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CC: Please tell us more about you. What's your story?
AM: I'm from San Antonio, lived there until I was 18 and then moved up to Austin for college. I came to UT as an anthropology major, having a lot of interest in Mayan archeology actually, but after my first semester, I became disillusioned with that field after realizing studying it in practice was a bit different than what I thought it would be. Astronomy was always an interest of mine in school, but I convinced myself I wasn't smart enough for all of the math and physics involved, but now I guess I'm discovering it's more accessible than I thought. Outside of academics, I've always been into art too, anything where I'm creating, especially painting and drawing.
OC: What inspired you to pursue a career in astronomy?
AM: I have a very clear memory of being in 2nd grade, and we weren't learning anything space related, but I know that 3rd graders were — they had their work on the solar system on display in the hallways of the school. I remember looking at that work and thinking that I **could not wait** to be a 3rd grader and learn about space too. This answer might seem juvenile, but space is really cool. That feeling hasn't gone away from that time in 2nd grade to my time doing research today.
CC: I concur. I think "space is cool" is honestly the reason we are all here! What are you most proud of?
AM: My parents are actually undocumented Mexican immigrants, and I was the 3rd child of four, and I was the only person in my family who was passionate about learning. Family support for education was very limited (my parents dropped their education after the 6th grade in Mexico), so for me to stick with it has been a huge challenge. Especially because I don't have a lot of people to look at for guidance on how to take the next steps. I'm really proud of how far I've made it, and I hope to keep going. Sometimes I forget how much I've learned to get here.
OC: What mentors, teachers, or role models have been the most inspiring to you in your life?
AM: Well, I was really lucky to have Caitlin as my astronomy professor both last semester and this semester, and I was really excited to be paired with you as my research mentor. Other than that, we just got out of a mentoring workshop where we were talking about how mentorship can come from peers and not just those senior to us, and that really resonated with me. So another answer would be: my friends! I have made some really great friendships here in Austin that I'm so thankful for. Those are people I can go to anytime about anything; I can find so much comfort there and that keeps me going.
CC: Tell us a bit more about your interest in archeology and astronomy. There is some interesting cross-over there so we're wondering if your attraction to both fields has some similarities?
AM: These two fields were the ones I was always interested in. For the longest time I felt they were so different, but then at the same time, there are aspects of each that are similar. I think I'm drawn to both due to their mysterious qualities. There's a lot that's unknown about archeological sites that's lost to the past, and astronomy is actually pretty similar in its focus on solving mysteries of the unknown.
OC: They are both history in different ways.
AM: Yes, one history is a bit older than the other of course… billions of years rather than thousands of years!
OC: What challenges and obstacles have you faced in your career? How have you overcome these challenges?
AM: Getting into college was a huge obstacle for me. In junior year of high school, a friend of mine asked me what my strategy was going to be for college applications and asked how I was going to apply to FAFSA with undocumented parents. My reaction was "FAFSA, what's that? who's that?" So navigating stuff like that was really hard real time while I was doing it. Building up the courage to actually go ask for help at my school felt like a huge mountain to climb. Many times it would have been easier to just pass on some opportunities than take the time to figure it all out, but I'm really glad that I persevered through it to be here today.
CC: What advice would you give to high school and undergraduate students of similar background to you who are interested in following your path?
AM: Stick with it! It just comes down to figuring out how to deal with stuff that's very uncomfortable and unfamiliar to you. But you'll know if pushing your education is what you want, then you just have to stick with it. Going through with it can bring on a lot of uncomfortable feelings, but I've tried to keep my eye on the goal, knowing I want to be a part of this world that feels so different from the one I grew up in. Looking back, I've been able to accomplish a lot and I hope to keep sticking with it.
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