Armelle Corpet
Armelle Corpet is an associate professor in genetics & epigenetics and an inspiring mother of five. In this spotlight, she shares her passion for science and for helping improve the lives of patients through her research. She is a firm believer of advancing science through consistent “small” discoveries and advises mothers to follow her mother’s advice to "Never quit your job, even when you have children—keep working." Armelle also shares that being part of the Mothers in Science community has been immensely helpful in connecting her with other academic moms and feeling less alone.
1. Please describe your job in one sentence.
I am an associate professor in Genetics and Epigenetics in the University of Lyon (France).
2. What do you aspire to accomplish in your career and why?
There are several key aspects I aim to achieve in my career.
First and foremost, I aspire to share my passion for science with others. Science is such a fascinating field, and I wish everyone could catch a glimpse of its wonders ! I strive to convey this enthusiasm for science both in the lab, by mentoring PhD students, and at the university, where I teach genetics and epigenetics. Another aspiration I have is to make scientific discoveries that may one day help improve the lives of patients. While I recognize that my contributions may be small, I firmly believe that science progresses through the accumulation of all these small discoveries, which occasionally lead to groundbreaking discoveries. Lastly, as a child, I dreamed of having a job that I would truly enjoy. Loving what you do is essential, it is the driving force that sustains your motivation. On this aspect, I feel very fortunate to have a career I am deeply passionate about.
3. What do you consider to be your most important career achievement or milestone?
Securing a permanent position in science, as a French civil servant employed in a French university, has been the most significant milestone in my career. From that moment, I knew my scientific career was secure until retirement, even though I still needed to apply for grants to fund my research.
4. What career obstacles have you faced as a mother in STEMM? How did you overcome them?
I believe the most challenging aspect is the lack of time compared to other scientists without children. Science is a highly competitive field, and the more time you dedicate to it, the more results you can achieve, and the quicker you can publish (though this isn't always the case!). I felt particularly frustrated during my postdoctoral work when I was working part-time (80%) and caring for three children at home. With my limited schedule (9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.), I struggled to keep up with other postdocs who were working 150% and advancing at twice my pace. This challenge extends to maternity leaves as well—I’ve had five of them. Fortunately, many grant applications now account for this by providing an extra year per child, which is a fantastic improvement. It helps mothers catch up and balance a slower career progression while raising a family.
5. What was the best professional or personal advice you’ve ever received?
The best personal advice I ever received came from my mother. She told me something like : "Never quit your job, even when you have children—keep working." In essence, she always encouraged me to continue working, even when my children were young, and balancing work with childcare was sometimes very challenging. She emphasized that it becomes even more difficult to return to work after taking a break. I held tightly to her advice during the times when I faced significant challenges. I stayed in the field of science and managed to progress, even if at a slower pace. I was also told to ask for help when needed. This requires humility to acknowledge that you can’t always handle everything on your own and you have to rely on others.
6. How did MiS help you professionally and/or personally?
I am a new member of MiS but it is already fantastic to feel connected to this great community of mothers in science. It helps me feel less like an alien as a mother of five children, struggling to juggle between science and motherhood.
7. What advice would you give to a mother in STEMM?
First, your family should always take priority over your job, so it’s perfectly fine to pause an experiment to care for a sick child.
Second, choose a child-friendly lab to work in. Your PI should understand that you have children, and while you will be fully committed to your scientific role, your schedule may need to be more flexible to accommodate certain childcare responsibilities.
And third, the most important, have trust in yourself, embrace the reality that progress in science will be slower when you are a mother, but it remains deeply rewarding and fascinating.