Changing Academic Life Jen Heemstra on Accidental Leadership (CAL 138, S8E3)
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Feb 11, 2026 
Jen Heemstra, biomolecular engineer and chair of chemistry at Washington University, and author of Lab Work to Leadership. She talks about moving unexpectedly into leadership, building trust and psychological safety in labs, creating team-driven lab culture, giving and receiving feedback, and coaching future leaders through practical rituals and self-leadership.
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Tenure Rejection That Recentered Leadership
- Jen Heemstra recounts the worst day of her life when a 50-50 tenure vote felt like catastrophic failure because many people had bet their careers on her success.
- Her lab rallied, senior leaders intervened, she later got tenure, then the group gained multiple grants and was recruited away, which refocused her values toward people-first leadership.
Leadership Is Broader Than You Expect
- Jen realized early she needed leadership skills but was surprised by the breadth and intentionality required to lead a lab well.
- Standing in an empty lab at time zero she visualized a full, collaborative group and understood leadership would be central to reaching that future.
Co-Create Lab Values And Strategy
- Instead of imposing culture, invite the team to define values, strategic pillars, vision, and a one-year goal together.
- Jen ran a retreat to co-create a playbook (values, strategy, goals) which changed how the lab operated.
