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On the shoulders of migrants
Daniela Mesa Sanchez captures the challenges, successes and sacrifices of a first-generation American scientist.
Furman University alumna Daniela Mesa Sanchez, a 2017 chemistry and information technology graduate, writes a guest editorial and crafts the cover art for the Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry. Mesa Sanchez was born in Medellin, Colombia, and moved to South Carolina at around age 10. She describes the sacrifices made by her parents including leaving behind family, having to endure long-distance relationships and living apart for much of her childhood. The challenges, successes and opportunities are reflected in her cover art.
“This is a personal piece that very specifically represents my culture, but I hope other first-generation American scientists see themselves reflected in this piece as well,” Mesa Sanchez said. “We are all here because of the sacrifices of our families, and thus, while in science we often refer to our work standing “on the shoulders of giants,” ours stand firmly on the shoulders of migrants.”
Becoming the first in her family to earn a Ph.D., Mesa Sanchez defends her thesis in analytical chemistry this month at Purdue University.