Basma Radwan is a postdoctoral research associate in the Biology department at New York University, Abu Dhabi. She talks to us about her experience as a woman scientist and single mother. She credits her time in NYU, New York as formative for her personal and scientific growth. As an Egyptian woman, she shines a light on the kind of cultural messaging that young Egyptian girls receive while growing up.Basma Radwan received her B.S. degree in neural science from New York University, New York, the M.S. in biomedical engineering from Boston University, and Ph.D. in Neural science from New York University, New York, in 2015. Her current research revolves around investigating the interplay between sleep and depression and how sleep abnormalities could lead to stress-prone individuals. She was the recipient of the L’Oreal-UNESCO-For Women in Science (Middle East) in 2018 for her research in the field of neuroscience. More information about Basma:Chaudhury LaboratoryL’Oreal-UNESCO-For Women in Science (Middle East) fellowship 2018Mona Lisa smile – a fictional account of women breaking professional and cultural barriers in 1950s AmericaInterviewed and edited by Dr. Shruti Muralidhar. Music by Lee Rosevere. Brought to you by The ALBA Network