Meet Karen Perez
A message of thanks to her donors:
“Thank-you for supporting Caminos Cientificos (Scientific Pathways) and giving me the chance to launch this project through the PIFA Accelerator program. I am excited to start connecting bilingual scientists with the Hispanic community in Tucson, AZ and to inspire students, both in-person and through livestream, to pursue STEM careers. Your support is what makes this possible, and I hope this project will grow to reach other communities in the future.”
The Goal: Empower Tucson’s Hispanic middle and high school students—and their families—by providing Spanish-language public lectures featuring bilingual scientists from diverse disciplines, such as Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, and Engineering;
The need: Tucson’s population is over 40% Hispanic or Latino, with many students growing up in bilingual or Spanish-speaking households without direct exposure to scientists who share their language, culture, or lived experiences. Karen’s project seeks to demystify scientific careers, celebrate representation in STEM, and offer guidance for pursuing pathways into science.
“I grew up in an under-resourced neighborhood where I rarely saw scientists that looked like me, or any scientists at all [...] today I am an astrophysicist thanks to the mentors that encouraged me along the way.”