Beyond the Lab Coat: The Uncharted Journey of a Physicist, Author, and Roller Derby Star
What do you picture when you think of a physicist? If your mind goes straight to lab coats and complex equations, you’re in for a welcome surprise. Our latest guest on the STEAM Studio Spotlight podcast shatters every stereotype, and her story is a masterclass in building a vibrant, multidimensional life.
We sat down with Elizabeth Holden—an NIU alum who seamlessly weaves together the seemingly disparate threads of physics teacher, young adult novelist, small business owner, and roller derby athlete. If that list alone doesn’t pique your curiosity, the way she connects these passions certainly will.
Liz’s journey began, as many great stories do, with a pivot. She started college as a journalism major, but a single astronomy class lit a fuse that led her to change her entire academic trajectory, eventually earning both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in physics from NIU. But here’s the twist: that early love for writing never left. It just waited patiently in the wings.
In a moment of profound self-reflection, Liz realized that while she loved teaching physics, the accolade she thought she wanted—a PhD—was more about ego than passion. The real, lingering regret she would have, she confessed, was never taking a serious shot at getting a novel published.
What followed wasn’t an overnight success story, but a years-long exercise in resilience. She calls it an “iterative process,” a term any scientist or engineer will appreciate. Liz wrote a novel in grad school (“It wasn’t that great, but it existed”), penned countless short stories, and navigated the tumultuous world of literary agents with a spreadsheet-wielder’s precision. She even signed with an agent, only to have the courage to walk away when the partnership wasn’t right—a brave move in an industry where any representation can feel like a golden ticket.
Her breakthrough came from a place of longing. During the COVID lockdown, with her roller derby league on hiatus, she poured her energy into a new idea: a young adult novel about an anxious, queer teenage girl who finds her strength and community in a roller derby team. The result was Mighty Millie Novak, her debut novel published in the summer of 2024.
In our conversation, Liz gets refreshingly real about what happens after you achieve a lifelong goal. Spoiler alert: you don’t suddenly become an “enlightened” person. The drive for the next achievement, the next validation, remains. She talks about the importance of community—whether it’s the friends who got her through grueling physics problem sets at NIU or the writer friends she meets for weekly coffee to stay on track—in keeping her grounded and motivated.
This is more than just a conversation about a fascinating career path. It’s about the hidden connections between the scientific method and the creative process. It’s about the courage to pursue multiple callings without feeling the need to choose just one. And it’s a powerful reminder that the most interesting lives are often built in the spaces between disciplines.
So, if you’ve ever felt boxed in by a single title or wondered how to blend your own diverse interests, Liz Holden’s story is for you. Press play and get ready to be inspired by a life lived in full, vibrant color.
