Dr. Sandra Sanchez, Post-doc at Tufts University and future faculty at Framingham State University.

I am a Microbiologist. I earned my PhD in Biology from Indiana University Bloomington. I am currently a postdoc at Tufts University in Boston MA. I am extremely happy that I will be starting a faculty position as an Assistant Professor of Biology at Framingham State University. I will be teaching undergraduates and running a small laboratory where undergraduates can get experience in research. 

I work on an organism called Vibrio cholerae which is the bacterium that causes the disease Cholera. This disease is not in many countries that have the technology and money to clean their water. [It] is found in many developing countries but also countries that have natural disasters like earthquakes and hurricanes that might destroy their water filtration sites. I have been studying the connection between motility (how the organism uses its flagellum to move around the environment) and quorum sensing communication (the organism secretes little molecules into the environment so it can communicate with other of its own species). Hopefully if we learn more about how the organism communicates and moves around, we can find ways to stop it from causing disease.

I didn’t grow up knowing that a scientist was an option, but when I was introduced to that world in community college, I remember being in awe of microorganisms. They are these unseen things that are super simple cells and can do so much. They can cause horrible diseases and also are so important for plants and our planet. I just wanted to learn more about them and how they were capable of doing so much when they seemed so small. 

I don’t know if I had a role model growing up. Being an immigrant child, [my life] was a little hectic to have a role model while growing up. Once I was in my 20s, my parents became my role models. They moved countries, which sounds scary if you are doing it alone let alone with three children. They worked so hard when they got to the United States, had multiple jobs while they learned English, and [they] got settled. My father was the first in our family to attend community college; he wanted to show us that education was important, so he went to community college to take English classes and earn an associate degree in business. 

I didn’t know what graduate school was or that research was an option as a career when I was an undergraduate. I was extremely fortunate to have met two fantastic women when I started attending community college. One was my anatomy professor, and the other one was my [general biology] professor. They told me about their career path and how they both had gone on to graduate school, and that is why they have the title of doctor.  They were the ones who guided me to apply for programs that exposed me to research. 

I would suggest you get to know your professors and classmates; have conversations about what they are doing. You might find fields that you weren’t aware of, or opportunities [about which you didn’t know]. If you think you might be interested in a field, try to participate in a program; sometimes it will surprise you. When I first went back to community college, I thought I wanted to be a nurse or a doctor (MD), I applied to an internship program at the LA County Hospital and after a couple of months I realized that this was not my passion, but then I applied to a research program over the winter session and I worked in a microbiology lab and I knew I had found my path. 

I didn’t know this was going to be my path. My parents immigrated to the US when I was 11 years old, and I didn’t know anything about college or being a scientist. I graduated from high school and started to work because I needed money to take care of myself and help my family a little if I could. I was successful, I started as a receptionist and moved up to a sales rep at a software company. I had to travel for my work, and one day I was sitting on a plane and realized that I didn’t like to travel and didn’t really have a passion for my job. I wanted more. So, I started attending evening classes at my local community college. I met other students who were going for nursing, and I thought “why not.” At this college, I met the women that would change my life. I talked about this earlier, but I was taking all my classes for nursing. I took a Microbiology course and that’s when I realized I liked bacteria and science.  With help from my professors, I decided to change my major. 

[My career path] is not what is considered traditional because I didn’t go to school right after high school. I worked for a long time, and then attended a community college before figuring out what I wanted to do for my career. 

When I am teaching, I love the moment that a student gets excited about biology/science. For example, when a student can see under a microscope what a bacterium looks like; or when we are discussing something in class and a student comes up after and says, “my cousin has diabetes and now I understand why and how it happens”.  

In the lab, [there are] times you are the first person ever to try something. So, when that works out, and you know something no one else knows, it’s exciting. Mostly these are small steps, but it can help answer questions that can help us understand big concepts. 

I have people ask me medical questions because they know I am a Dr., but they think PhD is the same as a medical doctor. I also have people think that scientists are like what they see in movies, so they think I’m surrounded by expensive and weird machines. 

Science doesn’t always work the way you want, which can be great but can be frustrating. As a scientist, you get to be the first to learn something new but that comes with trials and errors as you are figuring out an experiment. 

There are a lot of options: you can work for the government, or you can work for a company that makes vaccines or medicine. You can become a professor, which is what I want to do. You can also be a writer or a science journalist. There are many options. 

