment has been to be awarded as a Pew Foundation Biomedical Scholar. I have received tremendous support and encouragement from my faculty colleagues to help win this award, and I hope to continue representing the outstanding faculty at UC Merced.

I’ve also been lucky to have found the Montessori program within the Merced City School District in which both my kids are enrolled, and have advocated to help extend the program through to the sixth grade. Open access to alternative educational programs within the public school system diversifies and enhances educational privileges for all kids, and I hope to continue supporting these types of programs within Merced.

Your life changed when:

My two children, Henri and Aviva, were born. They are my heart, and they drive me to do better both as an individual and as a part of my community.

What do you want people to know most about you?

People tend to think of scientists as stuffy or “nerdy” - I try to break that stereotype by being myself as much as possible. I try to model for kids and young women that you can be smart and successful and still embrace your own identity. That might mean listening to loud music while experimenting in the lab, wearing bright colors, or speaking your mind when necessary. I hope I can inspire young people to think that being a scientist is hard work but also a lot of fun.

What do you like most about living here?

I love being part of a such a rich community that draws on both a deep-rooted history in the valley and is also thriving as a dynamic, growing university community.

Why is community involvement important?

The world we live in today can be so chaotic and involves so many moving pieces - we can’t do it without the support of our community. Being a part of your community allow you to both support and be supported by something bigger than you and your family - it diversifies your views, enhances the quality of life, and brings a level of empathy and understanding that we could use a little more of in today’s world.

This story was originally published October 4, 2018 at 4:00 AM.