Marie Curie or Ada Lovelace are great role models for me, but I was also inspired by the non-science women around me: they motivated and pushed me, making me see that I would be the one who would someday inspire new generations.

I study characteristics of materials through light. I can determine how much a material stretches or how much it deforms with light-leveraging techniques. I also teach mathematics and physics and develop activities to bring science closer to underrepresented communities, such as lowincome people, the LGBTQI+ community, and people with blindness or visual disabilities.

For a woman from a family with limited resources, obtaining a doctorate and working in research required an enormous effort. Studying physics was a great achievement because at home no one knew what that meant, and they questioned me constantly. Accessing scholarships for my master’s and doctorate degrees was a momentous achievement.

During my doctorate, I published an article about optical tweezers, the first article in this field published by the A.C. Optical Research Center. But the social responsibility that I acquired during my training is the greatest success of my career. The passion I have for transmitting my knowledge is what I value most from my time in science.

To overcome obstacles, I created a support network: Anytime I doubt my abilities, my colleagues are there to help me. In this sense, SPIE has been invaluable, because it allowed me to meet brilliant people who are my role models, my support network, and my friends.

There are still too few of us in STEM areas, so try to hold on tightly to your colleagues and let them hold onto you: individually, we are strong, but collectively, we are powerful; we are invincible.

The only way to make a difference is to look back and help others get to where you are. Do not forget how difficult the beginning was and convey to others that they are not alone — that we must learn to ask for help because there is always a woman willing to help another. My way of making an impact is like this: I try to give my students the opportunities that I would have liked to have, and I strive to prepare them for current challenges.

Individually strong, collectively powerful: let’s illuminate the path for future generations, fostering inclusivity and empowerment in the field of science.

Ana Karen Reyes
Postdoctoral Researcher, Universidad Tecnológica de Tulancingo
Born in Mexico / Resides in Mexico
Educational Background: BS in Physical-Mathematical Sciences and MS in Physics Engineering, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Mexico; PhD in Sciences with a specialty in Optics, Centro de Investigaciones en Óptica A.C., Mexico