Camille Ouellette

Senior Lecturer

NTID Department of Science and Mathematics

Camille is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Science and Mathematics.

What woman inspires you, or who is your favorite heroine and why?
My mother is my biggest inspiration. She gives so much of herself to her family, friends, patients, and clients. She is always looking for opportunities to learn and ways to give to those less fortunate. She does everything with intention and believes that anything worth doing is worth doing well.

What assumptions about women would you like to see change?
The definition of the word “woman” is changing every day. It is a fluid term and I look forward to seeing how future generations of women express their identities as women.

What barriers have you faced, as a woman, in becoming successful in your field?
The number of women pursuing degrees in the biological and health sciences is increasing. This is wonderful and I hope to see it continue. However, I think it is important that we address the types of roles women take on when they become faculty. I look forward to seeing more women in administration and leadership positions rather than performing the bulk of the teaching and service in their respective departments.

What in your life has brought you the greatest satisfaction or fulfillment?
Nothing brings me more joy than when a student achieves their dreams. Being part of their journeys is a privilege and I am honored to be a part, however small, of their RIT careers.

What can our community do to better support women?
Although women are now able to pursue careers, there is still a cultural expectation that a woman will also manage the day-to-day of her home and family, which is a full-time job itself. Thus, providing more support to women in the form of a better work-life balance will enable women to succeed even more in the workplace.

What advice would you give young women?
Trust yourself. Everyone in the world will have an opinion about what you should do with your life. Listen to their advice and learn from their stories, but ultimately, your inner voice knows what’s right for you. Trust it.

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
I just bought a house so I would love to learn “handy” tasks like basic electricity and plumbing. Some interior design skills would be great as well!

What is a fun fact about yourself?
I love knitting and cats. I combine the two by knitting and donating baby blankets to local animal shelters.