​Sometimes I wish I could say that I’ve always wanted to be an engineer. That would’ve saved me from endless hours (or days or weeks) of second-guessing my abilities. But it wouldn’t have helped me become the curious, self-determined, Latina in STEM that I am today. 
 
I have always loved being a student. And as a kid I didn’t really think about my future. When I would be asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, my go-to answer was a lawyer. As a child of immigrants, I was familiar with the profession by name only but that was about it. As I graduated from elementary, to middle school, to high school I didn’t give that question much thought. That is until I saw my older brother and later my classmates apply to college. But even then, I didn’t understand what college would offer - all I heard was that I could continue being a student and that was enough for me.
 
Luckily, I was not a bad student and had parents that emphasized the importance of a college education. So, I applied to the only two universities that I could see myself at, the University of Houston (UH), where my brother was studying, and the University of Texas at Austin (UT) where most of my classmates were applying to. When it came to choosing a major for the application, I chose undeclared. I couldn’t decide on what I would want to study, everything seemed interesting and new and exciting but also very vague and scary and different. How could I, a seventeen-year-old with little knowledge of the world outside of my small hometown, make such a big decision?
 
A couple of months later I found myself at UT’s orientation. Getting there was a big discussion with my family, but after an invitation to explore the campus and meet with representatives of the university we decided that UT would provide me with the resources like career counselors, student mentors, and tutoring to make that decision. As an undeclared student my goal was to successfully transfer into a major that I was genuinely interested in and that would lead to a stable career. 
 
My first fall semester was rough. The classes were hard, I felt homesick, confused, and in over my head. I also felt very frustrated with myself because I still didn’t have a clear answer to that question, “What do I want to be when I grow up?” I was tired of being so indecisive. So that winter break I decided to transfer into linguistics because I liked words and I really wanted to justify studying Latin after taking an introduction class into classical mythology. Shortly after starting the spring semester, I was able to successfully transfer into the linguistics department.
 
A couple of weeks later, I felt like I made a mistake.  
 
But part of growing up is making them and learning from them. So, this time, I asked questions. I signed up for almost every single transfer information session (except for anything medical because of several different reasons), I talked to my academic advisor, I talked to students about their majors and the classes they were taking, I attended pre-law student organization meetings (just in case), I went to office hours, went on field trips, did a lot of tutoring, and I googled endlessly about majors and jobs. And most importantly I talked to my career counselor who introduced to me the different types of careers paths that different kinds of majors provided. By the end of the semester, I realized architectural engineering checked all of my boxes: challenging, useful, and stable. 
 
My second fall semester was better. I was able to transfer into the engineering school to study architectural engineering. The more and more I learned about the different building systems, the equations that make our lives easier, and the people that make it happen, the more I realized I made the right decision. Like I learned my freshman year, I had to explore and learn about all of my options so I joined different student chapters of professional organizations like the Structural Engineers Association of Texas (SEAoT) which introduced me to forensic civil engineering. I attended Women in Engineering Program (WEP) events where I met and learned from women studying and working in engineering.
 
By the time I graduated, I had participated in undergraduate research, competed in an international concrete competition, 3-D printed a model of a high-rise building, and found the answer to that ever present question. I want to design and construct a strong and healthy built environment. Currently I work as a forensic civil engineer where I investigate building and road failures and will be going back to school  to earn a master’s in civil engineering. I am still at the beginning of my STEM journey, but like the saying goes, getting started is the hardest part. 

I’ve always been fascinated with puzzles.  Crossword puzzles, logic puzzles, Rubik’s Cubes…as a child I could lose myself in these for hours at a time.  Even now, I maintain a subscription to The NY Times crossword app which I use daily.  For me, there’s a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction that comes with the process of solving these puzzles.

This obsession of mine turned into a passion for technology when I took my first high school Computer Programming class.  Coding programs to solve for problems was just another puzzle to me!  And, when I realized that this could be an actual college major and possible career for me, I was elated.  This was a pivotal moment in my life.

