View from the Board: CAS Alum and Board Member Irene Glowinski
Reflecting on her distinguished four-decade career in science, College of Arts and Sciences Advisory Board member and alumna Irene Glowinski (BS chemistry ’75) shares valuable wisdom on the importance of confidence, embracing new experiences, understanding your worth, and giving back.
As part of this commitment, Glowinski recently established American University's very first Science and Policy Undergraduate Certificate for the next generation of aspiring scientists.Ěý
Glowinski’s career path, which sits at the intersection of science and policy, began at American University and led to a series of key roles at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She retired in 2019 as the Deputy Director of the Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at the NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). In this position, which she held for 20 years, she oversaw a national and international research program in infectious diseases by supporting investigations into the causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of a broad range of pathogens, including those related to biodefense, as well as emerging diseases such as pandemic influenza.Ěý
Science for Real-Life Impact
Today, Glowinski remains active in the worlds of science and policy. Her legacy continues to grow as she shapes the next generation of scientists through her role on the College of Arts and Sciences Advisory Board, mentoring young people, and creating opportunities for students to experience the nexus of science and policymaking in Washington, DC.Ěý
Most recently, Glowinski—alongside fellow alum and Board member John Miller (CAS/BS ’74)—came up with the idea for AU’s Science and Policy Undergraduate Certificate. Glowinski helped fund the project because she believes that scientists equipped with strong communication, writing, and policy skills are better positioned to convey their discoveries to general audiences, influence decision-making, advocate for important science-based policies, and bridge the gap between research and public understanding.
Students in the certificate program will apply scientific knowledge and technical skills to real-world problems, hear from science policy experts, gain insider understanding of how science-relevant policy is shaped, improve critical thinking and communication skills, and learn about career paths at the intersection of science and policy.
"We are deeply appreciative of Irene’s vision and leadership in helping to establish this unique interdisciplinary certificate,” says College of Arts and Sciences Dean Linda Aldoory. “By integrating science and policy and leveraging our unparalleled access to policymakers and scientists here in Washington, DC, this program offers our students a one-of-a-kind educational experience that prepares them to be leaders at the intersection of science and policy."
An American University Start
Growing up as a first-generation American and first-generation college student, Glowinski received minimal guidance while navigating the college application process. But she liked chemistry and knew she was good at it. And she was drawn to American University’s location in the nation’s capital.Ěý
During her time at AU, Glowinski thrived as a chemistry major, finding support and mentors in the Department of Chemistry. She also discovered her passion. “Most students really hate organic chemistry, but I loved the biological parts of chemistry—I just resonated with them,” she says.Ěý
Towards the end of her undergraduate studies, a discussion with the department chair changed the trajectory of her career. Glowinski knew she wanted to pursue an advanced degree and was leaning towards pharmacy school. But the professor's response surprised her. “You don’t want to do that,” he told her. “If you do, you will spend your career counting pills. If you want to do research, you should apply to pharmacology graduate schools.” At the time, Glowinski had never even heard of the discipline.
Glowinski followed his advice. She was accepted at the University of Michigan’s Pharmacology PhD program and set off for five years in Ann Arbor.
Trying New Things, Building Confidence
After she earned her PhD, Glowinski moved back to DC for a postdoctoral research position at the National Cancer Institute. But after five years, she realized that working in the lab wasn’t the right fit for her.Ěý
“The rewards were too few and far between, and I really didn't enjoy that sort of lab work," she says. “So, I searched for something else to do that utilized all that education and training I had received.”
Glowinski loved science, but she also loved policy—she was drawn to the policy articles in Science and Nature magazines, and she liked to discuss policy implications at lab meetings. She decided to step outside her STEM comfort zone and take a congressional operations and budget class. The experience led her to apply for a congressional fellowship sponsored by the American Chemical Society. She was awarded the fellowship and worked for the Committee on Science, Space and Technology, Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight, in the US House of Representatives.
