Kristen Vogt Veggeberg
BIO
Director of STEAM and Innovation for a non-profit, PhD in Curriculum and Instruction, mom of a 3-year-old.
Instagram: @krisveevee
Twitter: @KrisVeeVee
Kristen Vogt Veggeberg
“I was told by my advisor that I was 'too pretty and chirpy' to be in a doctoral program”
I'm not your typical doctorate (to quote Katy Perry: I'm type 'A Minus'). I didn't start my undergraduate degree knowing that I wanted to conduct research or even study science. Heck, I didn't even major in science: I majored in Medieval Studies and then got a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction! However, I knew that I've always loved learning, and I loved championing challenging or hard to understand subjects. This helped ground my experience as a researcher, program evaluator, and eventual director of an informal STEM education program. Being able to not only design and assess programming, but go toe to toe with scientists and engineers is crucial to my position and career.
Looking back on my academic career, there are so many times I should have just given up, but I just couldn't. I didn't get into a doctoral program the first time I applied and in my first year as a research assistant and doctoral student…
I was told by my advisor (a woman. no less!) that I was 'too pretty and chirpy' to be in a doctoral program, and that I needed to drop out, get a job, and start a family with my then-boyfriend (now husband). She also went into a rant about how she wanted to start a family, but academia got in her way.
After crying my eyes out, I transferred programs at the university and took a position at a small science museum, which luckily gave me enough time to take classes at University of Illinois at Chicago. I also sought advice not from brilliant or talented people in my field, but people who were grounded and happy in their positions. Who loved their research, their families, and the choices they made. A series of fellowships and scholarships, plus a job transfer to my current nonprofit, allowed me to finish in my new program within six years (and that's WITH transferring and changing advisors!).
I had my daughter in 2017, right after I defended my dissertation proposal. The year and a half leading up to my dissertation defence was one of the most challenging I've ever had: it felt like I never had enough time or energy for everything, whether it was submitting another conference presentation, finishing a literature review, or going over my analysis one more time while rocking a baby.
Luckily, I had an advisor who raised five kids (!) while in graduate school, so having their support, empathy, and advice gave me the final bit of push to make it through my program.
Additionally, as a school with a long history of student commuters, UIC recognised the energy and struggle that many working and studying parents have while completing an advanced degree. Having a supportive network of deans, professionals, and paper-pushers made it possible for me to finish.
Now that I'm out, during COVID, I'm still a non-profit director but the respect that I have with the title of 'PhD' helps push grants and applications further than it previously did. I've even co-authored guide books on science for kids-an incredible opportunity that I will never forget! I'm also very, very fortunate that my research was in science education out of school, as it's made parenting an inquisitive young daughter (and her clutch of friends and cousins) easier.