Conversus Talks: Women, reinventing the algorithm brought together three women representing different generations, disciplines, and paths to knowledge in the “Alfredo Harp Helú” auditorium at the “Luis Enrique Erro” Planetarium (PLEE) of the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN). Led by Ana Cristina Olvera Peláez, coordinator of the Conversus Information Agency (AIC) within the Directorate of Science and Technology Outreach (DDICyT), the participants shared how they came to science, the challenges they faced, and their vision for achieving a more equitable scientific ecosystem. The panel featured Gloria Koenigsberger Horowitz, an astronomer at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), a pioneer in bringing the internet to Mexico in 1989, and a researcher at UNAM’s Institute of Physical Sciences; Abril Uriarte Arcia, a Nicaraguan computer engineer and researcher at the IPN’s Center for Innovation and Development in Computing Technology (Cidetec), specializing in algorithms and artificial intelligence; and Esmeralda Martínez Salgado, a mechatronics engineer from the Interdisciplinary Professional Unit in Engineering and Advanced Technologies (UPIITA) at the IPN, influencer, and advocate for engineering on digital platforms. The event took place as part of International Day of Women and Girls in Science and as part of the “Women Polytechnicians Paving the Way” campaign, with the goal of highlighting potential paths for more girls and young women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

AN ECLIPSE THAT CHANGED A LIFE

Dr. Gloria Koenigsberger opened the discussion with a meaningful story. She recalled that she decided to pursue astronomy at age 12, when her father took her up to the rooftop to watch a lunar eclipse. “Looking at the night sky was already an event in itself, but seeing something happen to the Moon… seeing it darken… that’s when I said: I’m going to be an astronomer.” That moment of initial wonder was the driving force that led her, years later, to specialize in hot stars and to carve out a path for herself in a field where women were in the minority.

She also spoke about a pivotal moment in her adolescence when her mother, wanting to support her even though she didn’t fully understand what an astronomer did, sent a letter to Colgate University in the United States asking for guidance on how her daughter could pursue a career in science.

The letter, written while she was preparing dinner, even arrived with an oil stain, accompanied by a postscript that read: “Please excuse the stain; I’m making the salad for dinner.”

To both of their surprise, the astronomer replied directly to Gloria: “It’s great that you want to be an astronomer. Yes, shorthand is useful, but to pursue this career, you need to study physics and mathematics.”

And even though Colgate only admitted men at the time, he sent her maps, university recommendations, and a reading list. That scientist was Anthony F. Aveni, a world pioneer in archaeoastronomy, who is now 93 years old and became her lifelong mentor.

She recounted that, during her education, she was the only woman in physics in high school, and there were barely two in calculus. Later, at the UNAM School of Sciences, having 12 female students was considered a lot.

Once she became a scientist, the researcher played a leading role in one of the country’s most important technological milestones. In 1989, she was directly involved in bringing the Internet to Mexico, paved the way for national academic connectivity, and demonstrated that female leadership also transforms the country’s scientific infrastructure.

A JOURNEY THROUGH ALGORITHMS

For Dr. Abril Uriarte, the journey began differently. She came to Mexico from Nicaragua, driven by her passion for algorithms and a desire to understand how Artificial Intelligence works.

“I was always very good at math, physics, and chemistry… but terrible at memorizing dates and places. I don’t memorize things. If I understand the logic behind something, I never forget it,” she said.

Although she knew from childhood that she would study engineering, she didn’t always see herself as a scientist. She worked for several years before deciding to pursue a master’s degree, driven more by personal interest than by seeking a role model. “I wanted to learn and understand how things worked, not have them handed to me on a silver platter,” she confessed.

She also recalled one of the projects that most left a mark on her career. A research project in which she applied Artificial Intelligence models to analyze patterns associated with suicide risk—a complex and deeply human endeavor that showed her how technology can save lives when directed toward social well-being. That study, which she conducted while pursuing her graduate degree, reinforced her conviction that science is not just about algorithms, but about understanding people and contributing to real-world problems that affect communities.

Her current role model is computer scientist Yann LeCun, a pioneer in convolutional neural networks, but beyond admiring a particular scientist, her greatest inspiration came from home. Her father, the father of three daughters, repeated a phrase that left a lasting impression on her: “You won’t depend on any man; you have to prepare yourselves to stand on your own two feet.” That conviction, more than any external role model, was the compass that led her to study engineering, pursue a master’s degree, and ask herself how things work—not to imitate them, but to understand them from the ground up.

ENGINEERING THROUGH AUTHENTICITY AND HUMOR

Esmeralda Martínez, a content creator and graduate in Mechatronics Engineering, shared how she began her journey in engineering and why she decided to share it on social media.

Although in some classes she was the only woman among 40 students, she recalls that she always answered the questions correctly, even when the professor constantly questioned her because she was a woman.

“It is frustrating, but I always did well. In vocational school there were more girls, but in engineering there were only about seven of us per class,” she explained.

Unlike the other speakers, who had attended college years earlier, she said she hadn’t experienced harassment in the halls of her school and recognized that change as a significant step forward.

Her motivation to create content came after a turning point. “The roof of my gym collapsed. I thought life is too short not to do what you love. So I took the plunge and started making fun engineering videos,” she said.

Convinced that sharing knowledge can also save, support, and inspire, her story reminded the audience that vocations aren’t always born in the classroom, but sometimes in life’s upheavals.

Her main role models were her own parents, who never limited what she could do. “They never told me I couldn’t play soccer with my cousins or that I couldn’t study something. I always got straight A’s, I always studied… and they always told me I could,” she recalled.

GAPS, BIASES, AND AN URGENT CALL TO TRANSFORM SOCIETY

The speakers agreed that gender bias in the sciences is real, though it manifests differently today; that representation matters; and that having visible women in science transforms the way girls imagine their future.

Koenigsberger Horowitz emphasized that these biases explain why there have historically been few women in fields such as physics and engineering, but she celebrates the fact that there are now more programs and greater female participation.

Uriarte Arcia acknowledged that she has not personally experienced direct discrimination, but she is aware of cases within the university. “I believe the biggest bias comes from society. We need to work on that so that more girls and young women become interested in science,” she noted.

Martínez Salgado emphasized that, although discrimination has decreased, the figures still reveal inequality. “In Mexico, 30 percent of those working in science are women. In engineering, barely 27 percent,” she noted.

TOWARD A MORE EQUITABLE SCIENCE

The discussion concluded with a message born of three distinct yet deeply interconnected realities: curiosity, which is a driving force that knows no gender; equality begins at home, in school, and in everyday spaces; science needs more visible female role models; and although the fight for equity is not over, there are more paths forward today.