One of these leaders creates innovative lenses that allow people with compromised vision to see clearly again. Another plays a key role in transforming scientific breakthroughs into game-changing therapies. And a third orchestrates the journey medicine takes from the lab to bring the promise of hope to patients.
Though these Johnson & Johnson leaders have different roles in the science and medical fields, they’re all part of a growing number of scientists, engineers and researchers using their STEM bona fides to play a vital role in today’s healthcare landscape.
According to a 2026 report from the U.S. National Science Foundation, careers built on science, technology, engineering and mathematics—better known as STEM—are projected to grow by 6% from 2024–2034, twice as fast as non-STEM roles. And 43% of STEM-trained individuals are forging paths as nurses, physicians and pharmacy technicians, among other healthcare roles.
Keep reading to learn more about these Johnson & Johnson trailblazers, what inspired them to go into healthcare and their best advice for others hoping to do the same.
Kimberly Lounds Foster, Global Head of Advanced Therapies Supply Chain, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine
What inspired you to go into healthcare?
“I grew up in a house with STEM professionals. My father was an electrical engineer, and my mother was a nurse. Watching her navigate conversations with doctors and provide clear recommendations for patients was an early inspiration,” she says.
Lounds Foster was also inspired by her high school science teachers, who sparked curiosity and made science fun, she recalls. “This was reinforced as I participated in state science fairs where I had opportunities to engage with academics who shared their research and encouraged me to pursue my own curiosity.”
What does your job entail?
“I oversee the intricate network that bridges the world of the laboratory with that of the patient,” she explains. “Once the research and development teams invent a molecule or therapy, we determine how to manufacture it in a controlled and consistent way.” The next step is overseeing the transfer of those technologies into manufacturing plants and, most importantly, “making sure larger-scale manufacturing is reliably compliant with high-quality standards before we deliver our medicines to patients.”
With the company’s industry-leading portfolio of transformational medicines in cancer, and immune-mediated and neurological diseases, “it is becoming more complex than ever,” says Lounds Foster. “For me, our role in supply chain is to ensure that we are at the heart of innovative medicines, making sure we deliver our therapies to patients globally.”
What are the benefits of going into STEM?
Lounds Foster believes there are endless opportunities in the life sciences industry to make a positive impact on the lives of millions of patients. “Not only is this industry professionally challenging, it’s also personally rewarding,” she says.
Where does your passion for mental health come from?
“Earlier in my career, I struggled to balance work and personal life and faced many situations where I had to create space to ensure I could bring my best, authentic self to the workplace,” Lounds Foster says. “As leaders, we must ensure our teams have the tools to help them manage the pressure to deliver with excellence while prioritizing their own wellness to maintain good mental health. Your career is a marathon, so you must pace yourself to ensure you remain grounded while enjoying the journey.”
Soumya D. Chakravarty, M.D., Ph.D., Senior Director & Strategic Lead, Rheumatology Medical Affairs, U.S. Immunology, Johnson & Johnson
What inspired you to go into healthcare?
“As a consequence of inadequate healthcare growing up in India, my father suffered through a lifetime of chronic health problems—diabetes and end-stage renal disease, ultimately requiring a kidney transplant,” says Dr. Chakravarty. “His experience inspired me to think about what I could do to address not only the ‘how’ behind human disease, but also the ‘why.’ ”
Making the transition from full-time clinical practice as a rheumatologist to Johnson & Johnson involved a similar source of inspiration. “When you treat patients, each one is unique and that’s satisfying, especially when you can see tangible benefits,” he says. “However, if you truly want to change the trajectory of healthcare on a population-based level, it’s hard to do that unless you join an organization like Johnson & Johnson where you can affect the lives of millions of patients by bringing transformational therapies to market.”
Case in point: Dr. Chakravarty led the medical launch of the company’s new treatment for adult patients with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA). “We have the potential to change the lives of over 1 million people in the U.S. who are living with active PsA,” he says.
What does your job entail?
“My job is all about generating and sharing data on the medicines we develop,” says Dr. Chakravarty. “We run clinical trials, analyze research from our R&D colleagues and study how treatments are used in everyday medical practice. To make sure clinicians have the information they need to treat patients effectively, “we then take that data and share it with doctors and healthcare professionals through medical publications, conferences and digital medical education.”
Dr. Chakravarty and his team also compliantly share early research findings on new uses for existing medicines—sometimes before they’re officially approved for those conditions. “At the end of the day, my team makes sure the right medical information gets to the right people at the right time,” he adds.
How has your work as a practicing rheumatologist informed and inspired your work as a scientist?
“Treating patients is a great opportunity to stay grounded and to reinforce the ‘why’ behind what we do,” says Dr. Chakravarty, who continues to see patients a few days a month on a voluntary basis at a rheumatology clinic. “Apart from educating and teaching the next generation of physicians, this serves as a consistent reminder for me that patients are the focus of everything we work tirelessly for, ensuring that transformational therapies reach them and their loved ones in a timely way.”
What are the benefits of going into STEM?
“You can make tangible changes in people’s everyday lives, whether it’s through pharmaceutical therapies that change the course of disease, a new bridge that makes your daily commute that much easier or the next generation of electric vehicles,” he says.
Carmen Canovas Vidal, Ph.D., Director, Lens Design and Vision Science, Johnson & Johnson MedTech, Vision
What inspired you to go into healthcare?
“From an early age, I loved math and science, but getting my first pair of glasses as a kid proved to be a transformative moment,” she says. “I’m very myopic, and when I put on my first pair of spectacles at 9 years old, I told my mother, ‘I didn’t realize how pretty you are.’ That’s when I learned that fixing vision can change people’s lives.”
That lesson hit close to home again years later when her father needed intraocular lens implants (IOL) following cataract removal. The lenses he chose to restore his vision and correct astigmatism were the TECNIS Symfony™ Toric IOL, designed by his daughter. “When he told me that he had never seen better in his life, it was really touching,” she says.
What does your job entail?
“I oversee the Lens Design and Vision Science team, a group of scientists and engineers who design both contact lenses and IOLs used in cataract surgery,” says Canovas Vidal.
Most recently she led the team that designed the latest advancement in the TECNIS IOL family that her father had opted for, called the TECNIS PureSee™ IOL, which was awarded the prestigious 2025 MedTech Breakthrough Award for “Best New Technology Solution – Ophthalmology.” This recognition is a testament to Canovas Vidal and her team’s innovative contributions in advancing vision correction in cataract surgery.
What’s your advice for others going into STEM?
“It’s important to not feel shy or embarrassed about showing your ideas and claiming your space,” says Canovas Vidal.
This story, originally published on March 8, 2024, has been updated.
