Who was/is your Role Model and why?

I have encountered many strong, hard-working women in my life that were a true inspiration. If anyone deserves to be in the spotlight, it is my good friend Iris, who I met during my studies. At age 24, she had her son while doing fieldwork in the jungle of the Corn Islands. She raised him by herself while successfully finishing her PhD in Belize, a postdoc in Barbados and continued to do so while working for the UN as a fulltime project coordinator. She is a true example of how to persevere and to never stop having a laugh at life, even when the going gets tough.

What advice would give your 17 year old (or younger) self, reflecting on your personal or professional challenges, experiences or successes?

Don't try so hard to meet other people’s expectations of what you should do or be. That will lead to a one hundred percent guarantee that you will always disappoint someone. Trust your own gut and instincts when it comes to the twists and turns you take in life. It will not lead to a flawless path, but at least it will be yours.