Ambitiously Her

About Ambitiously Her

Ambitiously Her is the go-to podcast for the woman in STEM and beyond becoming everything she imagined. Hosted by Dr. Mariana Quiroga Londoño, Bioinformatics Postdoc Scientist in Oncology, Cambridge University Alumni and the face behind @marianaql.science on instagram (50,000+ 75% women in STEM). Mariana shares what she’s learning in her journey, plus candid conversations with women who’ve walked the path ahead. Expect mindset shifts, career strategy, and practical takeaways to grow ambitiously and unapologetically, wherever you start, no matter where you come from.

Publisher

Dr. Mariana Quiroga Londoño

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

31 May 2026

Latest episode

15 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

10 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   15 Oct 2026

   AI, Public Policy & Angel Investing: Dorothy Chou’s Unconventional Career Path

   Dorothy Chou spent nearly a decade shaping how AI meets the public, from building the industry’s first transparency report to leading the public engagement lab at Google DeepMind. Now she’s an angel investor with 40+ companies in her portfolio and chair of UCL Partners. In this conversation, she shares how a self-described “worst at science and math” kid of biologist immigrants ended up at the center of AI, and why she’s betting on AI for health, biology and materials instead of more chatbots. In this episode: 1. How an internship at Google in Washington, DC set the course of her career 2. Why the angel investing myth (“you need a huge check”) is a wives’ tale, and how scout programs and SPVs open the door with small checks 3. Why she looks for founders she can learn with 4. What the state of funding for female founders looks like, and why we need more women allocating capital 5. How the immigrant mindset shaped her ambition and her comfort with change 6. Founders she backs: AI for materials science, AMR data for open science, family formation, and women’s divorce outcomes 7. Her work with UCL Partners and why healthcare procurement matters for getting innovation into the NHS 8. What public engagement really is, and how to start a career in it 9. Therapy vs. coaching, and why “you don’t get a trophy for toughing it out” 10. Who she is without a job title, and how she’s learning to slow down after burnout. Her advice: choose the next opportunity by who you’ll learn from, not the biggest title or paycheck CONNECT WITH US: 📧 Business Inquiries: ambitiouslyherpodcast@gmail.com 📱 Instagram, TikTok & YouTube: @ambitiouslyher.podcast 🎵 Official Theme Song: "Ambitiously Her Podcast Theme" across all streaming platforms CREDITS: Host, Founder, Podcast & Social Media Creative Director, and Theme Song Writer: Dr. Mariana Quiroga Londoño (@marianaql.science) Podcast Editing and Social Media Content Creation: Bhumika Manjappa (@coffee_and_cognition) and Dr. Mariana Quiroga Londoño

2. 

   3 Oct 2026

   Breaking Generational Cycles, Play Therapy & How to Set Boundaries ft. Dr. Sydney Conroy

   In this episode, Dr. Mariana sits down with Dr. Sydney Conroy, a therapist, writer, educator and researcher focused on mental health, trauma and play therapy. Sydney earned her PhD from the University of Cambridge, where she studied the impact of COVID-19 on mental health and collective trauma recovery. She is also the creator of the Soft Academia Planner and the Soft Academia advice column on Substack. Together they talk about what it takes to break family cycles as the first in your family to do it, why perfectionism follows us into that work, and how to stay gentle with yourself along the way. In this episode: How Sydney went from existential phenomenology to play therapy, and why she works with children What play therapy is and how toys become the words and play becomes the story How to start breaking generational cycles, and why naming emotions is a small first step Why a boundary is your behavior, not a request for someone else to change The difference between guilt ("I did something bad") and shame ("I am bad") Discussing Sydney’s Research about Generational trauma and family roles in Disney's Encanto. (Conroy, S. (2022) 'Narrative matters: Encanto and intergenerational trauma', Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 27(3), pp. 309–311. doi:10.1111/camh.12563.) Asking "What is the gentlest, most beautiful way I can do this?" Celebrating your wins instead of treating them as obligations Handling rejection in academia and on the job market without letting it define your worth What collective trauma is and how to find your "lane" in recovery Sydney's Soft Academia newsletter and her dream projects: a children's book and collective trauma reflection cards CONNECT WITH US: 📧 Business Inquiries: ambitiouslyherpodcast@gmail.com 📱 Instagram, TikTok & YouTube: @ambitiouslyher.podcast 🎵 Official Theme Song: "Ambitiously Her Podcast Theme" across all streaming platforms CREDITS: Host, Founder, Podcast & Social Media Creative Director, and Theme Song Writer: Dr. Mariana Quiroga Londoño (@marianaql.science (https://www.instagram.com/marianaql.science/)) Podcast Editing and Social Media Content Creation: Bhumika Manjappa (@coffee_and_cognition) and Dr. Mariana Quiroga Londoño

3. 

