Can a Latino woman from a small village distinguish herself in the world of science?

TRIVIA
A scientist committed to the community, she ran for Governor of her native state at the head of minority political party. She lost the election.

Maria Esther Orozco Orozco, with a BSc in chemistry from the University of Chihuahua and a PhD from the Center for Research and Advanced Studies (Cinvestav) of the National Polytechnic Institute of Mexico, was born in San Isidro, a small village of 1500 people on the outskirts of the Sierra Madre, in the Mexican state of Chihuahua.

In 1981, working for the Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology at Cinvestav, she started training a group of researchers to study the factors of amoeba virulence.

HER FAMILY
She has been able to work as a full time researcher since her need for love and personal feelings has been fully met by Tomas Sanchez, the man she married 33 years ago, and her children Sofia Alejandra and Julio Cesar.

After 16 years of research, she was awarded the Pasteur Medal by the Pasteur Institute in France and the United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organization (UNESCO) for her findings on the molecular and genetic structure of amoebas.

Due to parasitosis, Amoebiasis is the second leading cause of death in the world, following Malaria.

With her findings, Dr. Orozco has created a significant, real opportunity based on scientific information, to get a vaccine against this disease, a true threat to public health in poor countries.

The base of the pyramid of good living is made by good knowledge.

She feels a strong sense of solidarity and says: “When we were granted the Pasteur Medal it was a true celebration for me, my family, my work team, the people of Chihuahua, Mexicans and all the Latin American people.”

“It was a recognition to the talent in our countries… we feel just as proud when the Brazilian soccer team wins… or when we read the work of Garcia Marquez … or when amoebas are studied…”

“Two things are necessary for success, the Latino spirit and being a woman. When you as a Latino or as a woman find yourself in an international forum, you have the big responsibility for showing you’ve got all it takes to be taken seriously”.

HER ALTER EGO
Maria Esther Orozco's heritage includes many teachers. Her grandmother was a teacher; her uncles and aunts were teachers; her brothers and sisters are teachers; she herself was a teacher in grammar school, secondary school and senior high school while she was studying at the university.

In addition to the Pasteur Medal, Dr. Orozco has been granted the National Miguel Otero Prize, the Rosenkranz Prize, the Guggenheim Fellowship, the Fogerty Scholarship. She is an international researcher at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute of the United States.

In addition to her scientific research, Dr. Orozco has published over 90 scientific papers; she has been a consultant in 14 doctoral theses, 16 MSc theses, and 13 BSc theses. She is a professor of the National Polytechnic Institute, at Cinvestav and at the Center for Applied Science and Advanced Technology (Cicata) of Mexico.

Esther Orozco, an example of the best of the latin spirit.