Recorded 07 March 2025. Erika Tatiana Camacho of Arizona State University presents "A Mestiza’s Quest to Find Her Place in Academia and STEM in the Face of Adversity" at IPAM's LatMath 2025 Workshop. Abstract: Dr. Erika Camacho has navigated the challenges of being in STEM and academia at the crossroads between races, nations, languages, cultures and social classes, with multiple identities and contradictions, having Indigenous and Spanish ancestry and everything in between. She will talk about her journey and constant fight against the physical and imaginary borders imposed on her by others, tradition, and disciplinary fields. She will also talk about the price and sacrifices that it took to get to where she is while navigating new worlds and being torn between forces that did not fully accept her. Through the story of her journey, she will illustrate her quest to stay true to herself by gathering the strength to embrace her multiple intersectional identities and learn to be unapologetic for being her, even in the face of adversity. Growing up in East Los Angeles, attaining her PhD from an Ivy League school, playing a pivotal role in NSF HSI Program, becoming a Fulbright Research Scholar, and extending her research to include wet lab work, she understands the struggles that many students and faculty face in attaining their academic and professional goals. Drawing from her personal experiences and the ability to constantly reinvent herself, Dr. Camacho will share her journey of resilience, tenacity, and hard work. She will highlight key decisions that contributed to her continued success and transformation and individuals that were part of her journey. Learn more online at: https://www.ipam.ucla.edu/programs/special-events-and-conferences/latmath-2025/?tab=overview