Commenting on the immaculate desk of Sohyun Ahn elicits an embarrassed giggle, but practically any other question gets a thoughtful look from behind her blue cat's-eye glasses. Throughout her career, Ahn has made a habit of stepping back and studying the situation before acting. "It's important to take a break and think about things," she says.
When faced with the choice of where to pursue her doctorate, Ahn trekked to see her family in Seoul, South Korea. Her choice: to study under a Johns Hopkins heavyweight or join David Ginty, so new he wasn't even listed in the graduate brochure. With her parents as sounding boards, finally she decided to go with a mentor who would be able to spend more time training her in lab techniques. Late one night, she tiptoed through her parent's house and dialed a Maryland phone number. When Ginty answered, she asked if he still ...
