It's probably no surprise that I have to visualize things in a
different way because of my blindness, but this has helped me
throughout my scientific career. In my graduate work, I studied
Helicobacter pylori urease, an enzyme which helps bacteria survive
in the acidic conditions of the stomach. While my sighted peers
looked at pictures and videos of the molecule in action, I, being
blind, didn’t have any option but to get my data another way. To
learn more about what I found, click
here. This is when I demonstrated that just like my sighted peers, I
had a full—albeit different—perception of the facts. Because of my
experiences, I strongly believe that anyone, no matter their age,
background, or ability, can be a scientist if they want to be.