​[The salary range for this field of work is] very varied. If you are a professor at a small liberal arts college or State University, it can start at $60,000 up to $100,000. If you are a professor at a [prominent] research university, such as Yale or Harvard, that mostly starts with salaries over $110,000. If you instead go into industry and work for a company performing research, then you start [at a salary] of $120,000 and can earn up to $160,000.

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Dr. Nandadevi Cortes-Rodriguez, Assistant Professor in Biology, Ithaca College

I am particularly interested in the role that past or present geographic barriers play in the evolutionary history of species, emphasizing their phylogeography, genomics and conservation. Recently I have incorporated geographic variation in songs to understand the behavior of species that [are] separated by geographical barriers.

I grew up in Mexico and I was very fortunate and privileged in that my dad was a high school professor and wanted his daughters to have a good education. He was also a mountain climber, and we spent a lot of time around nature, hiking, climbing, and camping. Those experiences allowed us to enjoy the world outside the busy city. He enrolled us in the private school he was working at the time, it was a bilingual school where my sister and I learned English [when] we were 5 years old. Learning English at [an early age] opened many doors when I was in college because I was able to easily read novel research papers and attend conferences that were abroad. It was at a conference where I met my former PhD advisor who invited me to perform laboratory work for my master’s at his lab at UMBC (University of Maryland, Baltimore County), where I was able to attend their lab meetings and seminars.

I think, like many people, I wanted to study everything. For as long as I remember I wanted to study physics, I was good at math, and I read a book on “relativity for kids” and the idea of studying the Theory of Relativity was my goal during middle school and high school. I really liked physics and math; however, things changed when I was in my last year of high school, and I think it was my AP biology that shook my world. There was something about genetics research that fascinated me and from that moment forward I decided I was going to be a biologist. I applied to college to be a biology major. It was the combination of being outside in the field collecting specimens and inside in the lab.

I have always been very shy. I was a good student, but I was one of the kids who would sit in the classroom and do the work quietly. However, I would suggest they talk to their advisor from school (high school or college) and ask about their research. Usually, professors can give them an idea of what brought them to their research and sometimes they can invite you to their lab. Even though I was shy, I reached out to a professor, and she let me work in her genetics lab, working with Fruit flies. However, I did not really like being in that lab. I met with the professor and told her I would be leaving the lab. I finished my work and stopped working there. I reached out to another professor who was setting up her lab in ornithology population genetics research. She had an opening and offered it to me, and I felt like that was the place I belonged. I started working with hummingbird DNA and evolutionary relationships between different populations in Mexico and Central America and she became my undergraduate and master's thesis adviser. My advice would be to reach out and not stay in a lab where you are not enjoying the research or the professor's personality.

I had a very traditional pathway into Academia; however, I did take a “gap year” where I went to France to teach Spanish to French high school students. That experience made me realize I liked teaching and got a job teaching at a middle school when I came back to Mexico. I completed a master's, PhD, and postdoctoral research before applying to be an Assistant Professor. This year I will be applying for tenure so I can become an Associate Professor.
Even though my line of work, biology, is mostly female lead, it doesn’t mean that there aren’t gender inequalities. When it comes to doing field research, many advisors prefer taking males instead of females. One advice I would give is to not be discouraged by what some male professors may say about female students doing fieldwork. I remember it took me a couple of years and asking many times to be included in some of the field trips that were organized by my lab back in college. Once I got the opportunity, I made the most of it, even though I wasn’t very experienced in doing fieldwork I worked hard and proved that I was good at it. My advice would be to not give up and be persistent if that is something you would like to do, in the end, it is better to have tried and not like it than never to try because of what others think.

When I was a student and a postdoc at the Smithsonian, my favorite part was holding a pipette and doing molecular work; however, now my favorite part is interacting with students, whether [it] is teaching or mentoring students in my research lab. I enjoy it when they can ask questions and answer them with their research. I try to make a safe space and community for my lab students, where they can be who they are and express what they have in their minds. I always make them feel welcome, enjoy their success, and try giving them advice when they come to me for help. Many things are rough about being a professor, but the students I have had have made my time at the College a wonderful experience.

I think one of my role models was Marie Curie, she was not only a woman in science but got two Nobel prizes. My other role model was my cousin who went to Med School in Mexico but had the opportunity to study cancer research in Houston, TX. One time, my family accompanied my dad to run the Houston marathon and we met my cousin to have pizza. I was 12 at the time and I remember thinking, this is what I want to do when I grow up, I want to study abroad, I was fascinated by the stories and working in another country became my main goal. I didn’t know what I was going to study, but I remembered I wanted to have the experience of studying abroad.

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​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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