By Sofía Villamil
Research and Communications Assistant to the Provost
As part of Sagrado’s ongoing efforts to uplift a wide variety of perspectives, the School of Health and Sciences hosted a talk with Dr. Myrna Comas as part of their International Day of Women and Girls in Science commemoration, where Dr. Myrna Comas presented ‘Vivencias,’ a talk about her educational and professional trajectory, contributions to the sciences, and advice for Sagrado’s students.
This event is also part of a wonderful new initiative, the Women in Science Speaker Series, as well as the campus-wide celebration of Sagrado’s educational project’s 145th anniversary. The organizers’ long-term goal is to create a permanent exhibition in the School of Arts, Design, and Creative Industries of the artwork presented at the talk and establish this event as an annual celebration of women in the sciences. The Dean of the School of Health and Sciences, Dr. Bianca N. Valdés Fernández, affirmed that the event’s purpose was to commemorate Dr. Comas’ achievements within the broader scope of honoring women in science and their accomplishments. She stated that Dr. Comas, by being an agriculturist, entrepreneur, agronomist, professor, and public servant, as she was the first female Secretary of Agriculture in Puerto Rico’s history, embodied all of Sagrado’s foundational pillars, living out the University’s mission through her service, support of education, and spirit.
It is also important to note that this event was truly the culmination of a collaborative effort. Dr. Valdés Fernández noted that, once she presented the idea in December, the support of other Schools, professors, students, and various members of the administration was not only invaluable but highlighted Sagrado’s championing of a multi- and transdisciplinary approach to education.
Before the talk itself, I was able to sit down with Dr. Comas, as well as Dr. Valdés Fernández and Dr. Sofía Macchiavelli Girón, Academic Leader of the Sciences. They spoke to me about their experiences as women in STEM, with all its challenges and meaningful moments, and all three of them pointed out the importance of recognizing, celebrating, and giving a platform and visibility to women’s achievements in the sciences. They also discussed how essential it is to inspire, forge opportunities, and provide representation for the next generation of women scientists, commenting on the significant roles mentorship and resilience played in their own lives and careers. Moreover, Dr. Macchiavelli Girón pointed out that most of the School of Health and Science’s leadership is women, and she highlighted that bringing diverse perspectives into science enriches the field. Later in the event, Mr. Gilberto J. Marxuach Torrós, President of the University, even underscored that Sagrado, foundationally and throughout its history, has been an educational project of women by women for women and that the nuns who founded the University were visionaries, holding science in high esteem. Currently, 62% of students at Sagrado are women, and Mr. Marxuach challenged us to ask ourselves how different the world would be if women had been given the rightful opportunity to participate in the sciences earlier.
During the introductions for the talk, a couple of ideas stood out: the importance of access, dialogue, and participation; the significance of being passionate and persevering; and how this event came to life through active and multi/transdisciplinary collaboration, which should be embraced. Before her talk began, Dr. Comas had told me that her goal for the event was to motivate young people and show them there are no limits to what they can accomplish, and she certainly achieved this. Through her own life experiences from childhood into adulthood, she noted the importance of following your heart and passion, using your gifts to contribute to the betterment of your country and the world, and being resilient, steadfast, and focused when pursuing your dreams, even when it requires sacrifice, pushing back against being underestimated, and doing, as she said, what no one else wants to do. She also spoke about her passion for food security and how she woke up every day eager and motivated to work thanks to her pursuit of that. Having created a wide variety of resources, published internationally recognized works, and spearheaded various widely successful projects as Secretary of Agriculture (from promoting urban agriculture to providing school lunches to turning 40,000 ‘cuerdas’ of unused land into fertile, productive farmland), Dr. Comas has lived out the significance of allowing your passion, knowledge, and talents to translate into action and contribution. Her talk culminated with some fantastic life advice — the importance of showing up to work joyfully and with sensibility, choosing a partner who motivates you and believes in equity and in your dreams, respecting and being committed to the wellbeing of upcoming generations, holding admiration for agricultural workers and the environment, and maintaining balance and control in your life in order to serve others with love and dignity. Finally, Dr. Comas noted how family unity and faith always kept her going and are immensely important to make time for.
Additionally, two pieces of art were made for the event in collaboration with the School of Arts, Design, and Creative Industries. The works created were a total surprise for Dr. Comas, who looked absolutely overjoyed when they were presented. One was a bust made with sustainable materials with an outline of Puerto Rico and its topography at its base, created by art student Augusto M. Rodríguez. The other was an oil painting made by art student Débora Cordero that showed Dr. Comas working in a field with a big smile on her face. The artist noted she saw the image and felt it was so authentic to Dr. Comas and her mission that it made for the perfect painting to create and present at the event. These pieces truly captured the spirit not only of Dr. Comas’ career, her roots, and her message but the broader spirit of innovation, collaboration, and celebration present in the room. As previously stated, these pieces will hopefully be joining future works in a permanent exhibition.