When I graduated high school, I had the opportunity to complete a 4-year corporate internship through a program aimed at developing minority talent.  Through that internship I gained real-world experience, forming part of a team tasked with coding and delivering business applications.  That experience cemented things for me.  

I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1991 with a degree in Computer Science and entered the corporate workforce, working in the Technology department for a bank on Wall Street.  Since then, I’ve had technology positions in the pharmaceutical industry, retail industry and have done some consulting as well.  Eventually, I made my way back to banking, which is where I’ve been the last 20+ years.

Computer science is easily transferable across industries.  All industries have business problems that need technology solutions.  Technology, however, changes over time.  As new technologies replace obsolete technologies, one of the exciting features of a career in computer science is the need keep up with these changes.  It keeps things fresh and appealing.  

While a large portion of my career was spent programming, my career path led me to technology project and program management, which is what I currently do.  I am responsible for a portfolio of technology projects and oversee the global teams delivering these.  These teams are composed of project managers, business analysts, application testers and developers.  Together, we deliver technology solutions to solve business problems.

There have definitely been some challenges along my journey.  

• While I was in college, I had an advisor in the Engineering school who was not supportive of me switching out an Electrical Engineering requirement for some business courses.  He dismissed my request, with a claim that I “wouldn’t amount to anything” unless I pursued hard-core engineering.   I felt very strongly that for me, the combination of business and technology courses would benefit me most.  I changed advisors and found one that would support me, and it was the best decision for me.
  
• Early on in my career, it was very common for me to be the only woman in a room and the only Latina in the department.  I am pleased to see the progress that has been made to remediate this through the years.  Although we have more work to do, I see more faces who look like mine in the technology field and in leadership roles.  
  

My STEM journey has not always been smooth sailing, but I find it very rewarding.  I made a career out of something I am passionate about…I wake up every day to a new puzzle to solve.

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Tell us about your educational background.
I completed my pre-pharmacy courses for admission into pharmacy school at Hudson County Community College in Jersey City, NJ. I then proceeded to complete my Doctor of Pharmacy at Nova Southeastern University College of Pharmacy in Davie, FL. I am currently working towards the completion of my Master of Science in Health Outcomes, Policy, Economics from the Rutgers University School of Public Health. 

What inspired you to pursue a degree in the pharmaceutical field?
Growing up I was always interested in science and the medical field specifically. Prior to graduating high school, I met a pharmacist who explained the role of the profession and I became interested in learning more by working in a pharmacy. I was able to obtain a job as a pharmacy technician in Walgreens where I further learned about the profession and networked with other pharmacists. Through these experiences I realized that pharmacists play a large role in helping patients and impacting healthcare as they are the most accessible healthcare professional. The profession’s diversity and impact on bettering the lives of patients through medication management, counseling, immunizations, etc. really excited me and solidified my decision to pursue an advanced degree in pharmacy. 


Who was your role model growing up?
I would say my biggest role models growing up were my parents. Throughout my entire childhood they worked endlessly to ensure that my siblings and I had everything we needed to succeed in life. I have always been so inspired by their lack of fear in pursuing something new and their perseverance in ensuring they were successful in those new endeavors regardless of any obstacles that may present themselves. Their immense support and motivation to persist is one of the biggest reasons I have been able to achieve all my goals. 




What is your favorite part of your job?
My favorite part of my job is knowing that the research and development of health economic tools I work on are going to help patients to be able to afford their medications. One of the biggest reasons I decided to specialize in Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR) is because regardless if a patient is prescribed the best clinical treatment plan, if their insurance does not cover their treatments and they cannot afford it then they will not end up getting any treatment which can lead to worsening of their conditions. HEOR uses clinical and economic data to generate evidence of the value of a drug product or health care intervention for reimbursement from health care payers or insurances. My favorite part of this role is that this evidence helps establish a link between treatment and actual real-world outcomes or scenarios to help guide Doctors in ensuring patients are receiving the best care both clinically and economically. 

