Janini grew up with a deep curiosity about the ocean. At fifteen, she moved from her hometown of Itajaí to a bigger city to attend a technical school in Electronics, where she was one of only a handful of girls in her class.
In her final year of school, Janini received a leaflet about a brand-new university course in Oceanography - the science of the ocean. She was thrilled by the idea of studying different parts of the ocean and carrying out research. Taking part in science fairs at school had already shown her how exciting hands-on scientific exploration could be, and this new course felt like the perfect next step.
“With persistence, focus and a positive mindset, a career in STEM can be both challenging and deeply rewarding.”
Janini went on to earn a degree in Oceanography, followed by a Master’s degree and then a PhD in Physical Oceanography - the study of how the ocean moves and how this affects our planet’s climate. Today, she is an Associate Professor at the Federal University of Bahia, researching large-scale ocean currents and how to model them using computers.
One of Janini’s biggest current challenges is balancing her research career with being a mother to two children, including a very young daughter. She often works from home while her daughter sleeps, arranging childcare for meetings and lectures - a juggling act familiar to many parents working in research.