Dr Eleinis Avila-Lovera is a plant ecophysiologist. Eleinis is currently an Earl S. Tupper postdoctoral fellow at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama. Eleinis talks about her career path and research undertaken during her undergraduate studies, PhD and previous postdoc at Chapman University, California. Eleinis explains more about her fieldwork and analytical equipment she uses to measure photosynthesis in plants. Eleinis also raises important points about work-life balance and mental health in academia. Finally Eleinis talks about a recent network that she has set up with a fellow colleague that is aimed at bringing together other scientists in Latin America who study plant ecophysiology, Red Latinoamericana de Ecofisiólogos Vegetales and passes on advice for other early career scientists who may be working in or visiting Latin America.