"I'm 100 % Romani" says Paulína Slepčíková, a successful organic chemist in Slovakia

Her path to a scientific career was not always easy. Thanks to her desire to change things for the better and her persistence, she managed to break through and today is a recognized expert in researching the sensory chips which serve to detect different chemical materials, such as pollutants in water or viruses.

In 2020 she earned her doctorate with a dissertation entitled “Synthesis, the 1H, 13C and 15N NMR spectra, and the biological effectiveness of imines, chalcones, pyrazoles, thiohydantoins and spirocycles based on acridine-9(4)-carbaldehydes.” In 2023, Dr. Slepčíková won the prestigious Roma Spirit award in the individual category after an international jury reviewed her inspiring personal story.

Dr. Slepčíková is also a proud mother who is managing the demanding challenges of pursuing a scientific career while raising a son with whom she spends all her free time. They most prefer spending time outdoors in nature.

At home you will most often find her in the kitchen, because she really loves to cook. Despite her international renown, she has a strong relationship with her native country and wants to keep on contributing to the development of science in Slovakia.

Dr. Slepčíková believes Slovakia has many brilliant scientists, both men and women, and that there is no need to go abroad to make a name for oneself. Her dream is that her current visibility will contribute to promoting science and scientific careers among young people.

Q: You live in Košice, do you consider yourself a native of that city?

A: Not completely. I wouldn’t say that I’m a native. I have lived here my whole life, but my parents aren’t from here.

Q: That’s why I asked. I know you’re from the village of Mníšek nad Hnilcom. However, your family moved to Košice right after you were born. I’m assuming you don’t remember Mníšek?

A: We used to visit my grandfathers and grandmothers there. We frequently spent our whole vacations there. My parents had to work in the summer, so they sent us to the village and we were there all summer. I have great memories of that. Maybe that’s why I feel more at home there than in Košice.

Q: What are the specific characteristics of Mníšek nad Hnilcom? For what is it known?

A: Today anybody who knows Mníšek probably immediately thinks of it as the “hungry valley”. It’s known for hunger. It didn’t used to be like that, but it keeps getting worse there. It was once a German village. Most of the non-Romani people in the area have German roots.

Q: The Mantaken lived there, right?

A: Yes, exactly, the Carpathian Germans. Those things might be related, when I think about it now. The non-Roma and the Roma always got along well there in the past. They had quite good relations, and it was exactly thanks to that situation, probably, that local Roma saw it was possible to also live differently, at a higher level. I remember the Roma living well there. Now it’s worse. Naturally, poverty is not just in that area. However, it’s really very extensive there.

Q: Probably there’s no work there, mainly. There used to be mines there, right?

A: In Gelnica there was a mine, but closer by, in Smolník, there was a factory where they made cigars. The tobacco industry was there. There was also a manufacturer of handmade shoes and slippers. There used to be enough work there, even for uneducated people.

Q: Your family put a lot of emphasis on education, though. Were your parents educated?

A: My mother was not. Mom had just one year of high school. I saw her report card, she was a straight-A student. However, her mother told her: “You have to go work.” The teacher even went to their home to persuade her parents that she should go to the college preparatory school in Gelnica, because she had what it takes. My grandmother resolutely rejected that idea, though. My mother had to at least complete her compulsory schooling, so she went to high school for just one year. My Dad finished high school, but he did not take the matura examination. He was also a good student, all A’s and B’s.

Q: Do you know why your father didn’t continue his education?

A: It was similar. He also went to work. He started at the ironworks in Košice, today it’s owned by U. S. Steel, and he never continued his education.

Q: It sounds like a classic story of parents telling each other they will arrange for their children’s education so they will have better lives. Were you an exceptional family in your neighborhood?

A: Yes, my parents wanted us to have better lives. We heard that non-stop. I don’t know whether we were exceptional or not. Maybe we were rather unique. There were three of us siblings and each of us is totally different from the others. Our fates have been similar, but our stories are totally different. My brother went to university and is a pianist. My sister is a teacher, she also went to university. I’m a scientist. Who would have predicted it?

Q: I’m trying to find out why that might be. Maybe as a formula for others to follow. Do you think your parents pushed you to achieve?

A: I don’t know whether it was how we were raised. We came to Košice, my parents knew nobody here, and they both worked. Maybe our upbringing was stricter, everything had to have its order. We had our hobbies, each of us did what amused us. However, I wouldn’t say our parents pushed us, rather, they just supported us. It was natural. We knew that if we wanted to be good at something, we had to spend time at it. If one wants to improve one’s standard of living, one has to work on oneself. Our parents worked, they were role models for us. Maybe that’s why it worked for us. I believe I have quite successful siblings.

Q: Is it similar in your extended family, too? Your grandparents were uneducated, your parents got some education, and you all are university graduates already? Is that a model you see often?

A: Exactly so, my cousins are like that too. My generation already has a high school education, with matura examinations, or a university degree. What’s important is that they do what they studied.

Q: Why is that? Is this specific to your family?

A: My husband is from Košice, and I have a feeling that I see differences between us. Naturally it is always necessary to assess people as individuals. However, there are certain patterns there. I have a cousin in the hunger valley, they have children and they commute 70 kilometres to work every day. One week they’re on the morning shift, the next week they work the afternoon shift, and the week after that, the night shift. They take care of everything even so! On the other hand, here in Košice I see women who could get jobs right away, close to home, but they don’t. Maybe it’s the region. People probably try more where it’s harder. That goes for both non-Roma and Roma.

