Behind every scientific achievement lies a complex journey, marked by trials, discoveries, and steadfast resolve. The career of distinguished University Professor Rita Colwell (@rcolwell2), of the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University, typifies the ups and downs of a great scientific journey: it began when very few women conducted research, and led her to become a world authority on cholera and director of the National Science Foundation. In this episode of Naturally Speaking Shorts, Taya Forde (@TayaForde) and Karen Hotopp (@KarenHotopp) catch up with her to talk about the impact of her work on water quality and the changing opportunities for women in science.
![Colwell's research showed that Vibrio cholerae, the bacterium that causes cholera, lives in the guts of zooplankton. Nathan Reading [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0], via Flickr.](https://naturallyspeakingpodcast.files.wordpress.com/2016/07/nathan-reading-e1467802327321.jpg?w=750)
![Colwell speaks at the opening session for 2010 Stockholm Water Prize, which she was awarded that year. waterworldweek [], via Flickr.](https://naturallyspeakingpodcast.files.wordpress.com/2016/07/worldwaterweek2-e1467802387987.jpg?w=750)
Intro and outro music sampled from: “The Curtain Rises” and “Early Riser” Kevin MacLeod [CC BY 3.0]
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