Michelle O’Connor

Working at Lyndra helps me fulfill some of the personal goals I’ve had since I was young. Even though I grew up in New York City, I’ve always been passionate about science and the natural world. From insects and animals to the oceans and space, I knew I wanted to be involved in science somehow, and I also knew I wanted to make a difference and help people.

At Wellesley College, I discovered that I specifically enjoyed chemistry. It’s a discipline that answers so many question—and many of those answers can be directly applied to better people’s lives. From Wellesley, I went on to work in a few different companies in the pharmaceutical industry, honing my skills in analytical techniques and developing an interest in therapeutics. During that time, I learned that what I most wanted to do was work in a small to medium-sized company on projects with direct applications to human health. That made Lyndra the perfect fit.

The people here are truly committed to improving global health. In fact, I can honestly say that I’m working with the best, most motivating people I’ve ever met. I look forward to coming to work every day—in part because the research is so challenging and I’m always learning something new, but mostly because I enjoy working alongside my colleagues so much.

As an analytical scientist, my job is to look for the issues, for what might not be working quite right. In my previous jobs, that kind of news would make people defensive. But here, at Lyndra, there’s an enormous amount of respect for what I do. Analytical results are typically met with, “Oh, that’s really interesting. What should we do next to deal with this issue?” That kind of response is empowering because it shows me that my work is valued. I feel like I’m part of a team. Not just any team, but a team that truly believes we are going to change how people take their medications and have a huge beneficial impact on global health.