Meet Alicia Viloria-Petit

Alicia at one of her virtual talks to Latin teenage girls, as part of the program "Geeky Latin@s", which she developed as part of a team for the Canadian-Venezuelan Engagement Foundation. She is the co-leader of this program.

Alicia Viloria-Petit graduated with a Licenciate in Biology from the University of Zulia in Venezuela in 1994. She received her Masters of Science in Immunology from the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research in 1999, and her PhD in Medical Biophysics (Cell and Mol. Biology) from the University of Toronto in 2003. She currently works as an Associate Professor at the University of Guelph. In her spare time, Alicia enjoys fiction and biography reading, yoga, hiking, and international films.

When did your love of STEM begin?

In high school, when we started to learn about cells and how living organisms function. I decided to study biology after doing a high school science project in biochemistry.

What is the best part about working in the field of STEM?

That you are always learning new things and exploring your creativity. I enjoy learning and getting new research ideas from what I learn.

What advice would you give young women interested in a career in STEM?

To get a good mentor, somebody you can trust and you can get advice from regarding opportunities and strategies to overcome challenges. I also recommend that you take one step at the time and take your time to enjoy the process.