What advice would you pass along to our Latinas that are looking to pursue a STEM degree?

Be persistent, humble and dedicated in everything that you do that is going to help you achieve your STEM goals or degree. Many times as latina women, we feel obligated to fit into a certain societal standard that may not coincide with pursuing a STEM degree. My advice is regardless of what anyone tells you, continue to push through all of the hardships to achieve your goals. Make sure that you stay humble along your journey and allow yourself to be teachable as this quality really goes a long way. Lastly, staying dedicated to yourself and your goals is extremely important, remember that others may judge you for your decisions but no one can take away the pride and hard work you have put into your professional and personal growth. 

How do you see the future for Latinas in your industry?

Having attended a pharmacy school that graduates one of the highest percentage of Latinas in the United States, I believe that Latinas will be very successful in the field of pharmacy as well as other healthcare professions. As more Latinas become pharmacists, I truly believe that through the sharing of their experiences (such as in these blog posts) it will inspire and motivate other Latina to feel confident in pursuing a successful career as a pharmacist. Latinas are strong and natural leaders which make them ideal pharmacists as this profession requires those qualities in order to succeed. 

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I was born and raised in West New York, NJ and am a first generation Cuban-American. At the age of 16, I started my first job in a popular, local, independent pharmacy as a cashier and eventually as a pharmacy technician. Pharmacy was not my first choice. I was heavily involved in music and that was my dream but alas, I decided to continue my journey in pharmacy, and it has proven to be one that I do not regret. I studied at Ernest Mario College of Pharmacy in New Brunswick, NJ and graduated in 1994. I was one of only 3 Spanish speaking students and was quickly hired to work for a large retail chain in the northern NJ market where there was a large Latin-American population. I continued to work in that market until 2008 when I moved to Georgia. This move turned out to be a very eye-opening experience in my career. When you live in an area that is densely populated in a richly diverse Latin-American community and you move away, you realize that there are vastly underserved Latino communities outside of these pockets in the US and Latino pharmacists are very much needed. The look of relief in your customer’s face when they realize that there is someone that they can communicate with and trust is very rewarding. Pharmacy may not have been my first choice, but I feel a lot of pride in being able to serve and have a positive impact in the health of our community. Recently, I continued my studies in Functional Medicine, studying the root cause of disease. I have started my own consulting business, Your Wellness Script, and I’ve continued my work in retail. I think there is a lot more that we can do to help prevent disease. As pharmacists we can be more involved in helping our communities with drug induced nutrient deficiencies, medication management and lifestyle changes while using the functional medicine foundations to help minimize prescription use. Our communities need it and we, as Latinas Pharmacists, need to be in the forefront of that.

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How did you know you wanted to pursue a career in chemical engineering?
 
When I was in high school, I became interested in chemical engineering because it was the engineering discipline that relied heavily on the combination of math and chemistry. I was very mathematically driven, but I knew I didn’t want to solely study it abstractly. I was very excited about the possibility of using math as a tool to transform chemicals because they fuel and impact our everyday lives – even if we are not conscious of it –from the biochemistry in our bodies, to food chemistry, the chemistry of batteries, and so much more. To be completely honest, when I enrolled in chemical engineering, I had never met a professional chemical engineer before, and I had no idea what kind of job I wanted after finishing the degree. I loved the fact that chemical engineering was broadly applicable to so many industries because I was interested in the food industry, cosmetics and personal care, the energy sector, coatings, sustainability, andenvironmental science to name a few. My approach was to keep an open mind and try to narrow down my interests as I worked on my undergrad degree. Turns out that along the way, I found research and I postponed narrowing down my industry interest because nanotechnology is relevant to all the sectors I mentioned above. Then, when I was looking for potential R&D jobs after completing my Ph.D., I realized I didn’t have to choose a specific chemical engineering industry because Dow interfaces with all of them through its products and customers. 
 
What does a day in your current role look like?  Do you get to do the hands on lab work? 
 
