March is Women’s History Month, a time to celebrate women’s contributions to history, culture, and society at large. At JMP, we’re fortunate to have some amazing women working across the division.
Celebrating JMP Women is a series where we profile select women who are making a difference.
Today we celebrate Senior Research Statistician Developer Laura Castro-Schilo.
Laura came to JMP in 2016 after earning her PhD in Quantitative Psychology from UC-Davis and serving as a professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is the primary architect of the Structural Equation Modeling platform in JMP Pro. An adventurer at heart, Laura loves to travel, try new things, and seek out new experiences when she’s away from work. She also has an uncanny ability to be the last one standing for the JMP team in RFC-sponsored dodgeball games.
Let’s learn a little more about Laura.
What inspired you to pursue a STEM career? Is there a moment, early in your life or academic career that pushed you in that direction?
I always enjoyed math and brain teasers but was told early on that math wasn’t a good career in Mexico, where I grew up. As a result, I focused on another passion of mine: studying and understanding human behavior, which led me to major in Psychology. Later, as I was looking into graduate school, I discovered there was a way to combine psychology and statistics, a field called Quantitative Psychology.
Tell us a little more about your professional journey and what landed you at JMP?
I was born in Mexico City and moved to Guadalajara when I was four years old, where I lived until I finished high school at Colegio Guadalajara. In my teenage years I visited Southern California and I loved [what I thought was] the culture; I visited Hollywood and saw people from diverse backgrounds, with blue and green hair, full of tattoos, and/or mohawks, and nobody seemed to stare or judge –it was enticing for a girl who lived in a bubble where everyone looked the same. That’s when I decided I’d do everything I could to move to the U.S. Against my parents’ wishes – who are still in Mexico – I started college at Orange Coast Community College in California. Eventually, I transferred to Cal State Fullerton and graduated with a Psychology degree. I loved my stats classes, so I pursued a Ph.D. in Quantitative Psychology at UC Davis. Six months before graduation, I secured a tenure-track position at UNC-Chapel Hill, which brought my husband, two daughters, and me to North Carolina. I was in academia for three years, but it was a high-stress environment with endless hours of work. I didn’t think it was sustainable, especially with young children, so I started looking into industry jobs and was SO lucky to find a testing position at JMP!
What do you enjoy most about your role at JMP?
Creating something that’s useful to others and working with great people!
What do you consider to be your greatest career achievement …or one that just makes you happy or proud?
Being valedictorian of a class of ~400 students and getting the opportunity to speak at an institution with a large Latino population. Everyone knows I’m exceptionally proud of our SEM platform too.:cara_que_sonríe_con_ojos_sonrientes:
What do you consider to be your greatest personal achievement …or one that just makes you happy or proud?
Raising two amazing girls while building a fulfilling professional career.
Did you have a mentor who helped you achieve academic or professional success early in your career? Who would you consider your mentor today?
I had numerous mentors at every stage of my career –I have immense gratitude for each of them. I would have been entirely lost without their guidance, especially in my undergraduate years! At JMP, I’ve learned so much from Chris Gotwalt, who makes sure I know the skills needed to perform well in my job and encourages me to keep learning. But, in truth, I’ve also learned a lot from every member of my team and others across JMP –you all know who you are and I’m so grateful for you!
What advice would you give young women interested in pursuing a STEM career?
Actively seek opportunities that will help you grow, even if that means taking risks and stepping outside of your comfort zone. A lot of opportunities arise from building relationships and asking questions –people are [most likely] eager to help if you reach out to them. Be willing to make mistakes and learn from them.
Laura and her family on a walk around Fearrington Village.Laura and her family on a walk around Fearrington Village.
Treating her girls to churros con cajeta during a pre-pandemic visit to Guadalajara.Treating her girls to churros con cajeta during a pre-pandemic visit to Guadalajara.
Wow, Laura! I learned so much about you! Fascinating!!
Lovely to learn more about you, Laura! Thanks for sharing!
Wonderful to learn more about you and your passions. Amazing family.
