Marissa Martinez, a first-year student in the Colorado State University Department of Biology, a recipient of the renowned Boettcher Scholarship and a proud Hispanic student, arrived at CSU in the fall of 2023, bringing with her a wealth of cultural and scientific knowledge.
Martinez hails from the San Luis Valley in Southern Colorado and discovered her love and aptitude for science during her middle school years. As her scientific acumen expanded, she began participating in regional science fairs and twice claimed the top spot in her category at the Colorado Science and Engineering Fair, held on campus at CSU in Fort Collins and run by the Natural Sciences Education and Outreach Center. She went on to twice place at the International Science and Engineering Fair, supported by the team at the NSEOC.
In April 2023 Martinez was awarded the prestigious Boettcher Scholarship, which offers four years of paid tuition to a select group of Colorado high school seniors. The program’s aim is to retain the state’s most dynamic thinkers within its borders, fostering a positive impact on their communities.
In addition to her academic accomplishments, Martinez takes pride in her Hispanic heritage and looks forward to inspiring young Latina students.
Question: Where are you from, and how did you discover your love for science?
Answer: I am from the San Luis Valley in Southern Colorado. I attended rural Monte Vista High School with a graduating class of just 47. My love for science came simply from exposure to it. When my mentor started taking me out into the field with her, I was granted an internship with the Bureau of Land Management. When I started to see that my project ideas could also generate solutions that could help the agency, I was hooked. I’m a very curious individual and science has allowed me to express that in more ways than I thought possible. I discovered I love science because of the possibilities, the learning involved, the beneficial solutions that can be generated, and the real potential to help others and our environment.
Find Marissa in National Geographic’s new show “Science Fair: the Series”
Kids compete for a coveted seat at the world’s most competitive scientific fair, the International scientific and Engineering Fair, by using science to tackle some of the most difficult and urgent problems facing society today.
The series will premiere on Dec. 11, 2023 on Disney+ and Hulu.
Q: What led you to science fairs and how did you end up at the International Science Fair?
A: In my middle school science class, we were tasked with doing an at-home science project. We had to make a project board out of a cereal box and present it to the class. My teacher thought I did well and one of her comments said that I should join the science fair program at our school. At the time I laughed, I didn’t think the program was for me. She begged me for months to join and I finally gave in.
My first year doing science fair was during seventh grade. I did a very basic human behavior project and presented it at our regional fair. To my surprise, I did well and placed first in my category, and qualified to compete at the Colorado State Science and Engineering Fair, which occurs here at CSU. I was not expecting to get any awards at the state level, but I did. I realized that science fairs, and more specifically science, was something I was good at and wanted to continue with.
When I got to high school, everything changed. I found my found my passion for science with the help of my mentor. My projects became more sophisticated and had much more meaning for me. I did two amazing projects and qualified for the International Science and Engineering Fair from both the regional and state level. My project in junior year was on the endangered southwestern willow flycatcher, where I created a scoring tool to rate their habitat, which then informed federal managers on which actions they could take to improve the habitat. My senior year project involved investigating an invasive species, the American bullfrog, and I developed effective trapping methods using different baits and traps to remove tadpoles from infested wetlands.
With each of these projects I placed first within my category at the Colorado Science and Engineering Fair and moved on to the International Science and Engineering Fair, where I also placed and shared my work with scientists and students from around the world. It was one of the greatest experiences I’d ever had in high school – learning to conduct research on topics that I love and then share that work with other interested scientists.
Q: What does receiving the Boettcher Scholarship mean to you?
A: The Boettcher Scholarship was an unexpected gift I never anticipated. Going to college was something I had only dreamed of when I was younger. However, I applied for several scholarships in the hopes that something would happen and when I received the Boettcher Scholarship I couldn’t believe it. Without this scholarship I would not have realistically been able to pay for school. The financial support from Boettcher has been incredibly helpful, but that is not the only great feature of the program. It fosters a sense of community. They invite us to network with others and they offer many opportunities like studying abroad or community service. I’m super excited to hopefully experience some of the other important aspects of being a Boettcher Scholar!
Q: Why did you choose CSU?
A: I chose CSU because I knew this school was very research-based and knew that the opportunities would be phenomenal. I also knew that the program for my major was excellent, and honestly coming here every year for the state science fair allowed me to learn about campus and see the sense of community that exists here. I felt like this was the right place for me.
Q: Since it is Hispanic Heritage Month, can you tell us what your heritage means to you, especially as a STEM student pursuing higher education?
A: My Hispanic heritage is something that has always had unspeakable value to me. My Hispanic family, my grandparents and my parents did not get to experience the world as I do now. They faced barriers and had to focus on work to support their families. Those values and demonstration of work ethic has allowed me to be where I am today.
As a female Hispanic student, I am making my immediate family proud, but also all those ancestors that came before me. As a student in STEM pursuing higher education, I am extremely proud of myself. I am proud that I am overcoming a stereotype that has been set for generations, and most importantly, I am proud to hopefully be setting an example for young Latina students. I hope to inspire them to pursue the careers they want and to instill in them the belief that they can do anything they set their minds to.
Q: What are your hopes for your time at CSU and how has your CSU experience been so far?
A: My hopes here at CSU are to get involved in undergraduate research and learn the most from my classes. I’m going to be honest, classes have been a little difficult, but I am always driven by the end goal and I believe I can do this. CSU has been extremely good at pushing me out of my comfort zone just enough and showing me my true potential.
Q: What are your post-graduation goals?
A: This is a tough question. I would really like to attend graduate school after my undergraduate work. I hope to get a master’s or Ph.D. in ecology or a related field. We will see where my interests take me!
Q: Is there anyone you want to thank for helping you get to this point?
A: I would like to thank all the people who have believed in me, who believed that I could get here and who are still supporting me. These people are my mentor, my brother, the rest of my family and my friends.