My day usually involves a mix of project shaping/brainstorming, lab work, data analysis, and working on documentation or presentations. I have the freedom to structure my days and how much I focus on each of these aspects, which I like because I can set a structure that works for me and break up the routine when I need a change. Having different roles and tasks during the week energizes me and teaches me discipline for prioritizing strategically based on project needs and deadlines. Yes! I get to do different kinds of hands-on lab work, which is a lot of fun. It ranges from preparing samples for a measurement, developing a new way to prepare a sample for a measurement, run an established analysis method or develop a new one, customizing measurement features in an instrument, and troubleshooting instrument performance. I never get bored and there’s always an exciting challenge ahead!
 
What is a piece of advice you would give to a young girl who wants to pursue a career in STEM?
 
Don’t be afraid to break the mold and follow your curiosity! If you feel nervous because you want to try something and you don’t know anyone who has done it like you want to approach it or you are feeling discouraged because someone told you that your way is not how things are typically done, go for it anyways. Along the way, you will find mentors and peers that will support and inspire you. The STEM community needs your fresh, enthusiastic, and unique perspective!
 
Do you have any advice on how to find a research opportunity when in college?
There are a couple of different approaches. A traditional one is to reach out to a professor teaching a class that you enjoy. Nowadays, professors put a lot more effort into their websites and social media presence, so you can find engaging and useful information in these platforms. Taking advantage of these platforms might be an effective way to connect with a professor or graduate student you haven’t met in person before. You’d be surprised how many people will actually respond to a message that starts with something along the lines of “I saw your post about X or I read the thread you posted about your recent paper/talk/project and I really enjoyed it, could you tell me more about Y? Would you mind telling more about your journey/career path so far?” If I were to go through the process again, I’d find a graduate student who needs help and is passionate about mentoring undergrad students and create a connection with them first.Aligning your interests with a potential research project is important, but in my experience the fit with the graduate student mentor is overlooked. This person can advocate for you and help you navigate your entry into a professor’s group, your training, and getting started on your project more smoothly.
 
Is research at your company collaborative? Do you have opportunities to publish in journals? 
 
Yes, research at Dow is very collaborative, especially in the Analytical Science organization. Our primary role is using measurement science and instrumentation to diagnose the root cause of a problem or develop a method to learn something new about a system. This involves pairing so many techniques and types of expertise ranging from different engineering disciplines, physics, analytical chemistry, and material science to name a few. In addition, we study many different types of samples, so we collaborate with researchers that develop new formulations, engineers that design the reactors, plant operators, statisticians, computational researchers, and so many other functions. We arrive at the most rewarding solutions and conclusions by considering all the different factors and perspectives. Dow is also a global company, which means that we not only get to work with people based in different North America site, but in different countries as well! Yes, we do have the opportunity to publish in journals. Dow encourages us to stay up to date with new findings in our field of expertise and share our own contributions to continue advancing the science.
 
Pursing a degree in STEM feels daunting at times, any advice on how to navigate the stress that comes with the coursework, research, etc?
 
We all experience and cope with stress differently, so there’s no true magic formula.First, I’d like to say that college is a time when we face so many new experiences and responsibilities for the first time and away from our families. It’s ok if it feels daunting and difficult to navigate. Yes, STEM degrees often involve packed schedules, demanding coursework, juggling simultaneous group projects, research commitments,and tight deadlines. There are techniques and tools to help you figure out a system that works for you. I remember that the women in engineering program at my undergrad institution hosted seminars on this topic. If you’re not finding these resources, ask a student org, career services, your advisor, or departmental staff. It could also be helpful to get feedback on your schedule and commitments from a trusted friend who knows you, a friend a year or two ahead of you, a grad student mentor, etc. Sometimes westruggle to realize that we’ve taken on too much and we need to cut back, don’t realize why we’ve pilled on too much, or have lost direction on what we should be prioritizing. Discussing these concerns with someone who has my best interest at heart is always so helpful and insightful for me. I still do this to this day!
 