Making Yourself Unique—Widening Opportunities
In her new position, Glowinski worked under an attorney. “It was such a synergistic relationship,” she says. “He taught me the legal ramifications of science policies, and I taught him molecular biology. And I got to do some of the most interesting and exciting things on Capitol Hill.”
One of her favorite projects was organizing the first Congressional hearing on the artificial heart, which focused on the scientific and ethical issues surrounding heart transplants. This was at a time when the fruits of biotechnology were moving from the lab bench into the field, and everyone was worried about genetically modified organisms. Glowinski wrote legislation, drafted questions for congressional hearings, and briefed Congress on the scientific issues of the day. “It all played to my strengths, and I loved it,” she says. She was offered a full-time staff position at the end of her fellowship.
It was a position that taught Glowinski the importance of understanding how to do research. “There weren’t many scientists on the Science and Tech Committee, but there were a lot of lawyers,” she says. “With the PhD after my name, they just assumed I was an expert at a wide diversity of science—everything from geology to heart disease to ecology. So, in the era before Google, I used the Congressional Research Service and the library and learned all I could on the relevant science issues of the day. I learned that my value was not just focused on the science. Part of my value was a basic understanding of how to ask questions and find the answers.”
These were valuable lessons, but when the committee Chair moved on, Glowinski had another decision to make. “I wanted to advance in my career and there weren’t that many opportunities for someone with my training. I was young,” she said, “and I wanted to do more. I knew it was time to leave.”
She went to work at the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, NIH, which supports basic biomedical research. Glowinski was hired to help get a new biotechnology training program off the ground. For ten rewarding years, she traveled to major academic institutions across the country conducting site visits by interviewing deans, faculty, and students and learning about their cutting-edge research; she would then return to DC to organize and conduct the peer review of the grant applications.
Never Burn a Bridge
One day, Glowinski got an unexpected call from a fellow postdoc from her days at the NCI. As the new Director of one of the Divisions at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, she had a job for Glowinski—running her Communications, Policy, and Legislative Office. Surprised, Glowinski said, “I don’t know anything about microbes and viruses; I’m a chemist who knows drug development!” But the woman said, “First of all, you’re smart. Second, I’m surrounded by microbiologists. I don’t need another one.”
It was all Glowinski needed to hear to take a leap of faith and start her next adventure. At the time, NIAID was a small division with a modest budget for studying all infectious diseases other than AIDS which had its own dedicated division. But the following year, 2001, letters containing anthrax spores were mailed to Members of Congress and others. Congress suddenly realized that the nation needed to be better prepared for a biological attack—and research on most of the pathogens with potential for bioterrorism was in Glowinski’s division.
Within two years, the office’s budget and staff tripled, changing the nature and pace of the work. “All of this was under Dr. Anthony Fauci,” Glowinski says. “It was a challenging time, and during those years I worked 24/7. But it was a wonderful experience working with so many smart, talented and dedicated people, and I learned so much.”
Do What You Love
After seven years, the division’s deputy director left for another job, and Glowinski was offered and accepted the position. For the next 13 years, she ran the day-to-day operations of the division, including direct oversight of its $1.5B budget. Her work helped advance the development of drugs, vaccines and diagnostics for infectious diseases such as influenza, tuberculosis and malaria.
Now, as she looks back, Glowinski compares her career to a winding path—none of which she could have predicted. “If you told me early on that I would have had the career I had, I would have said you were nuts. I didn’t even know that jobs like this existed,” she says. “So, you must be prepared when opportunities come along. If you get into a mindset where you believe you can only do certain things, you won’t be open to opportunities. I’ve found that the narrower you are in outlook, the more limited you are.”
Fittingly, Glowinski's path has now come back full circle to American University — from the time many years ago when she studied chemistry, and her department chair gave her advice not to pursue a “pill-counting career.” Now, as a College of Arts and Sciences Board of Advisors member, it's Glowinski who mentors students, advises the College on all matters, and impacts future generations of young scientists.