   14 Sept 2026

   Taking Up Space: Becoming a PI, Mother & Advocate in Academia ft. Dr. Simone Webb

   In this episode: - How Simone broke into bioinformatics without a bioinformatics degree and why her "biology-first" route is more common than people think - The mentor advice that became her career mantra: “let them say no" - Leading a landmark human hematopoiesis atlas during the pandemic - Her postdoc pivot to building a whole-organism developmental cell atlas - Landing a Royal Society Career Development Fellowship for Black heritage researchers- Growing up with almost no Black women role models in senior academic science, and co-founding the African & Caribbean Researchers Collective in response - Becoming a mother, and why "there's never a good time" to start a family in academia - Why gratitude can quietly become a trap, and learning to own her accomplishments instead of just feeling lucky for them - Who she is beyond the PhD: London, the sea, hot yoga, sci-fi novels, and live music Dr. Simone Webb didn't set out to become a bioinformatician; she stumbled into it through a plant biology project, then followed it all the way to a PhD in human cell biology, a landmark Nature paper on human hematopoiesis, and now a Royal Society Career Development Fellowship at Newcastle University to transition to become a PI. In this episode, Simone opens up about growing up as a Londoner with Jamaican Heritage, the mentor who told her to stop disqualifying and motherhood. This one is a masterclass in resilience, redefining "qualified," and building the life you actually want. CONNECT WITH US: 📧 Business Inquiries: ambitiouslyherpodcast@gmail.com 📱 Instagram, TikTok & YouTube: @ambitiouslyher.podcast 🎵 Official Theme Song: "Ambitiously Her Podcast Theme" across all streaming platforms CREDITS:Host, Founder, Podcast & Social Media Creative Director, and Theme Song Writer: Dr. Mariana Quiroga Londoño (@marianaql.science) Podcast Editing and Social Media Content Creation: Bhumika Manjappa (@coffee_and_cognition) and Dr. Mariana Quiroga Londoño

4. 

   31 Aug 2026

   First-Gen Neurodevelopment Postdoc on Multiple Income Streams, Endometriosis & Motherhood ft. Dr. Cindy Pham

   In this episode of Ambitiously Her, host Dr. Mariana Quiroga Londoño sits down with Dr. Cindy Pham, a postdoctoral research associate in neurodevelopment and mental health at King's College London, for a conversation that goes far deeper than academia. Cindy shares her journey as a first-generation Vietnamese-Australian scientist: from her father's escape from Vietnam by boat with less than $8.50 to his name, to her own multidisciplinary PhD spanning epidemiology, neuroscience, pediatrics, and public health at the University of Melbourne. They discuss her research on how early-life environments shape children's neurodevelopment in low- and middle-income countries. Cindy opens up about a near-fatal experience at 17, her endometriosis diagnosis and the years of being dismissed before finally being heard, building multiple income streams as an early-career academic, and what it means to consciously choose motherhood on her own timeline rather than someone else's. Topics covered: 🔬 Building a research career across three continents 💔 Mental health, trauma, and what "second chances" really mean 🩸 Endometriosis, the diagnosis, the doubt, and why women shouldn't have to fight to be believed 💰 Diversifying income as a woman in academia 👶 Choosing motherhood on your own terms 🌏 What it means to be the first in your family to do any of this This is a candid, unfiltered conversation about resilience, ambition, and building a life that doesn't ask you to shrink any part of yourself to fit it. CONNECT WITH US: 📧 Business Inquiries: ambitiouslyherpodcast@gmail.com 📱 Instagram, TikTok & YouTube: @ambitiouslyher.podcast 🎵 Official Theme Song: "Ambitiously Her Podcast Theme" across all streaming platforms CREDITS: Host, Founder, Podcast & Social Media Creative Director, and Theme Song Writer: Dr. Mariana Quiroga Londoño (@marianaql.science) Podcast Editing and Social Media Content Creation: Bhumika Manjappa (@coffee_and_cognition) and Dr. Mariana Quiroga Londoño

5. 

