Women in STEM and beyond: meet Maria Juarez

STEM and beyond celebrates women in the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and math as well as other fields in which women are currently underrepresented. This fourth installment celebrates Maria Juarez, whose dedication to completing a degree in molecular and cell biology at Berkeley didn’t waver—even in the most impossible circumstances.

Pregnant at 17, Maria arrived at Cal alone with a baby bump. When her baby was born only two months into the semester, facing a long waitlist for childcare she brought her newborn son class to avoid falling behind.

“Are you actually enrolled in this class?” was a common question posed by professors and students alike during her first few weeks.

After delivering her son two months into her first semester, she refused to stop. All alone, and told that the waitlist for childcare would mean no childcare for up to a year, she took on the incredible challenge of continuing her studies without a break. Even when it meant bringing her newborn son to class.

“I slept on the floor of unfurnished family housing. I woke up at 6am to get myself and my baby ready, breastfed him, then packed him up for the 30-40 minute bus ride to campus. He would begin to cry within the first 10-20 minutes of class, so I would take him out into the hallway to nurse. I would watch through the window to make sure I didn’t miss anything, with my kid latched onto my breast…”

And it got worse before it got better for this superhero mom.

“When the kid got bigger he would start running around!” which opened Maria up for a new set of stares and judgment. Luckily, it wasn’t all negativity. The occasional professors and students brought her a new sense of encouragement and hope by showing compassion for her situation, often playing with and entertaining her growing son, and inspired her to let go of the embarrassment and embrace her challenging situation.

“You know what? Fuck it. I can’t afford to care what people think about me because this is my future.”

 After ending the relationship with the father of her child and becoming connected with childcare resources, Maria has thrived. Now 20, she’s finishing up her third year as a molecular and cell biology major. She scored an internship at Tennessee’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which even included a week-long trip to Puerto Rico this summer, assessing the nutrient content of the soil and leaves in order to analyze the health of tropical forests and possible environmental disturbances.

“They’re Important because they’re the carbon sink of the world. One of the most important ecosystems because they store and recycle so much carbon. We want to know whether or not these forests are endangered, how are they changing, are they able to rehab themselves, and whether the soil viable for growth for other trees.”

After Berkeley, Maria hopes to continue to work in research.

“I’m interested in trying to solve different protein structures, enzymes. Crystalography. It’s helpful, because if you solve a certain structure of protein in bacteria we can make a molecule that can block it and not infect the rest of the body.”

This could have huge implications for disease control.

“Plus, they’re so pretty!”

After all Maria has managed to conquer, there’s no question that bacteria needs to watch out. This girl can conquer the world.

Find the previous installment of Women in STEM and beyond, featuring physics major, Sabrina Berger, here.

@TheTab