Esquivel, Jessica

Impact on the world

One of the first Afro-Latinas to earn a degree in electrical engineering and applied physics from St. Mary's University, and the second to earn a physics doctorate from Syracuse University, Esquivel co-founded a movement and an organization both focused on advocating for marginalized groups in the physical sciences.

Life & background

A physicist, Esquivel was one of the first Afro-Latinas to graduate with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and applied physics from St. Mary's University, and the second Afro-Latina to earn a doctorate in physics from Syracuse University. She co-founded the #BlackInPhysics social movement and, with her partner, founded Oyanova Enterprises to foster equity and community for marginalized groups in physics.

Sources

1. AIP (Honoring Black Excellence in the Physical Sciences); U.S. Dept. of Energy (Fermilab feature); American Physical Society