   14 Aug 2026

   From Blood cancer patient at 21 to Cambridge PhD & Gates Scholar ft Julia Viladevall

   Julia Viladevall, PhD researcher in hematology at the University of Cambridge's Stem Cell Institute, joins the show to talk about the winding, deeply personal path that led her there. In this episode, Dr. Mariana sits down with Julia to talk about her journey from Argentona, near Barcelona, to Paris to Cambridge, and how a Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosis at 21, just days into her dream research placement in Paris, redirected her career toward studying how blood stem cells develop and go wrong in children. Julia shares what it actually looks like to fund a PhD abroad, from landing the La Caixa fellowship to fielding three competing Cambridge scholarship offers and ultimately becoming a Gates Cambridge Scholar. They get real about self-doubt in high-stakes applications, how to actually find and reach out to a lab you want to join, staying rooted to family and culture while living abroad, and what separates a good leader from a forgettable one. Julia also opens up about living with the long-term effects of cancer treatment, why she resists being defined as a "fighter," and how the people around her, her PI, her friends, her support system helped her rebuild. In this episode: - Why a cancer diagnosis at 21 redirected her into hematology research - A day in the life as a PhD student studying fetal blood stem cell development - How to fund a PhD abroad: La Caixa, Gates Cambridge, and other scholarships to know - Overcoming self-doubt and imposter syndrome in competitive applications - How to reach out to labs and PIs (the "stalking moment" strategy) - Living abroad, staying rooted to home, and redefining what "home" means - What makes a good leader: kindness, active listening, and knowing your non-negotiables CONNECT WITH US: 📧 Business Inquiries: ambitiouslyherpodcast@gmail.com 📱 Instagram, TikTok & YouTube: @ambitiouslyher.podcast 🎵 Official Theme Song: "Ambitiously Her Podcast Theme" across all streaming platforms CREDITS: Host, Founder, Podcast & Social Media Creative Director, and Theme Song Writer: Dr. Mariana Quiroga Londoño (@marianaql.science) Podcast Editing and Social Media Content Creation: Bhumika Manjappa (@coffee_and_cognition) and Dr. Mariana Quiroga Londoño

6. 

   31 Jul 2026

   Breaking into Biotech & Pharma without a PhD ft Marie from Lab Skills Academy

   You don't need a PhD to build a career in biotech; you need curiosity, consistency, and the courage to say yes. In this episode, Dr. Mariana sits down with Marie, founder of Lab Skills Academy (@labskillsacademy) and host of the When in STEM Podcast, to talk about her unconventional path into cell and gene therapy. Marie shares how a bachelor's degree and Northeastern University's co-op program launched her career, what it's actually like working with induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) day-to-day, and how she balances full-time lab work with building a science education platform on the side. They get real about salary negotiation, how to spot red flags and toxic culture before you accept an offer, and why working on female-led teams changed how she sees leadership in STEM. Marie also opens up about reconciling her Christian faith with a career in science, and how believing that rejection redirects you has shaped every major decision in her career. In this episode: Why you don't need a PhD to start a biotech career A day in the life working with stem cells How to negotiate your first job offer (and what to do differently next time) Spotting red flags and choosing a workplace that fits your values Building a personal brand and overcoming imposter syndrome Faith, science, and finding purpose in uncertainty CONNECT WITH US: 📧 Business Inquiries: ambitiouslyherpodcast@gmail.com (mailto:ambitiouslyherpodcast@gmail.com) 📱 Instagram, TikTok & YouTube: @ambitiouslyher.podcast 🎵 Official Theme Song: "Ambitiously Her Podcast Theme" across all streaming platforms CREDITS: Host, Founder, Podcast & Social Media Creative Director, and Theme Song Writer: Dr. Mariana Quiroga Londoño (@marianaql.science (https://www.instagram.com/marianaql.science/)) Podcast Editing and Social Media Content Creation: Bhumika Manjappa (@coffee_and_cognition (https://www.instagram.com/coffee_and_cognition/)) and Dr. Mariana Quiroga Londoño

7. 

