Julia Moltó
BIO
I’m a Professor in Chemical Engineering at the University of Alicante (Spain) and a mom of three.
Twitter: @JuliaMolto
Instagram: @in.genioquimico
Julia Moltó
“I knew that this was what was really going to make sense of my life, and my mind was transformed.”
Since I was a child my dream was to be an engineer. Chemistry has always fascinated me, and even when I was little I enjoyed experimenting with mixtures, and colour changes… so when I had to choose a career I was sure I wanted to be a chemical engineer.
After 2 years working for a private company, I decided what I really liked was research, so I returned to university to do my doctoral thesis on the thermal treatment of textile waste. I got pregnant in the middle of the experimental part of my PhD, which involved analyzing dioxins and furans (carcinogens) and toxic solvents.
My director was very understanding and told me to do what I wanted. I said I would continue to take precautions, but I wasn’t going to accept my pregnancy would be obstacle to my research career. At that time, I could be a candidate for an assistant position and I was not going to throw in the towel.
When my daughter Maria was born and I first saw her, I knew that this was what was really going to make sense of my life, and my mind was transformed.
I went back to work when she was 16 weeks. These were very difficult times and without the help of my husband, and especially my mother and my mother-in-law, I don’t know how I would have managed.
I defended my thesis when my daughter was 15 months old. A few months after, the assistant position was opened and my efforts were rewarded. I applied and got the position I had always wanted.
Then I decided it was time to give Maria a little brother, and Carlos was born. Several years after, Loreto was born when I was 40-years-old. After 5 months, a vacancy for a full professorship was advertised and again I had to go back to study. I got the position 3 years ago and many things have changed since. I'm still working hard but I have the peace of mind of being tenured.