Alumna Strives to Inspire Those Seeking Science Careers

As women and people of color strive to advance in scientific fields, UNC Charlotte alumna Sandra Orimilikwe hopes to inspire others with her experiences.

“I am a living testament that women and African Americans can look to when pursuing or considering a science career,” said Orimilikwe, who earned her bachelor’s degree in biology in 1999 and now works as a Scientist II in Immunohematology Product Support at Ortho Clinical Diagnostics Company in New Jersey.

Her passion for science has driven her to seek hands-on learning experiences, and academic degrees, while finding time to encourage others to do the same. “I feel I am having a positive impact on women and African Americans who are pursuing or considering a career in the sciences, through encouragement to not see science as a difficult subject, through early exposure to someone like me with a science career and by offering hands-on experience,” she said.

Ties to Science Started Early in Life

Orimilikwe’s connections to science began in her family home. “I come from a family of healthcare professionals, so it was a no-brainer that I would follow in my family’s footsteps,” she said. “My mother is a registered nurse and my father is a retired university professor, and they both introduced me to the medical field.”

When Orimilikwe was 7, her parents had returned from her birth city of Washington, D.C. to their native Nigeria. Orimilikwe started her college education in Nigeria at The School of Medical Technology at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital. “I was fresh out of high school, so I had to learn about taking responsibility for studying hard and asking the professor questions when I was confused,” she said.

She later found opportunity in New Jersey at Mercer Community College, where she earned her associate’s degree in medical laboratory technology. When transitioning from Nigeria to the United States to continue her studies, she found similarities in the environments and the strategies she had to follow to succeed.

She next traveled to UNC Charlotte, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in biology-medical technology. Orimilikwe said she was attracted to UNC Charlotte because of the excellent science degree programs, professors and location. She gained the most knowledge from her classes related to the topics of immunology and genetics, and she has applied in her jobs the knowledge she gained.

Orimilikwe Augmented Studies With Lab Work

Orimilikwe found employment at the Carolinas Healthcare System working in its lab as a medical lab technician, balancing school and work. “It was focus and determination,” she said. “When I look back, I cannot believe that I juggled between school and work. It was hard.”

Following graduation, she continued to work at Carolinas Healthcare Systems for a few more years, before joining Ortho Clinical Diagnostics. She currently conducts blood bank product failure investigations, completes research to develop new processes through feasibility studies and performs cost improvement projects on methodologies, processes and products and systems. She is also responsible for preparing technical reports, which include quantitative analysis, summaries and protocols.

“My career as a scientist started in hematology and evolved from there,” she said. “To me, hematology is an interesting area of medical technology that helps to diagnose different blood diseases through the studying of different cells of the body.”

The hardest part of her job comes when she is analyzing product failures. “During product failure investigations, I (sometimes) am not able to detect why a product or raw material did not meet its acceptance criteria,” she said. “I have to continue researching and brainstorming until I find the root cause and then devise a conclusion.”

Orimilikwe might be far from UNC Charlotte but she has never lost touch with her 49er friends. While living in New Jersey, she has discovered a New York City alumni chapter and has met other 49ers. She also has contributed to support scholarships and other UNC Charlotte efforts. She encourages current students to recognize the array of opportunities available and to work for them.

“All one needs to do is first study very hard, enroll in internship programs for introduction into different science fields, look for job fairs and network, because this will help when seeking for employment,” she said. “Use social media such as LinkedIn to reach to a lot of employers. Also, seek out for advice any UNC Charlotte alumni who went through the same program and are employed by a great employer. If one chooses to go back to school after obtaining an undergraduate degree, don’t wait. Just go for it.”

Words: Darien Talley, CLAS Student Communications Assistant
Image: Courtesy of Sandra Orimilikwe