Dr. Maria Rivera
Dr. Maria Rivera, Ph.D. is a molecular biologist at the Center for the Study of Biological Complexity and Biology at the Virginia Commonwealth University.
Dr. Rivera is an astrobiologist specializing in computational evolutionary biology and phylogenetics. The focus of her research is to understand the origin and diversification of organisms within the tree of life.
This work has been in three main areas:
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She is proof that dedication and hard work can make dreams come true. Rivera was born in Puerto Rico and completed her undergraduate and masters degrees at the University of Puerto Rico. Her accomplishments did not come without sacrifice, however.
In Puerto Rico, the level of poverty is much higher than in the United States. Her grandparents were some of those less fortunate. Her grandmother, for example, did not go to school past the fourth grade and her grandfather did not make it past junior high. They lived in a tiny house with a dirt floor, yet they loved their children dearly. Her grandfather became a migrant worker so that they could afford to send her mother to college. They wanted their children to lead happy, successful lives and realized that “education is the way to do it.” Their sacrifices paved the way for Dr. Rivera. Her greatest influences in life are actually the men in her family, who gave her responsibilities that would not normally be given to girls. She states, however, “family support is good, but you have to have the vision that you can do better.”
The vision, for Rivera, started in the 4th grade with an excellent science teacher. She pursued her love for science, becoming both a researcher and a teacher. As a teacher, she encourages teenagers to find their interests and pursue those interests whole-heartedly. She also believes that getting outside of the community and experiencing the rest of the world is necessary.
When she goes home, she leaves the “science” at the lab and focuses on friends, family, and hobbies. She is extremely involved in her church and is actively campaigning for fair wages for hotel workers. Rivera has managed to effectively balance both her career and social life, being “a person first and then a scientist.”
Dr. Rivera obtained her Batchelor of Science and Masters of Science from the University Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras and her PhD. from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Maria Rivera, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Center for the Study of Biological Complexity and Biology
Virginia Commonwealth University
E-mail: crivera@vcu.edu
http://www.has.vcu.edu/bio/pages/mcrivera/
