20180518

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Emmitt Jolly grew up as a poor kid whose dream is to be a electrician rather than spending money for college. However, he is now a molecular biologist who study parasitic worms, and also moved from poverty to a successful career in STEM. Even though many studies show that poverty creates a hurdle to college, plenty of people overcome poverty to land rewarding careers in science and engineering through their great effort.

Abel Chávez is a civil and environmental engineer, who grew up in a poor family. Even there are not many opportunities, he still finds a mentor, someone to encourage the boy, to help guide him to college. These advisors help disadvantaged people. There are many other examples. Esteban Burchard found his mentor through wrestling in school, where the coach taught him self-confidence and discipline, making him do well in school. Now Burchard is a lung specialist in the University of California.

Laura Martinez was a girl who struggled in a lot of domestic abuse and violence in her childhood, but now she became a microbiologist. She ultimately found strength to help her family by seeking career in science.

Tracie Delgado grew up in a poor neighborhood in southeast Los Angeles. But through her persistence and not giving up when dropping her chemistry class, she knuckled down and learned how to study, making her a microbiologist who studies how viruses cause cancer. This achievement is because of her “never giving up”.

Miquella Kelly Chavez was a small-town girl who had never got the message about preparing for college. After a few give-ups on applying expensive college, she started class again, joining a campus job that gave her hands-on experience in research. This  helps her found a supervisor, who persuaded her to get her PhD, making her a materials researcher and engineer.

Isis Frausto-Vincencio is an environmental scientist who came from a poor family of farm laborers, but after a large amount of effort put, she caught up and is currently working on her PhD.

Diogenes Placencia grew up with no dad, and almost had no hope for college. However, he and his mom took out loans and worked on campus in a chemistry department. Still, he did not give up and endured the hardest times. Now, he is a research chemist for the Naval Research Laboratory.

These examples of people overcoming the hurdle of poverty or disadvantages all have a strong eagerness to move on and learn, making them succeed in the end.

Knuckle down: to do something while paying full attention and effort.