Jo Anna Robinson •  Organic Chemist

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I am an

ORGANIC CHEMIST

Jo Anna Robinson

Presented by the AMGEN Foundation
MY LIFE
MY PATH
MY WORK
FOR YOU 
MY PATH

How I became an ADVENTURER, INVENTOR, and organic chemist.

MAJOR INFLUENCES

  • Bioluminescent Plankton Bloom.

    In college, I jumped into the ocean one night and it started to glow neon blue. It was so cool. And shortly after, we learned about how that happens in my organic chemistry lab.

  • Networking.

    When I was a senior in college, I met someone who worked at Amgen at a networking event. That introduction led to my first position there.

  • Great Teachers.

    I had some really fantastic chemistry teachers in high school and college that were willing to take the time to explain things, and not be judgmental if you got the wrong answer.

  • Lab Experiences.

    Working in the undergrad lab inspired my love for bench work. I realized that science was a lot more than just classes, and how much I enjoyed working with my hands to make something.

Embrace the unexpected things that bring you joy.

My path has been filled with moments of serendipity (like the plankton bloom), luck (like discovering a key enzyme on my first try), and unexpected opportunities (that encouraged to explore a new field). If I hadn’t constantly been open to new possibilities and paths, I would never have ended up with the role that I love.

Major Milestones

Studying Chemistry in College

I worked in both a biology and organic chemistry lab, which made a big impact on me, as I realized how much more I liked the hands-on work than the coursework.

Finding my Field at Amgen

My company’s rotation program exposed me to different pathways in science. After discovering biosis and green chemistry, I realized that was where I wanted to be.

First Patent with Amgen

Just over a decade into my work, I was really excited to receive an inventor patent for an FDA approved drug in 2021 (and without a PhD!) Hopefully more to come!

Things I learned

along the way:

  • Sometimes failure is just a part of the path.

    When I took organic chemistry in college, I flunked the course. It wasn’t until I worked in the lab that I realized the real work was nothing like the classwork. I loved learning on the job, and that was a way more effective way for me to build the skills.

    Now I understand that failure is just a part of the process in science. You have to get comfortable with it. See it as a signal, not an outcome.

  • My life is about a lot more than work.

    Not every role in science requires that you work so hard that you burn out. I have a policy of leaving work at work, which helps make sure I get the space I need to enjoy my life. I take full advantage of my vacation days, and prioritize taking care of myself and doing the things I love outside of the lab too.

  • Let your passions evolve.

    In my career, I started off doing one thing, but now I'm doing something completely different—and I like what I do now way more. Science changes fast, and you never know how the skills you build in one area could help you if you transition to another. My work may keep changing throughout my career, and that’s OK.

  • It's possible to integrate your values into your science.

    For me, it’s been really rewarding to push my field to be better by looking for sustainable approaches. It may be more challenging than the status quo, but if we prioritize staying true to our values in our work, we might uncover new (and better) ways of doing things.

MY WORK →

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