Our interests are always shaped throughout the first 18 years of our lives – and that’s how Ph.D. psychology student, Arij Yehya, realized science was for her. “Back in high school, I found science classes very interesting and thought-provoking,” Arij tells Cosmo ME, that’s where her love for psychology stemmed from, as she was then “first introduced to the field of psychology in college. Research in this field that aims to learn more the factors that guide human behaviour, in an attempt to protect people from harm and enhance their daily lives.”
When we sat down with Arij regarding her L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Programme participation, she discussed her research with us, her goals, and pieces of advice for aspiring scientists.
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What’s the secret to Arij Yehya choosing this research topic?
More onto Arij Yehya, this exceptional woman is currently working on a research project identifying factors that drive the widening of the gender gap in personality traits to further evaluate current and future gender policies. When asking Arij why she personally chose this topic, her response was: “To this day, there is little knowledge on what is driving the widening of the gap. After I learned about the current unintuitive finding, I decided to apply my research skills to help uncover the reasons behind this phenomenon. If we could understand the social factors, we might have a better understanding of the interaction between personality and culture.”
Her goals and advice to aspiring female scientists
Arij wants to have a more understanding of the issues regarding gender gaps and wants to find herself being more attentive in her field, “my goals for this year is to continue to strive to contribution within my field.” She says, about her goals for 2022 and overall, in general.
Women are finally coming to the realization that they are capable of much more than what society allows them to think they’re capable of and that’s something this scientist believes in. She strongly believes that the main reason she is as successful as she is is because of mentorship and her belief that asking for help is *okay*, not something to be ashamed of. Her advice for future female scientists is: “to search for mentors and supervisors who are willing to dedicate time and provide opportunities for them to thrive.”
“My hard work has been key that drove those around me to trust that I could be an added value to the field. I am lucky to be given opportunities, guidance from esteemed mentors, and support from my husband and family. All the challenges I faced throughout my years of study helped to improve my skills,” she said.
When discussing how she became a scientist, Arij doesn’t look back at her struggles negatively but instead appreciates them. “I now have better time management, research, and communication skills because of those challenges. I did not struggle to reach where I am now, on the contrary, I was given opportunities and support and I decided to work hard daily to get the most out of them.”