What was the biggest difference between research in grad school and industry? 
 
In grad school, you can spend more time going deeper into a project, performing experiments to explore many uncharted directions, and become a pioneer in your field. In industry, we have to be more strategic about what kind and how many experiments we are running and how we allocate and distribute resources among projects while ensuring the delivery of high quality and rigorous research. We receive and handle multiple requests of varying urgency and complexity and our challenge is to balanceprioritizing the research the company needs and satisfying our curiosity. In addition, part of the grad school training is learning to drive a project from a hypothesis to an answer or result independently. This doesn’t mean you have to do everything alone, but you are involved in and control most of the aspects of the project from synthesizing the materials, running all the different characterizations, analyzing the data, to testing devices, etc. However, in industry, a team of experts will be assembled to efficiently tackle the different needs (e.g. a synthesis expert, a performance testing expert, an expert for each characterization technique, etc). In some cases, you might not be involved in the project from start to finish because your expertise will be needed for a short-term consultation at a specific stage.
 
Ari, 26 asks- how long did it take before you felt comfortable when you first started working as a chemical engineer? 
 
It’s difficult for me to come up with an exact number. For me personally, there is always a learning curve when I start a new role. Even when I reach a point of comfort in that role, I know I will have to face a new and challengingproject or situation and I will feel uncomfortable for a bit again. The short answer is that in my experience going through this kind of cycle leads to growth in my career. When I’m experiencing high levels of self-doubt and feeling overwhelmed, I will look back on the challenges I’ve overcome in the past or will look for signs of growth and progress during the short time I’ve been dealing with something new.

When I was young, I didn’t envision becoming a chemical engineer. I remember wanting to be an artist, an actor, a journalist, and a chef. Perhaps it was because I didn’t have a role model who was working in a STEM field or because I didn’t know that STEM was an exciting avenue to channel what really motivated me: to connect with and help people and make a difference. It’s likely a mix of both. I also remember loving arts and crafts, fixing things, working on puzzles, experimenting in the kitchen, organizing and measuring things, and reading fiction. For the longest time, I perceived my interests and hobbies as mismatched and misaligned with a passion for STEM because I wasn’t building robots or taking apart computers in my spare time. In retrospect, I realize that I was naturally drawn to problem solving creatively and making sense of the world around me empirically and learning about others’ interpretation of it. It wasn’t until I became a Ph.D. student that I understood how the skills I had acquired through my hobbies fit into my engineering studies and my training as a researcher. 
 
Despite having the privilege of attending one of the best K-12 schools in Chile (my home country), choosing STEM was a constant internal battle. Among the few women in my graduating class who were interested in STEM, I was the only one who was considering engineering – the others wanted to study medicine. All my female friends were choosing the liberal arts or social studies and economics tracks that my school offered. Although my high school teachers encouraged me to choose the STEM track and assured me I would thrive, I was afraid of how lonely my future path seemed and further alienating myself in a classroom full of guys who already teased me because of my academic achievements. In the end, I chose STEM because I believed that I would never be sure if it was the right fit unless I gave it my best effort and that nurturing my passion and curiosity would eventually outweigh the challenges I would have to face along the way. In addition, I did eventually find male classmates who were fantastic lab and project partners and great allies. 
 
Soon after I decided to apply to engineering schools in Chile, an unforeseen and exciting opportunity presented itself: moving with my family to Washington D.C. It was a risky and challenging transition for me because I was about to start my senior year of high school and I didn’t have much time to get familiar with and prepare for U.S. college applications. My parents did their best to support me, but they didn’t know what I was going through, so I had to heavily rely on teachers, guidance counselors, and friends for advice and feedback on college applications. Nonetheless, my parents constantly reminded me that re-applying the following year, going back to Chile, taking a gap year, or seeking other options were opportunities for growth and finding creative solutions rather than failures. I’m very grateful that they instilled in me this growth mindset early on and empowered me to try new things even if it involved facing significant uncertainty. Things did work out as I had hoped, and I enrolled at the University of Maryland as a chemical engineering major. 
 
