Q1. What kind of scientist are you? (What do you do/study/communicate about/teach? There isn’t just one way to be a scientist!): I'm doing my PhD in physics with a focus on biophysics. I've done research in a few interdisciplinary fields like photonics and medical imaging, and now I'm using physics and nanotechnology to develop a new type of protein sequencing technique that would make studying the way that cells work easier for biologists all over the world! Q2. What made you want to become a scientist?: When I was really young my dad took me to see a movie about time travel, I became obsessed with the paradoxes involved which led me down a rabbit-hole of topics that eventually made me want to learn everything I could about how the universe works. Once I got to college I realized that what interested me the most was the physics of living systems because they are the most complicated things we know about in the universe! Q3. What makes you a #UniqueScientist? (this can be anything you feel comfortable talking about – be it being a woman or another underrepresented gender, an ethnic minority, LGBT+, disabled or just not looking like a scientist “should”): I'm #latinxinSTEM, my parents are Uruguayan and Colombian and moved to the United States just before I was born. Thankfully I don't feel that this makes me so unique anymore since I'm surrounded by a supportive community and physics is becoming more diverse every year! Q4. What’s something cool you do outside of work? (show off your funky personality!): I've been skateboarding since I was 7 years old and it's still my favorite way to let loose when work gets too stressful. Last year I set the Guinness World Record for the most consecutive ollies on a skateboard ! https://bit.ly/2MDYLXn "I'm #LatinxInSTEM, [but] thankfully, I don't feel that this makes me so unique anymore since I'm surrounded by a supportive community." Q5. If you had one wish and could change anything in science, what would it be?: I wish that science was more accessible to the general public. I think we do a bad job of presenting math and science in school as just a list of facts to memorize rather than an exciting and creative endeavor. Q6. Who has inspired you the most in your journey to where you are now? (#UniqueScientists is hoping to motivate and inspire others, so we hope you’ll take this opportunity to reflect back on the people who have marked your lives and influenced you in getting where you are today): Between college and grad school I worked with professor Steven Kadlecek at the University of Pennsylvania. He always encouraged me to follow my curiosity in my research and showed me that you can be a professional scientist while still following your other passions. Q7. Let’s end on a high note! What’s something you’ve done this week that you’re proud of? (Can be in science or not! We should all be proud of our achievements): I launched a physics blog this past week and my first post was viewed over 8000 times in the first 5 days! Comments are closed.
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