“One of the most important things that I want people to know is that disabilities don’t have to stop you from being at the top,” she says. “I have learning disabilities, as well as autism, and I have found my niche and am on my way to becoming successful in a career I care about. Perseverance through the obstacles one faces in life can lead to great success. This is because success is not determined by your strengths, it’s measured by how you overcome your challenges.””
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) in STEM are important to Mariah. As a woman with learning disabilities and autism who came from a poor socioeconomic background, Mariah understands the struggles faced by these communities with joining academia.
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility are key values that Mariah plans to implement in her future plans. Mariah's goal is to become a professor where she can continue with a rigorous research program and advocacy of underrepresented groups in STEM like those from low-income families, women, LGBTQ+, and people with disabilities. Mariah also aims to uplift Black, Brown, Indigenous, Asian, Latine/x, and other underrepresented communities in the STEM fields throughout her career.
Because of her experiences, Mariah finds it important to give back to others. Mariah takes an active role in mentoring undergraduate researchers at Carnegie Mellon University. She encourages her students to be inquisitive and develop the projects they are working on independently. Mariah participates in outreach through the Skype A Scientists program, which allows teachers and students to be connected with scientists across the world. Mariah also participates in outreach activities organized by the Chemical Engineering Graduate Student Association (ChEGSA).
Mariah also acts as a mentor to other disabled students who are interested in applying to graduate school. If you would like to reach out to Mariah about the application process please go to the contact page!
Teaching and giving seminars is another way Mariah engages with DEIA. Mariah has been invited to give seminars on neurodiversity and accessible education. She also focuses part of her teaching on science communication to highlight how to communicate science with accessibility in mind.