Mexico City, March 23, 2023.— Within the university community, there are many Pan-American women who are helping to build a better Mexico through their various fields of specialization and study. Here are a few of them:
Isabel Joaquina Niembro
Research Professor in the School of Engineering, SNI Candidate Level.
Dr. Isabel serves as an interdisciplinary researcher and consultant, bridging the gap between the country’s business sector and academia in order to help address the nation’s environmental and social challenges. “Working and conducting research at UP allows me to help my country, ” she says.
However, she acknowledges: “It’s a fact that women face a slightly more difficult path than our male colleagues when it comes to research and professional development; policies are in place to ensure equality in our country, but it’s not something you can say is always the case,”she notes.
That is why he advises:“I believe the solution is to work hard, try twice as hard, do it right the first time, and if it doesn’t work out—because it’s okay to make mistakes—try again until it’s perfect (…)”.
Learn more about her here:
Teresa Bourlon
Alumni of the School of Health Sciences.
Teresa is a specialist in internal medicine, medical oncology, and urological oncology. She currently directs the genitourinary tumor clinic at the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition. Through her research, she seeks to improve the lives of testicular cancer survivors.
As a woman who encourages other women to pursue careers in science, Teresa says, “I believe the most important thing is to recognize that there are no limits to our professional growth, and that our intellect and ideas are just as welcome as those of the opposite gender and can lead to equally significant results.”
Erika Plata
Alumni of the School of Health Sciences.
While living in Barcelona, Erika was offered a job opportunity in Qatar, which she accepted; as a result, she is now the first Mexican doctor in that Arab country. She admits that when she accepted the position she was offered, she thought she would find a country completely different from what she actually encountered, which is why she urges other alumni to set aside their preconceptions.
She also says that her time at the Panamericana was what inspired her to pursue an international career, explaining that the education she received at our university helps her studentsgrow in areas beyond those taught at the university.
Similarly, she says:“I believe that empowerment means not being afraid, not having prejudices—like setting aside what you’ve been taught that you know is limiting your way of thinking and knowing—and realizing from the start that, in every corner of the world, most things are good.”
Learn more here:
Fernanda Talayero
Alumni of the School of Nursing, College of Health Sciences.
Fer has learned valuable life lessons in the intensive care unit, not only as a professional but also as a patient. Although certain health issues have prevented her from continuing her career, this has not stopped her from fulfilling her life’s mission: caring for others.
“The truth is, I’m a nurse—not just during the time I was practicing my profession, but I’m a nurse now as a mother, and I’m a nurse as a wife. My career is practically my life’s mission, and it’s what I do; I’m a nurse at heart, ”she says.
Fer says there are four very important points that can help us become better people and better professionals: “(…) the first is learning to communicate—and, with that, learning to listen; the second is being empathetic; the third is returning to the ideals we had when we first decided to pursue our careers; and the fourth is re-humanizing ourselves, because we’ve lost sight of that to a large extent.”
Listen to her inspiring story here.
Ximena Girón
Mechanical engineering student and member of the UP-ACMW student group.
Despite her young age, Ximena is a role model in the STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), having achieved significant international accomplishments that inspire new generations of girls and young women in science. She is currently co-leader of the Thermal Subsystem at the Universidad Panamericana space laboratory, Misión Colibrí, and works in maintenance at L’Oréal’s Mexico City plant.
Although she admits that engineering still seems to be a “boys’ club” these days, she says of her work:“I feel very proud because I know that, at the end of the day, this will allow me to pursue all my dreams—academic, personal, and professional—and, honestly, I’m really excited to see what the future holds for me.”
Learn more here:
Vania Aldrete
Ph.D. in Psychology and research professor at the Universidad Panamericana.
Dr. Vania conducted a study on the risks of SARS-CoV-2 in infants. Her research aims to determine whether the children of mothers who have contracted COVID-19 might experience any adverse effects on their neurodevelopment.
“For the doctor, one of the lessons the pandemic has taught us is ‘the need to assess and care for babies from their very first days in the hospital—not just those exposed to SARS-CoV-2, but all babies with risk factors that could compromise their neurodevelopment, ’” she explains.
“Parents, doctors, and teachers must stop waiting until children reach school age to detect neurodevelopmental difficulties in them (…). Caring for babies means caring for our country, since they are our future generations,” he concludes.
Learn more about his research here:
#WomenTransformingTheWorld
