Interview with Kathryn Peek

An oral history interview with Kathryn Elaine Hickman Peek about her career as a biomedical administrator and educator at many institutions in the Texas Medical Center. Kathryn Elaine Peek, Ph.D. completed her bachelor’s degree in English and embarked on a first career as a public school teacher. She obtained master’s degrees in biology and behavioral sciences at the University of Houston and UH Clear Lake during two stays in the Houston area. She entered the University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at what is now the McGovern Medical School at the age of 39. She graduated with a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences at the age of 44 and embarked on a career that took her from laboratory studies of brain and spinal cord ischemia to the pursuit of information about the biological differences between men and women. Along the way, she mentored many young people pursuing healthcare and science careers and supported numerous women seeking career advancement in STEM professions. Her career was sometimes at the mercies of institutional politics. She retired from the University of Houston in 2013, but as she continues to work as a consultant in the Texas Medical Center, she can look back on raising awareness of women’s health issues as well as boosting the presence of women in leadership positions in the Texas Medical Center