Beyond titles and recognitions, her vocation was born in school classrooms. “My passion for Chemistry and other natural sciences was nurtured during my secondary education; I had excellent teachers who motivated me through experimentation and by questioning the physical and chemical phenomena of everything I observed,” recalls Professor Tania with emotion. Her testimony confirms the importance of representation: when girls see women leading scientific processes, conducting research, and teaching, their horizons expand and their conviction that they too can achieve it is strengthened.

The presence of women in traditionally male-dominated fields not only enriches scientific knowledge, but also transforms social imaginaries and opens opportunities for new generations: “I have been in university teaching for more than 13 years. For me, it is enriching to contribute, even in a small way, to the training of professionals in the field of science. My students and I have evolved as we adapt to the demands of today’s society; being a professor allows you to transform a life, to plant a seed that will endure in another human being.” Along this path, challenges have not been absent, as she herself shares: “More than an anecdote, I recall that on one occasion my students were older than I was, and they did not believe that the woman in the white coat sitting there was the Industrial laboratory professor,” an experience that highlights the need to continue challenging stereotypes and recognizing female leadership in all spaces.