It's important to be able to be a girl and be a scientist and have neither of those things affect each other.
Cara Santa MariaUltimately, the main reason that you want more women in the sciences is the same reason you want more gay men in the sciences. It's the same reason you want more Latinos or African Americans; it's because if you come at a problem from a different perspective, you will be offering a creative vision that wasn't there before.
Cara Santa MariaScience is actually, I think, a very creative venture. It requires thinking outside of the box. It requires an ability to be open to new experiences and an ability to change course in the middle, try a different path, or go about things in a new way.
Cara Santa MariaThe minute that you make the discussion in the room more well-rounded, multicultural, and of course having differences in gender, you're going to have a different approach.
Cara Santa Maria