When I started college, I was very nervous because I was not fully comfortable and confident studying in English, and I didn’t know how adjusting to the U.S. education system would impact my ability to succeed in chemical engineering. I still remember struggling in the intro to engineering design class I had my first semester not because I didn’t understand the material, but because of a communication barrier. I had to give technical presentations in English for the first time and my vocabulary was lacking, which was mortifying. Professors singled me out in class and criticized me assuming that I didn’t bother to learn the name of a power tool in the machine shop because I was a woman. Little did they know that I did know the technical vocabulary, but in a different language. I had to work extra hard to “catch up” and be very patient with myself and others. Luckily, I had access to a great support network and additional resources through the women in engineering program. By the end of my freshman year, I didn’t feel like my foreign nationality and background solely defined me and I started enjoying and excelling in my classes. Then, by the end of my junior year, I was balancing my coursework and an undergraduate research project, getting ready to apply to Ph.D. programs, and having the confidence to apply for a teaching assistant role for a chemical engineering course. I certainly didn’t get there on my own. Finding peers, graduate student mentors, and professors to lean on was so instrumental to my success. 
 
Despite facing some doubts and difficulties during my chemical engineering journey, I’d do it all over again because I’ve met amazingly talented and kind people along the way and I’ve experienced hands-on how this discipline can have a positive impact and make a difference in society. What I loved the most about studying chemical engineering was learning how to transform simple chemicals and materials into more complex and functional products that we interact with daily and how to describe these processes mathematically in order to understand, troubleshoot, and improve them. For my Ph.D. studies at the University of Texas at Austin, I chose to focus on nanotechnology research because I was fascinated by the interplay and collaboration between chemical engineering, chemistry, material science, and polymer physics in these systems. I learned how to investigate, problem-solve, and piece together reactions, mechanisms, and properties using all kinds of instruments and data for different applications, which then led to my current role in Analytical Science at Dow. I’ve only recently started this new chapter in my STEM journey at Dow and I’ve already been exposed to very interesting projects and exciting technologies. I’m thrilled to continue this journey, bring innovate solutions to chemical and material challenges, and mentor and work alongside the next generation of chemical engineers!

Chemical Engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with the design of processes to manufacture, transport, and transform materials.  Chemical Engineers accomplish this by designing the chemical reactions so the raw material can be transformed into something usable. They use knowledge from multiple disciplines like biology, chemistry, material science, physics and math to perform their jobs.

​A traditional career path for chemical engineers may start in oil and gas, specialty chemicals, or pharmaceutical industries.  Entry level jobs include positions in research and development or production engineers.  Chemical engineers in R&D groups help develop and research procedures that can then be implemented industrially and commercially.  Chemical engineers have a hand in helping develop new materials as well as processes that are used to make materials on a larger scale.  As a production engineer, a chemical engineer is responsible with implementing new processes, designing equipment, planning production runs, and scaling up processes. 

For many chemical engineers, a shift in roles is common.  Many chemical engineers become project managers.   As project managers they oversee the implementation and budgets of projects.  Some chemical engineers shift into a leadership role, as a leader they oversee people and budgets at a more strategic level.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, careers in chemical engineering are predicted to grow from 2019-2029 by 4%.  The median annual wage for chemical engineers as of May 2020 is $108,540, the lowest 10% of chemical engineers earned $68,430. 

Chemical engineers can work across many industries such as:

Advanced materials- such as aerospace, automotive, electronics, and nanomaterials where they help develop materials with improved properties.  Additional, they help develop methods for implementation on larger scale production. 

Biotechnology- develop and design processes to produce antibiotics, insulin, etc.

Chemical process industries- oil and gas, specialty chemicals, catalysts, cosmetics, plastics where they help develop the processes to make and isolate chemicals.

Design and Construction- work closely with construction industry to design efficient plants, design new equipment, and manage projects.