Q: I read that your specialization is the production of components used to detect COVID-19. I was captivated by the mention of something that has a dimension of 0.3 millimeters. If you go to a family party, that’s likely not a subject of common conversation, right?

A: I’ve recently changed my job a bit, but I’m still in that field. I’ve always just told people that I do testing in a laboratory. There was never any point in explaining what I do, it would have taken a week. When they heard the word “laboratory”, they imagined I was testing blood. I confirmed that. I left it at that – “Yes, that’s exactly what I do.” [laughter]

Q: For those who are actually interested, you studied organic chemistry, right? Should I imagine you doing some kind of molecular research? DNA sequencing and such?

A: That’s biochemistry. I did synthesis of biologically active substances and their testing on cancer cells, on various cell lines. That was the subject of my dissertation, when I did my doctorate. Synthesis, the NMR spectra and so forth. Biological activity. I’ve been publishing about this in scientific journals abroad. Then I was hired by a university as a researcher, where I’ve been working on detecting different organic materials in water and in other matrices. I did that for three years and achieved real successes. A month ago I published an article in a very good journal abroad about this. I have been collaborating with a highly recognized professor from Spain. He is a world-famous expert.

Q: When you spoke about your work, it occurred to me that you are doing something applicable. It’s easy to grasp that you are aiding the detection of cancer, or harmful substances in water. It would be much more complex to comprehend basic theoretical research.

A: You know, people still don’t believe you, though. Some people even think I’m pulling their leg. Yes, that’s how bad it is. What’s more, I’m a Romani woman. At work we have a new colleague and I took her to lunch. Suddenly she said to me: “You look like you’re from Latin America. You speak Slovak so well.” I told her that I am Romani and she could not believe it at all. She could not believe that I am where I am. Am I supposed to spell it out for her? We’re both working in a Swiss firm that selects its people quite carefully. There were three rounds of interviews under very strict conditions. We both made it through. For my colleagues, though, it’s easier to believe you’re from abroad than that you’re a Romani woman from Slovakia. They simply do not believe you.

Q: Does it frequently happen that people speak English to you? Do they believe you’re a foreigner?

A: Yes, I’m already accustomed to that. I have colleagues with whom I’m in daily contact, we chat frequently through video. I’ve already known some of them a long time, but somebody’s always being surprised about me nevertheless. For them, my appearance simply does not conform to my being from Slovakia.

Q: That reminds me of something else I read about you. You became pregnant during your first year of college. Back then many people probably said to themselves: “Well sure, a Romani girl, she’s done with her studies, she’ll never finish.”

A: At the time I told myself that everything happens for a reason. Including my son being born in my second year of university, all of it was for a reason. It was awfully hard. I was living in my childhood bedroom, four meters square. I had nothing when I learned I was pregnant. I’d been studying chemistry. Already I felt like that was over for me. I gritted my teeth, though. My son was born on 13 September, the semester started on 15 September. I didn’t make the start, but after a couple of weeks I was back to my daily studies. I saw no other option besides studying and caring for my child. Ultimately it succeeded.

Q: It turned out that your son basically started going to school when you were doing your doctorate. He went through the whole thing with you.

A: Yes. I started my doctorate in 2016, my son was almost six at the time. I had nothing, just my child and school, I had no money.

Q: I was captivated by your saying that you managed your first two years at university with God’s aid. You completed your studies with honors, though. Aren’t you a bit hard on yourself? God assisted you, but you earned honors?

A: I didn’t even know I was going to be given honors. I just kept studying and studying. Once I had the state examinations behind me, I confided to one professor how afraid I was and how glad I was that it was finally over. She surprised me with the words: “You will be graduating with honors.” I just said to myself: “Good, I guess it’s turned out like that.”

Q: I’d like to return to your Romani roots. We can probably agree that for many people you are not a “typical” Romani woman. I’m interested in how you perceive that.

A: I’m 100 % Romani! Absolutely in every way. Even at work they understand that and I laugh about it with those with whom I have a good relationship. I’m not explosive or temperamental, not at all, but I look like a Romani woman and I’m proud of that. If they ever forget it, I remind them.

Q: How do you perceive this with other people? Do you feel you can tell who is Romani?

A: Yes, it can be seen. In my opinion, you can tell. A Romani person recognizes other Roma. It’s their behavior and appearance. There’s always some indication there.

Q: At the end of last year you were given the Roma Spirit award. The popular media took an interest in you and you gave many interviews. What did you make of that? Has anything changed in your life?

A: For me it was a success to be called and told I had been nominated. I was quite surprised at the time. This will sound like a cliché, but I didn’t go there thinking I might win an award. I told myself that I was attending a nice event.

Q: The gala evening was held in Košice that time.

A: Yes, exactly. I told myself that we’d get dressed up, we’d go there, then we’d come home and celebrate the nomination. We had everything baked and cooked ahead of time, we arranged a smaller party. It was all the more pleasant when we were celebrating the award as well.

Q: Maybe it wasn’t until then that many of your colleagues comprehended that you really are a Romani woman?

A: At the time I had been working at the Faculty of Medicine. About 70 % of the students there were from abroad. It was always different – sometimes somebody greeted me by saying “Hello”, sometimes “Dobrý deň“. However, after the award, that changed. By then everybody already knew me and everybody just greeted me with “Dobrý deň“. That was actually quite a strong moment for me. A lot of things changed, basically everything changed. It opened more doors for me, I may have even got my new job thanks to that. Everything was probably meant to be – that it was held in Košice, all our preparations. I saw it as a reward. Something for all those years and everything I’d been through. Something like a sign from above saying: You did it, you made it.

First published in Czech in the magazine Romano voďi.