Tanja Woyke, Ph.D.

Tanja Woyke joined the DOE Joint Genome Institute in 2004 after studying the mechanism of action of antifungal natural products and their derivatives during her Ph.D. in Microbiology at the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, Germany. Her postdoctoral research focused on reconstructing the metabolic potential of a microbial community inhabiting a gutless oligochaete using shotgun metagenomics, deciphering host-symbiont interplay. In 2007, she transitioned from metagenomics to single-cell genomics, which is now her primary interest and passion. In 2009, she became the lead of the Microbial Genomics Program at the JGI. In addition to her appointment at the DOE Joint Genome Institute, she also holds positions as Adjunct Scientist at the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences and as Associate Adjunct Professor at the University of California, Merced.

1. What inspires you to work in STEM?

One of the most inspiring parts of my work in sciences is the opportunity to discover something new. It is refreshing to take a path no one else has taken, to apply a tool no one else has applied and to build on existing work to gain new knowledge. This new knowledge can be shared with others with the common goal of a greater understanding of life and processes on our planet.

2. What excites you about your work at the Energy Department/Berkeley Lab?

My work at the Joint Genome Institute and Berkeley Lab is extremely fulfilling in many ways. The work environment is focused around team science, with everyone working together to achieve common goals. Our mission is to solve problems that relate to energy and environmental impacts on a global scale. The ability to access cutting edge technologies, use and modify them to answer important scientific question feels like a privilege and makes my work at the lab extremely exciting.

3. How can our country engage more women, girls, and other underrepresented groups in STEM?

Education and training opportunities are critical to encourage young girls and underrepresented groups to enter the STEM fields. Availability and equal access to quality STEM training and learning opportunities is needed to foster this exposure to STEM fields throughout a child’s education, from preschool through grade 12, and certainly continuing into college education. I think a strong effort should be made to better serve groups which have been historically underrepresented in the STEM fields. Going hand in hand with providing these learning opportunities is the availability of teachers; STEM teachers are needed to educate and grow the next generation of STEM workers and leaders. Some programs are already underway and I think it's instrumental to continue and further improve these efforts.

4. Do you have tips you would recommend for someone looking to enter your field of work?

I would encourage anyone looking to become a scientist at an institution like Berkeley Lab to not be afraid to knock on people’s doors to ask for internships, research, and training opportunities. Exposure to the research environment and experience and training are important – use them, combined with the enthusiasm and passion about your goals, as a stepping-stone to enter a career in science.

5. When you have free time, what are your hobbies?

In my free time, I love to be with my family – doing arts and crafts, playing games, traveling, hiking, and teaching my two daughters about nature.