Energy and fuels- develop alternative energy sources and develop processes for production of fuel.
Environmental, Safety, and Health- chemical engineers help minimize production byproducts, find uses for byproducts, design more efficient processes, develop a waste treatment plan, and ensure process safety.

Food- chemical engineers develop new packaging materials, ingredients for enhanced flavor, or develop new ways to preserve food and drinks.

In addition to the industries listed above, chemical engineers can pursue a career in government (working at agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency or the Department of Energy), education, and law as intellectual property lawyers, and business. 
                                                                                                                                                            
https://chbe.rice.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/where-do-chemical-engineers-work
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/chemical-engineers.htm

1. How did you know you wanted to pursue a career in materials science?
Materials Science came to my professional career more as an opportunity rather than as a decision that I took in the first place. I was in my first year of my master’s program in chemical engineering at The University of Akron when my research advisor decided to move to the department of materials science and engineering at Texas A&M University. He offered me the opportunity to join his new research group and after some thought, I decided to take it. This was a difficult decision; by accepting this offering, I would have to move from Ohio to Texas only after a year of arriving in the US. Besides, I would have to take all my classes again for my master’s degree, this time in materials science. Despite this, there were two main reasons why I decided to leave behind chemical engineering and embark on a new journey in materials science. First, I was passionate about my research on designing coating technologies for preventing corrosion of metallic structures, and joining my advisor’s research group at Texas A&M, allowed me to continue with my research and to look at my project from a materials science perspective. The second and most important reason why I transferred to materials science was because of the mentorship, advice and support that I received from my colleagues and teachers. They gave me a high-level overview of materials science and I was fascinated by all of that. What I loved the most about materials science is how we can correlate the chemical composition and molecular structure of a material with its properties and how we can use these structure-property relationships to design materials with the desired performance. Although it was a challenge to join a master’s program in materials science coming from a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, it was one of the best decisions of my life, such that, after graduating from my master’s degree, I continue with my Ph.D. to become a materials scientist.

2. What does a day in your current role look like?  Do you get to do the hands-on lab work? 
Currently, I am a senior research specialist at Dow working in the product development team of advanced silicone elastomers. A typical day in this role involves conducting laboratory work to develop new silicone elastomer products or to enhance the performance of existing products based on business needs or as exploratory research. Besides formulating and processing these materials, I also perform laboratory testing to characterize their properties and overall performance for the desired application. Aside from my laboratory work, my role also involves designing experiments, processing and analyzing experimental data, documenting research findings and communicating results via presentations and technical discussions with colleagues.

3. What is the most difficult part of the job?
 
Dow’s ambition is to become the most innovative, customer-centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company in the world. My mission as a scientist at Dow is to develop high-quality products and technologies that are aligned to our ambition. This represents a big challenge for us as scientist because it is not only a matter of creating materials in a laboratory, but to ensure that the final products will bring value to our company, to our customers, and most importantly, that they are sustainable for the people and the planet. Despite being a challenge, I must say that this mission is also the most exciting part of doing my job and the reason why I became a scientist.

4. What is your favorite part about your job?
 
My favorite part of my job is to be able to collaborate and learn from colleagues from diverse disciplines, not only from a STEM background, but also from other areas such as marketing, sales, finance, supply chain, legal, etc. Working with these multidisciplinary teams allow me to engage closely in the different stages involved during creating and commercializing a new product. Furthermore, it gives me the opportunity to challenge my critical thinking and to contribute to my team towards a common purpose of creating innovative products and solutions for our current and future customers.

5. What is a piece of advice you would give to a young girl who wants to pursue a career in STEM?
Be passionate about your career and have FUN! If you love what you do, no matter how many  obstacles, challenges and failures you will encounter in your journey, you will always be able to move forward and take these situations as learning experiences that will make you evolve, adapt, and ultimately become stronger and more confident. I also recommend that you find mentors and colleagues that can help you in your career, but keep in mind that they are just giving you guidance based on their experiences and at the end of the day, you need to create your own career path. That brings me to my next advice; don’t compare yourself to others, everyone has a different skill set and interests, instead learn how to work in teams where everyone can showcase their skills and talents. Lastly, don’t be afraid of failure, it happens more often than we imagine but the good part is that it is completely normal, and it happens to all of us, we just need to embrace our failures and learn from them.

