Thread by @AnaMaPorras, In these dark times, I am grateful to share that I'll join [...]

In these dark times, I am grateful to share that I& #39;ll join @UFBME as an Assistant Professor in Aug 2021. My team will engineer in vitro disease models to study host-microbe interactions in the context of microbiomes & tropical infectious diseases. #MicrobeMonday #GoGators

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In these dark times, I am grateful to share that I& #39;ll join @UFBME as an Assistant Professor in Aug 2021. My team will engineer in vitro disease models to study host-microbe interactions in the context of microbiomes & tropical infectious diseases. #MicrobeMonday #GoGators https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable=

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I arrived in the US ~14 years ago & almost right away, I knew I wanted to be a professor. This dream has been in the making for a long time and it feels surreal that in only 3 semesters I& #39;ll be leading my own lab. It took a village to get me here! #FuturePI #ImmigrantAcademic 2/n

I& #39;ve had incredible mentors. In the Spring of 2008, a @UTWEP ugrad research program paired me up with @lab_schmidt. For 12 years, @CESchmidt_UF has been a wonderful mentor. It& #39;s extra special to know that my first advisor will now also be my first Chair

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Then there& #39;s the best PhD advisor I could have asked for, Prof. Kristyn Masters @UWMadison_BME. Kristyn ALWAYS believes in me more than I do in myself. Last summer, she very forcefully told me I HAD to go on the market this year and WOW was she right... #OnWisconsin 4/n

My current advisor, Prof. @ilanabrito123 took a chance on hiring me when I knew NOTHING about microbiome or basic microbiology. I& #39;m grateful to Ilana for bringing me to @CornellBME, where I& #39;ve been able to grow so much as a researcher and science communicator #Cornellian 5/n

There are a LOT of other unofficial mentors. A few on Twitter include @KrishRoyLab, @coledeforest, @kellystevenslab, @BillMurphyUW, @PamKreeger, @Dr_ASingh, @ProfCJHernandez, @Cherie_Stabler, @CRinaldi_UF, @SmartBiomat, @mholla_back. Thank you! 6/n

I would have never made it without my outstanding labmates over the years. I& #39;m particularly grateful to the talented undergraduate students I& #39;ve had the privilege of mentoring. I& #39;m proud to have spent so many years next to such wonderful people

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I would have never made it without my outstanding labmates over the years. I& #39;m particularly grateful to the talented undergraduate students I& #39;ve had the privilege of mentoring. I& #39;m proud to have spent so many years next to such wonderful people https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable=

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👩‍🔬" title="Woman scientist" aria-label="Emoji: Woman scientist"> 7/n" title="I would have never made it without my outstanding labmates over the years. I& #39;m particularly grateful to the talented undergraduate students I& #39;ve had the privilege of mentoring. I& #39;m proud to have spent so many years next to such wonderful people https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👨‍🔬" title="Man scientist" aria-label="Emoji: Man scientist">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="👩‍🔬" title="Woman scientist" aria-label="Emoji: Woman scientist"> 7/n">

Speaking of incredible scientists... I also have incredible colleagues. Grad school is really hard but some of the best years of my life I owe to the amazing biomedical engineers @UWMadison_BME that I got to share my journey with. 8/n

As an #immigrant, friends are the family you choose. Whether in Austin, Madison or Ithaca, friends helped me get through challenges and celebrate successes. They also taught me a LOT about contributing to my country from abroad #OnWisconsin #Cornellians #HookEm #LatinXinSTEM 9/n

The last 3 years, I also leaned into a variety of programs beginning with #NextGenProfessor from @CornellOISE and @CUFutureFaculty. This program gave me the structure to prep for the job search and the opportunity to meet wonderful people like @clairemeaders and @susanjcheng 10/n

Last Spring I also joined the Building Future Faculty program #BFF2019 at @NCState. Can& #39;t say enough wonderful things about the quality of this program and the opportunity to connect with other minoritized trainees across fields and inspiring mentors like @DrGrantEmpowers 11/n

My favorite experience last year was attending @sacnas for the 1st time, particularly because I got to be a part of the very first Postdoc Leadership Institute #SACNASPLI. I left with the last push I needed for faculty interviews and lifelong friends #sacnista 12/n

