Mentor Inspires Team Members to Dream Big

When it comes to science, biochemist James Evans isn’t afraid to dream big. He also encourages his colleagues and mentees to do the same.

“What I’ve learned from James is to think bigger, be bold, and to think outside the box,” said Daniel Perea, a materials scientist and long-time collaborator.

Evans mentors a variety of professionals at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), including six early career staff for the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL) and three for the Pacific Northwest Center for Cryo-EM (PNCC). Evans is co-principal investigator and PNNL lead for the PNCC, a joint project with Oregon Health and Science University to make atomic-resolution structural analysis of biological samples available to users worldwide and free of charge. To date, more than 600 unique users have utilized resources at PNCC.

Evans’ team at PNNL also performs fundamental research related to bioimaging and biochemistry. The team’s research has led to revelations for a variety of areas in biology. To bridge the gap in linking proteomics and protein identification to structural and functional characterization, for example, the team recently built and commissioned a cell-free pipeline to rapidly express proteins on demand in a test tube. In one instance, this pipeline allowed the first-ever full-length structure of a protein chaperone in only nine days after receiving the gene clone. One of their current big-vision projects includes using electron tomography to understand the internal organization of cells and how changes in cellular components influence overall productivity for bioenergy applications.

Not just about results

When it comes to his and his team’s success in science, Evans said it is important to not just focus on the results, but the complete process of science—including the letdowns.

According to Perea, this is one of the main traits that makes Evans a great mentor. He said it allows the team to pursue challenging problems. It is through Evans’ vision and leadership, he said, that their team has accomplished some incredible scientific feats.

“To stand out in science, to do something that no one has ever done before, some amount of failure comes with that,” Perea said. “My scientific identity at PNNL related to the development of biological atom probe tomography is because of my work with James and the recognition that we get from it. Originally, the idea of doing biological work on an instrument designed for inorganic materials was crazy, but we chipped away at each obstacle and overcame several challenges. We are now on the precipice of a major new capability.”

There is no “I” in team

Evans said achieving big results in science is not just about the grand outcomes—it is also about the team of people behind it. He said it is important to provide his team members with opportunities to not only learn and perform technical skills in the lab, but to also grow their strengths and apply their interests. He said he knows, for example, what it is like to be given routine tasks and have that be the entire focus and end goal for the individual. While that can be an ideal work environment for some, Evans said it isn’t a personal driving force. Instead, he endeavors to provide greater responsibility to young scientists starting out in exploratory and fundamental research.

From the start of his experience working with Evans, biologist Jory Brookreson said Evans and his team opened him up to new possibilities that he was genuinely interested in. He said this is in contrast to simply running samples and performing the technical aspects of experiments.

“People like James are essential to science because they not only teach you about your current path, but also where you can use these paths to go,” he said.

Trevor Moser, chemist and member of Evans’ team, has worked with Evans in many roles, starting as a graduate student and user of EMSL, through his postdoctoral experience and now as a staff researcher. He said many lead researchers are very results-oriented in working with their staff, which can sometimes be a detriment to their staff’s development and satisfaction.

“James cares about results, but he cares about the people the most,” he said. “Our well-being is always something he prioritizes.”

Lauren Vega, project coordinator and member of Evans’ team, said of all the professional jobs she has held, Evans has provided the best mentorship. She said Evans strives to make sure that she is a valued member of the team, even in such a large collaboration.

“He exemplifies optimum traits for what a mentor should be,” she said. “It is rewarding to be mentored by someone like James because you can tell that he has taken the time to develop empathy for any situation, which is aimed to support you as a team member.”

Catering to mentees’ interests

Evans said it takes a lot of intentional effort for the mentor to customize interactions and cater to each of their mentee’s personal goals and interests. He said especially with diverse groups and large-scope projects, it is easy for individuals to get lost in the shuffle. But, he said, that intentional effort to connect is worth it to him.

“To keep my team engaged, I try to make them feel like they own their slice of the work,” he said. “I also identify the strengths and leading-edge skills for every person and match that to their current work. I try to enhance skills that are already a strength and nudge people on skills that are near the edge of comfort.”

In the end, Evans said science is team-based.

“I want to give my team members every opportunity to grow,” he said. “Not only do the results speak for themselves, but it makes the journey all the more rewarding.”