6. Do you have any advice on how to find a research opportunity when in college?
 
First, you need to spend some time learning about the research area that you are interesting, if there are specific classes for those areas, I would also suggest that you take some of these classes, in that way, once you start connecting with professors and researchers, they can see that you already have some knowledge about the topic. It is also important that you attend events such as conferences, symposia, workshops, etc. where you will have the opportunity to meet professors and other students. I would also recommend talking to your academic advisor to learn about upcoming research events as well as research programs offered by the department or external institutions. My last recommendation is to connect and engage with professors and graduate students in the area that you are interested, they are typically looking for students to support them with their research. If they don’t have funded research projects available at the time, offer to volunteer, you will still gain research experience and they will consider you for future opportunities.

7. Is research at your company collaborative?   Do you have opportunities to publish in journals?  
 
Absolutely yes! all the products and technologies that we develop at Dow are the result of teams working together to achieve a common goal.
 
Yes! Dow offers several avenues how we can have an external presence as scientist, one of them being publishing our research work in journals. We also have other opportunities such as attending (and participating) conferences, participating in professional organizations and boards, providing seminars at universities and collaborating with external institutions (universities, national labs, etc.)
 
 
 
8.  Pursuing a degree in STEM feels daunting at times, any advice on how to navigate the stress that comes with coursework, research, etc?
 
First, it is important that you have an agenda or journal where you can manage all your projects, classes, research, etc., and their progress. Also, when designing your schedule of daily activities, don’t overload them with lots of activities that most likely you won’t be able to complete, that will only bring you stress and anxiety. Drop tasks that are not urgent or necessary and complete them in the order of importance starting with the activities with the highest priority or the ones that are causing you more stress. In planning your agenda, ensure that you are incorporating time for activities that help you releasing your stress. I would also recommend that you break down your large projects into steps, instead of defining an activity as “writing my dissertation”, you can set more specific goals such as writing a chapter or even writing a section of a chapter, in that way you will feel less overwhelm in trying to complete your entire dissertation as one activity and it will also bring you a sense of accomplishment as you are making progress. Speaking about research, keep in mind that it usually takes more time than you are expecting, so plan accordingly and give yourself enough room in case things go wrong. Also, when your research is not working and you are getting frustrated, I recommend that you stop working on those things for a few days, take a break from that work and then come back and try again. If things are still failing and you are getting more stressed, it would be better to reevaluate and perhaps change the approach or move on into something else. Lastly, make sure to connect with your classmates and colleagues from your research group, if you are feeling stress for your work load, it is possible that they feel the same way, so you can find ways together in how to help and support each other.
 
9. What was the biggest difference between research in grad school and industry?
 
Personally speaking, my research in graduate school was mainly focused on developing a mechanistic understanding of structure-property relationships that allow me to design materials with excellent performance. However, I did not pay much attention to the feasibility of making these materials at large scale as well as their final cost or repercussions to the environment when processing these materials. In industry, besides creating a fundamental understanding of our materials, it is critical to ensure that these materials that we develop at laboratory scale can be scale up to a manufacturing level and that they are cost-competitive to fit in the market. It is also essential that our materials fulfill our customer needs without compromising the future of our society and planet. 
 
10. Is it possible to invent a plastic that biodegrades in 10 years or less?  We need a material that is as durable and indestructible as plastic, but that biodegrades eventually
 
At Dow, we are committed with environmental sustainability. We are working together to make materials that can be biodegradable or that can be reused or recycled. In addition, we are also committed to reduce carbon emissions by implementing technologies that can reduce the resources needed in manufacturing our products. These efforts are part of our sustainability goals of implementing a circular economy to eliminate plastic waste and addressing climate protection.