   14 Jul 2026

   How to build a career in Bioinformatics ft Dr. Camilla Lyons

   In this episode, Dr. Mariana Quiroga Londoño sits down with her longtime friend and fellow bioinformatician, Dr. Camila Lyons, a PhD from Cambridge University and now a postdoc at EMBL. But this conversation goes far beyond the CV. Mariana and Camila open up about what it's like to be women navigating male-dominated rooms, the loneliness of a PhD, being ghosted after job interviews, and the courage it takes to keep going anyway. They talk about therapy, not as a last resort, but as one of the most powerful tools for self-discovery. They get honest about low self-esteem, people-pleasing, generational patterns, and what it means to finally start recognizing your own worth. They also break down the practical stuff: how to get into competitive research institutions, why passion matters more than prestige, how to use AI in bioinformatics without losing your critical thinking, and the three non-negotiables you should define before entering the job market. In this episode, you'll hear about: - Breaking into bioinformatics from different academic backgrounds - Gender imbalance in STEM labs and leadership - AI tools in science. Are they helpful assistants or just a dangerous shortcut? - Stepping out of your comfort zone without traveling abroad - Resilience, rejection, and dealing with ghosting in academia - Therapy as a tool for self-growth, not just crisis management - Defining your professional non-negotiables before saying yes to a job - How to see yourself beyond your job title This episode is brought to you by Jenni AI: the AI-powered writing assistant built for researchers and students, helping you read smarter, write notes, cite and paraphrase faster at @whoisjenniai. #Sponsored http://jenni.ai/utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=inf&utm_campaign=ambitiously_hers Use Code: HEY20 About us: Ambitiously Her is the go-to podcast for the woman in STEM and beyond becoming everything she imagined. Hosted by Dr. Mariana Quiroga Londoño, Bioinformatics Postdoc Scientist in Oncology, Cambridge University Alumni and the face behind @marianaql.science (http://marianaql.science/) on Instagram (50,000 followers, 75% women in STEM). Mariana shares what she's learning in her journey, plus candid conversations with women who've walked the path ahead. Expect mindset shifts, career strategy, and practical takeaways to grow ambitiously and unapologetically, wherever you start, no matter where you come from. --- CONNECT WITH US: 📧 Business Inquiries: ambitiouslyherpodcast@gmail.com 📱 Instagram, TikTok & YouTube: @ambitiouslyher.podcast 🎵 Official Theme Song: *"Ambitiously Her Podcast Theme"* across all streaming platforms CREDITS: Host, Founder, Podcast & Social Media Creative Director, and Theme Song Writer: Dr. Mariana Quiroga Londoño (@marianaql.science) Podcast Editing and Social Media Content Creation: Bhumika Manjappa (@coffee_and_cognition) and Dr. Mariana Quiroga Londoño

8. 

   30 Jun 2026

   How Training for HYROX Transformed my Mindset, Purpose & Resilience

   Most people underestimate how deeply discipline shapes your identity and how much pushing through discomfort can unlock hidden strength. In this episode of Ambitiously Her, Dr. Mariana Quiroga Londoño shares how training for Hyrox, a demanding hybrid fitness race, transformed her perspective on resilience, purpose, and self-love, proving that even without an athletic background, you can conquer goals that once felt impossible. Mariana opens up about the raw reality of taking on a challenge that pushed both her body and mind to the limit. She shares intimate moments from race day, battling cramps, navigating frustration, and finding strength through the support of loved ones. Through her experience, she reveals how discipline becomes more than consistency; it becomes an act of self-respect and personal growth that impacts every area of life. About Us Ambitiously Her is the go-to podcast for the woman in STEM and beyond becoming everything she imagined. Hosted by Dr. Mariana Quiroga Londoño, Bioinformatics Postdoc Scientist in Oncology, Cambridge University Alumni and the face behind @marianaql.science (http://marianaql.science/) on Instagram (50,000 followers, 75% women in STEM). Mariana shares what she's learning in her journey, plus candid conversations with women who've walked the path ahead. Expect mindset shifts, career strategy, and practical takeaways to grow ambitiously and unapologetically, wherever you start, no matter where you come from. Business inquires: ambitiouslyherpodcast@gmail.com (mailto:ambitiouslyherpodcast@gmail.com) Social media (Instagram, Tiktok & Youtube): @ambitiouslyher.podcast Official Theme song: Ambitiously Her Podcast Theme on all platforms CONNECT WITH US: 📧 Business Inquiries: ⁠ambitiouslyherpodcast@gmail.com⁠ (mailto:ambitiouslyherpodcast@gmail.com) 📱 Instagram, TikTok & YouTube: @⁠ambitiouslyher.podcast⁠ (https://www.instagram.com/ambitiouslyher.podcast?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==) 🎵 Official Theme Song: "Ambitiously Her Podcast Theme" across all streaming platforms CREDITS: Host, Founder, Podcast & Social Media Creative Director, and Theme Song Writer:Dr. Mariana Quiroga Londoño (⁠@marianaql.science⁠ (https://www.instagram.com/marianaql.science/)) Podcast Editing and Social Media Content Creation:Bhumika Manjappa (@⁠coffee_and_cognition⁠ (https://www.instagram.com/coffee_and_cognition?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==)) and Dr. Mariana Quiroga Londoño Special Thanks to all our incredible Guests and listeners worldwide

9. 

