You do not have to be extraordinary by anyone else’s measures to be successful; your passion, your drive, and your support network will always ensure you shine. At the end of the day, you can achieve your goals. ¡Échale ganas! [“Give it all you’ve got!”]
As a first-generation college student, I can’t really say who inspired me to choose optics as a field of study: I didn't have that role model when I was young. But, there have been many times along my journey when people have inspired me to continue pursuing optics. Entering Montana State University as one of the only Latinas in electrical engineering was hard and I almost quit: it was the girls I taught at the Girls Inc. of San Antonio summer camp who inspired me to pursue my science and engineering degree. Seeing their excitement for science and engineering reminded me how much I loved it too. They pushed me to chase my dreams.
My role as a graduate student at the Wyant College of Optical Sciences provides me with the opportunity to grow intellectually and professionally—and get paid to do so! My advisor, Meredith Kupinski, has provided me the guidance and the opportunity to conduct my research project—studying the optical properties of wildfire smoke—for which I was awarded my National Science Foundation fellowship. In addition to my technical responsibilities, I take great pride in leading our Women in Optics club and spearheading our Recognize, Inform, Support, and Elevate (R.I.S.E.) initiative.
I often feel out of place as a Latina in optics, and that can result in increased self-doubt. But instead of letting my doubts overcome me, I now recognize that my experiences make me an asset: I can leverage my unique perspective to create positive change in my community. Initiating R.I.S.E. has given me the chance to provide to others what I needed as a student from an underrepresented group; it has shown me my power to make a difference.
I wish I had realized sooner that I should not measure my success by the framework of an institution that has not been built for me. My PhD journey should and does look different compared to other graduate students for numerous reasons, and that is okay.
Clarissa M. DeLeon
Graduate Student, National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Fellow,
Wyant College of Optical Sciences Polarization Lab, University of Arizona, United States
Born in United States / Resides in United States
Educational Background: BS in Electrical Engineering, Montana State University, United States
