Issue link: https://tmcpulse.uberflip.com/i/1035803
t m c » p u l s e | o c t o b e r 2 0 1 8 18 "When everyone else is watch- ing in-flight movies, Rebecca is on the laptop," said Sharmila Anandasabapathy, M.D., one of Richards-Kortum's research collab- orators who serves as director of Baylor Global Initiatives and the Baylor Global Innovation Center at Baylor College of Medicine. "She balances everything—kids, a dog, exercise. I think she's one of the most balanced people I've ever met." Yet amid her frenzied schedule, Richards-Kortum still makes time to be available. "She doesn't have a minute to spare, but she always, always has time for everyone," said Kathleen Schmeler, M.D., an associate pro- fessor in the department of gyne- cologic oncology and reproductive medicine at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center who has worked with Richards-Kortum on projects related to cervical cancer prevention and early detection. "Everyone loves working with her and for her, for that reason. Even if you're the first-year graduate student in her lab of all these super- stars, you're a very important per- son, and are made to feel that way." Richards-Kortum tries to be protective of evenings and week- ends, and each year in August she unplugs for a few weeks to vacation with her husband and the kids. Everyone knows that is sacred time—don't text, don't email, don't call. Still, like most busy mothers, she is constantly re-evaluating how best to balance her responsibilities. "The thing that I've really come to, in the last few years especially, is thinking about focusing time on things that matter," Richards- Kortum said. "It can be professional or it can be personal, but I think it's really easy to let email take over your day, and whatever's in your inbox becomes your to-do list, and then someone else is in charge of your priorities. And so really thinking about, how do you make sure that you're allocating your energy and your time in a way that is consistent with the things that are fundamentally important to you?" One way? By making lists. Richards-Kortum likes to check things off, and sometimes she'll make two lists just so she can check things off twice. She tries to think about her goals for the year, for the month, the week and the day. "I have a colleague and she makes her to-do list, and she makes her not-to-do list, which I think is a very good strategy, thinking about what it is that you're not going to do, and really saying no," she said. Richards-Kortum still loves to read. She's into detective fiction— author Sue Grafton and Alexander McCall Smith's The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series—but her favorite hobby of all is running. It's a passion that began in China after a trip 10 years ago with Anandasabapathy for a project focused on esophageal cancer screening. "We went to the Great Wall at the end of our trip, and I was there with her and all these young graduate students who were super fit, and I felt like, 'Oh my gosh, I can barely keep up with these people. I've got to start doing something for exer- cise,'" Richards-Kortum recalled. "So I came back and I started running after that, and then I just License to... Adaptive Driving Access has one of the largest selections of lifts and mobility equipment in Texas. ADA offers only the highest quality products available in our industry. We have what you need to help get you on your way, because your mobility is our mission. • Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles • New & Certified Pre-owned Inventory • Adaptive Mobility Products • Scooter Lifts • 24/7 Emergency Assistance • Maintenance & Repair Service Call (281) 408-2457 for details! PASADENA | HOUSTON | CORPUS CHRISTI | MCALLEN | COLLEGE STATION ADAPTIVEDRIVING.COM