It takes ~9 months to find a faculty job and through it all my @LatinXinBME fam had my back. I began writing my apps in our virtual writing club, faculty gave advice for interviewing and negotiating, commiserated w/ other postdocs on the market and everyone was SO supportive 13/n

A special shout out to @BrianAguado. We went through this process together. For parts of it we were on the phone every day! Can& #39;t wait to see where Brian ends up! This pic Brian took of the exact moment when I submitted the signed offer makes me

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤣" title="Rolling on the floor laughing" aria-label="Emoji: Rolling on the floor laughing"> #dramatic #LatinXinBME 14/n

A special shout out to @BrianAguado. We went through this process together. For parts of it we were on the phone every day! Can& #39;t wait to see where Brian ends up! This pic Brian took of the exact moment when I submitted the signed offer makes me https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable=

#dramatic #LatinXinBME 14/n" title="A special shout out to @BrianAguado. We went through this process together. For parts of it we were on the phone every day! Can& #39;t wait to see where Brian ends up! This pic Brian took of the exact moment when I submitted the signed offer makes me https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤣" title="Rolling on the floor laughing" aria-label="Emoji: Rolling on the floor laughing"> #dramatic #LatinXinBME 14/n" class="img-responsive" style="max-width:100%;"/>

Most of all, I couldn& #39;t have made it without my family. Most of all my parents, who enrolled my sister and I in a bilingual K-12 school at great cost AND who invested a LOT of $$ on my out-of-sate tuition @UTAustin. I& #39;m so proud to follow their footsteps as an engr prof 15/n

I have a REALLY big family and I am most excited that once I& #39;m in Florida, I& #39;ll be much closer and able to go home more often so that we don& #39;t have to do these virtual meetings much longer. Their unconditional love always refuels and sustains me. 16/n

I& #39;ve heard some women say they struggle to form female friendships. That has never been my experience. I& #39;ve been friends w/ some of these girls since I was 4 years old. When everything changes in life, they& #39;re one of the few things that remain constant

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I& #39;ve heard some women say they struggle to form female friendships. That has never been my experience. I& #39;ve been friends w/ some of these girls since I was 4 years old. When everything changes in life, they& #39;re one of the few things that remain constant https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable=

#WomenHelpingWomen 17/n" title="I& #39;ve heard some women say they struggle to form female friendships. That has never been my experience. I& #39;ve been friends w/ some of these girls since I was 4 years old. When everything changes in life, they& #39;re one of the few things that remain constant https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="❤️" title="Red heart" aria-label="Emoji: Red heart"> #WomenHelpingWomen 17/n">

Now that this process is over, my top advice for #FuturePIs is to get help! As much help as you can from as many people as you can ( @FuturePI_Slack is awesome). I was so lucky that @kaitlin_fogg and @LizWaynePhD gave lots of their time to share their very recent experiences. 18/n

Also, for me, it was REALLY important to stay in touch with other people on the market. It helped to share my frustrations and feel like I had a little more info/control. Plus, I made new friends like @BLT_BME and @DrRituRaman! 19/n

You also need help with your #MentalHealth. In February 2019, I started going to therapy bc I had REALLY bad #anxiety related specifically to landing a faculty job. My therapist, the incredible Marta from @CornellHealth (FASP program) gave me the tools I needed to manage it 20/n

My lab will engineer in vitro models of disease to study host-microbe interactions in the context of the gut microbiome and tropical infectious diseases. I want us to explore creative ways to apply traditional BME fields (like biomaterials) to study #GlobalHealth issues 21/n

I will continue to be involved in #SciComm and #SciArt to engage with the public at @UF. I am particularly THRILLED to find strategies to engage with the almost 4 million Floridians that speak Spanish at home (~20% of the population of the state). #ComunicaCiencia 22/n

To summarize, I feel very privileged to be celebrating such wonderful news when we& #39;re all facing such a devastating crisis of global proportions. I am excited to join the incredible team @UFBME, to train students, and to be much closer to home. I can& #39;t wait to begin!

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