WFA PROFILE: SPOTLIGHT ON…

How did you get here? Tell me your story...I want to hear it. Martha

Spotlight on Consuelo (Chelo) Walss-Bass, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry

Dr. Walss-Bass joined the Health Science Center as faculty member of the Department of Psychiatry in 2005. She writes of her background, "After receiving my bachelors degree in Chemical Engineering from the Instituto Tecnologico in Mexico, I was faced with the reality that companies in my hometown of Torreon, Mexico, were not hiring women for engineering positions. I therefore decided to pursue a graduate education and came to San Antonio, to get a master’s in chemistry at UTSA. It was then that I found I had a passion for research and decided to continue on to get a Ph.D. in biochemistry at the UTHSCSA." She followed up with training in psychiatric genetics, the focus of her research agenda. Dr Walss-Bass shared her experience with WFA Science Fair winners from regional junior and senior high schools, and with WFA Leadership Awardees from the 5 UTHSCSA schools, in May 2008 on the occasion of the Women's Faculty Association Awards Ceremony .