STEM in Stilettos: Meet the Scientist Breaking Every Stereotype
In partnership with If/Then
Ever been told you’re “too much” for raising your hand too often or felt stuck between loving theater and science club?
Dr. Deborah Berebichez (aka the first Mexican woman to ever earn a Ph.D. in physics at Stanford!) lived that same in-between.
She didn’t fit the stereotype of what a “science person” was supposed to look like, and honestly, neither do most of us. Because STEM isn’t always about lab coats or perfect test scores. It’s about curiosity. It’s about creativity. It’s about asking the questions no one else is asking and refusing to shrink yourself to fit somebody else’s mold.
Growing up with questions nobody wanted her to ask
Source: Note: I Am A Scientist
As a girl growing up in Mexico City, Deborah couldn’t stop asking why. Why does this work? What happens if I try that? She was endlessly curious. But instead of cheering her on, people told her to quiet down. In her culture and household, girls weren’t “supposed” to like math or science. They were supposed to color inside the lines. She didn’t. She blasted Madonna, leaned into the spotlight, and kept pushing toward her own path.
Finding her way back to science
In college, she studied philosophy because math and science weren’t encouraged. But her brain kept craving puzzles. Big ones. Eventually, a mentor helped her catch up on years of missed coursework so she could graduate with a physics degree. Later, at Stanford, she failed her first big qualifying exam. (Yes, failed.) But instead of quitting, she tried again. Harder. And passed.
Here’s the real takeaway: one setback doesn’t define you. A “no” can always turn into a “not yet.”
Creativity isn’t optional. It’s essential
Deborah never separated her creative side from her science side. She mashed them together. Philosophy made her think deeper about physics. Theater gave her the guts to communicate about it. She even compares Newton’s laws to high heels (more on that below!) and explains chemistry through what’s happening in your kitchen. That’s not just STEM. That’s storytelling.
And she’s taken that storytelling everywhere. First, by co-hosting Science Channel’s Outrageous Acts of Science (which is still available to watch on YouTube, btw!), breaking down crazy stunts and wild experiments with a scientist’s eye.
As an AAAS IF/THEN® Ambassador, Deborah is out here making science go viral—breaking it down, hyping it up, and proving that STEM is way more than just lab coats and equations. Now she’s back with a new video series called Dazzling Science, created to make science accessible, inspiring, and relevant, especially for young women and underrepresented groups in STEM. The episode on computer vision? Fascinating.
Did you know?
✦ Stilettos vs. elephants: A stiletto heel can press on the floor with more pressure than an elephant’s foot—because pressure depends on area, not just weight. (Tiny heel tip ≈ 1/16 in²; elephant foot ≈ 40 in².) A stiletto concentrates body weight on a few square millimeters, producing pressures measured in tens of atmospheres—often higher than an elephant’s foot per unit area. In the 1950s–60s some airlines and public buildings restricted very narrow stilettos because they could dent or tear floor coverings (linoleum, carpets). Funny to think how a human could do a lot more damage on those floors than a huge elephant.
Still think STEM isn’t for you? Save these reminders from Dr. Deborah:
Find your mentor: Sometimes all it takes is one person who says “try”. Not sure where to start? Send a DM to someone doing cool work at a company you love, ask a teacher to connect you, or send a quick LinkedIn message. You’d be surprised how many people actually want to help.
Start small, stay steady: Build a daily study rhythm—one topic per day, every day. That kind of structure turns fear into progress.
Bring your whole self: Don’t check your other passions at the door. Dr. Deborah’s background in philosophy and theater didn’t pull her away from science; it made her better at it. Those passions gave her fresh ways to explain physics and connect with people. Your hobbies, quirks, and side interests aren’t distractions. They’re secret weapons.
Pay it forward: The best way to say thanks is to help the next person up. Whether it’s tutoring a classmate, encouraging someone younger to try coding, or just sharing your own story, every little bit expands the circle of who gets to see themselves in STEM.
3 more ways to discover STEM trailblazers
Mentorship = the ultimate life hack. Here are 3 places where you can find real STEM role models – and see how they are shaping the future and breaking barriers:
✦ SciAll → Want to know how real women in STEM actually got started? SciAll spills the origin stories — from their hometown beginnings to the obstacles they crushed to the ways they’re literally changing the world.
✦ I Am A Scientist → This one’s all about pulling back the curtain. Meet real STEM pros who are out here shaping the game and making moves in their fields.
✦ STEMinist Updates → Your weekly dose of STEM inspo. Follow along for fresh stories, cool breakthroughs, and the latest updates from women doing big things.
So next time someone tries to tell you STEM isn’t creative, or worse, that it’s not for you, remember Dr. Deborah Berebichez. She didn’t just step into STEM. She made space for herself and for you.
