Meet the Temple fencer recognized nationally for research work
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A Temple undergraduate is breaking the glass ceiling in the STEM world and her work was recognized nationally.
Fencing is one of Diana Tiburcio's passions.
She started the sport at 8-years-old. Now, she competes on Temple University's nationally ranked team.
"I think one day I was like, 'Oh, let me try it,'" Tiburcio said. "And my parents were like, 'OK, you can try it.'"
The junior spends countless hours inside the student pavilion practicing with teammates. But if you can't find her here, it's a safe bet -- she's probably in the lab.
Research is Tiburcio's other passion. The Malvern native is a first-generation citizen.
Her parents are from Mexico.
"Being an immigrant in this country, I think I was able to see a lot of perspectives, not just my own," Tiburcio said.
That's why the 21-year-old says she's focused on helping underprivileged communities, specifically with access to clean water.
"I wanted to make sure that what I was doing with my career was improving the lives of people," Tiburcio said.
This year, her work was recognized nationally.
Tiburcio is one of two women from Temple and the university's first woman of color to receive the prestigious Goldwater Scholarship.
"It gives you aid for either if you get it as a sophomore for two years of your undergraduate degree, or junior, your final year," Tiburcio said.
The Goldwater Scholarship is awarded to undergraduates majoring in math, engineering or natural science showing promise in research.
Only 413 undergraduates in the United States received the honor this year in 2023.