   15 Jun 2026

   How a First-Gen, Immigrant Mom graduated from Yale with a PhD ft Dr. Fernanda Sulantay Vargas

   Most of us struggle with balancing careers, motherhood, and personal dreams, but Dr. Fernanda Sulantay Vargas proves it’s possible. In this episode, Mariana and Fernanda discuss Fernanda’s journey from community college to a Yale PhD in computational science, all while raising two children and breaking barriers as a Salvadoran immigrant and first-generation Latina in STEM. Fernanda opens up about navigating academia without a perfect GPA, securing her place at Yale through storytelling, extracurriculars, and persistence, and thriving in a male-dominated field. She shares candid insights on applying for fellowships, writing compelling applications, building a personal brand, networking authentically, and adapting your story for industry opportunities. Perfect for first-generation students, women considering motherhood during STEM careers, or anyone overwhelmed by job searches and career transitions, this episode is filled with actionable advice, honesty, and encouragement. About us: Ambitiously Her is the go-to podcast for the woman in STEM and beyond becoming everything she imagined. Hosted by **Dr. Mariana Quiroga Londoño**, Bioinformatics Postdoc Scientist in Oncology, Cambridge University Alumni and the face behind @marianaql.science on Instagram (50,000 followers, 75% women in STEM).Mariana shares what she's learning in her journey, plus candid conversations with women who've walked the path ahead. Expect mindset shifts, career strategy, and practical takeaways to grow ambitiously and unapologetically, wherever you start, no matter where you come from. CONNECT WITH US: 📧 Business Inquiries: ambitiouslyherpodcast@gmail.com📱 Instagram, TikTok & YouTube: @ambitiouslyher.podcast (https://www.instagram.com/ambitiouslyher.podcast?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw%3D%3D) 🎵 Official Theme Song: "Ambitiously Her Podcast Theme" across all streaming platforms CREDITS : Host, Founder, Podcast & Social Media Creative Director, and Theme Song Writer: Dr. Mariana Quiroga Londoño (@marianaql.science) Podcast Editing and Social Media Content Creation: Bhumika Manjappa (@coffee_and_cognition (https://www.instagram.com/coffee_and_cognition/)) and Dr. Mariana Quiroga Londoño Special Thanks to all our incredible Guests and listeners worldwide

10. 

    31 May 2026

    Episode 0: My Path, My Purpose & Why I Built This For You

    This is the episode before Episode 1, the one where Mariana shares her own path. Where she came from, what she carried, and why that journey is exactly what led her to create this podcast. Ambitiously Her is for the woman who refuses to shrink. The one who is building something meaningful and knows the path forward is rarely a straight line. If you've ever felt like you're doing too much and somehow still not enough, this is for you. If you're the first in your family, your lab, or your company to do what you're doing , this is for you. You're in the right place. This is where it all begins. CONNECT WITH US: 📧 Business Inquiries: ambitiouslyherpodcast@gmail.com (mailto:ambitiouslyherpodcast@gmail.com) 📱 Instagram, TikTok & YouTube: @ambitiouslyher.podcast (https://www.instagram.com/ambitiouslyher.podcast?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==) 🎵 Official Theme Song: "Ambitiously Her Podcast Theme" across all streaming platforms CREDITS: Host, Founder, Podcast & Social Media Creative Director, and Theme Song Writer:Dr. Mariana Quiroga Londoño (@marianaql.science (https://www.instagram.com/marianaql.science/)) Podcast Editing and Social Media Content Creation:Bhumika Manjappa (@coffee_and_cognition (https://www.instagram.com/coffee_and_cognition?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==)) and Dr. Mariana Quiroga Londoño Special Thanks to all our incredible Guests and listeners worldwide

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Spotify

5.0 / 5

12 ratings

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Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.