My road in life has been direct.
Currently works in a lab that is separating cells for therapeutic use.
Says she was a tomboy when she was growing up; thinks this prepared her to work in a field full of men later in life.
Went to the University of Washington-over 1,000 miles from her hometown of Santa Fe-because she wanted to leave her comfort zone.
Had a college counselor tell her, "You're not doing well in school because women don't belong in the chemistry major."
Switched over to biology, but continued in her pursuit of becoming a scientist.
Received a doctoral degree in cellular biology from MIT; was only the third Mexican-American woman to get a doctorate in the sciences.
One day, she went to a national meeting of Mexican-American and Native American scientists-17 people were in attendance.
They knew that number was too low, so she helped develop the Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science.
Keep following my journey