Yihua Zheng Portrait

"I grew up in China. In China, everybody talks about what they want to be [when they grow up]. Many want to grow up to be a scientist or engineer. So I aspired to be a scientist from an early age. … For the girls or women in science — or in any profession or job — opportunities are more abundant than they were previously. Sometimes you need to take bold steps. Just a little push, and then you will get there. I initially started as a foreign national, so not a lot of opportunities existed for a foreign national, and some of them [required a] green card or citizenship. I think it's hard, but still, there is a path forward. I think it's important to work hard and be optimistic, and you will find something." Space Physics and Space Weather Scientist, Heliophysics Science Division, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Dr. Yihua Zheng, poses for a portrait, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024 at NASA’s GSFC in Greenbelt, Maryland. Photo Credit: (NASA/Thalia Patrinos)