The Latina, the geek, and the mother in me was excited as I spoke to Adriana Ocampo, a Space Geologist at NASA. What Ocampo does and how she got to where is provides an inspirational story for Latinas–and our children.
Ocampo, born in Baranquilla, Colombia and raised in Argentina, before moving to the U.S. at 14, l__eads programs for space exploration missions to Jupiter, Pluto,__ and other faraway places in our universe. Mind-boggling, I know! When she lived in Argentina, she was denied entrance to a school because it was only for boys. Shortly after, her family arrived in Pasadena, CA, not too far from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Like any newcomer, she struggled to learn English. Still, Ocampo was determined to succeed and work for NASA.
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Even with all the schooling and credentials to merit a position at NASA, Ocampo has fought hard to prove that a women rightfully deserve to be there.
Today, Ocampo continues to prove naysayers wrong and mentors other women at NASA. What an excellent example for our children!
I turned to Ocampo to ask her about what inspires and how we can raise a generation of brainiacs in our community.
To hear more about what Ocampo has to say, you can catch her on HBO Latino's 'Habla Women' April 18, at 8 p.m. EST.
Read on!
How can parents, especially Latinos, steer their children toward science and math careers?
Family is a huge part of our culture and sometimes our instinct to protect our children hinders their growth. For example, I met a brilliant Latina who was valedictorian of her class and was offered a full scholarship to Stanford University in California, but her parents insisted she attend a community college closer to home. In the end, I couldn't convice the parents to let her go to Stanford, one of the top schools in the country.
What's been the toughest challenge of your career?
Without a doubt, it's to prove that I was capable of the job. I was once told that women didn't belong in geology. In science, women have to work harder to be taken seriously. Plus, I had an accent, which made it even tougher for me. In the end I learned, there's always another way to get to a yes.
What about your upbringing helped you overcome the challenges you've faced?
My parents were my heroes. They came from modest means, but they did whatever possible to give me an imaginative and creative upbringing. They emphasized education as a means to success and always, always told me I could be whatever I wanted to be.
Image via NASA
