#SoCaltech: Stephanie Threatt

"I think it's important for young people to be exposed to science and to people of color who work in STEM. If you don't see an example of someone who looks like you in a field, it can be hard to see yourself in that field. I was very fortunate that I did have a role model when I was a teenager. My chemistry teacher in high school was a black woman, and she gave us a lot of creative liberty when it came to our labs. That class kind of sparked some of my interest in chemistry. Now, I try to give back in some way. I'm part of a program here with the Caltech Y called Rise. It's a really great program. Students from public schools in Pasadena come to Caltech for tutoring Monday through Thursday, so that's a really great way to make connections, to work with young people. A lot of us in that program are women and students of color."

Stephanie Threatt is from Charlotte, North Carolina, and is a fourth-year graduate student in biochemistry and molecular biophysics. Threatt serves as president of the Black Students of the California Institute of Technology and of the Black Ladies Association of Caltech.

#SoCaltech is an occasional series celebrating the diverse individuals who give Caltech its spirit of excellence, ambition, and ingenuity. Know someone we should profile? Send nominations to magazine@caltech.edu.