Dr. Patricia Silveyra is a passionate scientist who studies how being exposed to air pollution (and even our own hormones!) can affect how we breathe. In her laboratory, she compares lung cells from males and females. She tries to understand why there are more women than men suffering from lung diseases such as asthma. She also tries to understand why some women with asthma get sicker before their periods. To protect both men and women from breathing dirty air, she works to inform policymakers on how to regulate gas emissions.

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Dr. Silveyra believes in teamwork and in educating the next generation of scientists. As a strong leader and advocate for research, she spends significant time mentoring trainees and serving in national organizations that are devoted to increasing diversity in science careers. She wants to see a scientific workforce that reflects the demographics of the population. By doing so, she believes science can be more effective in addressing problems that affect all communities, not just some.