An interview with Rodrigo Zúñiga Carmiol

Name: Rodrigo Zúñiga Carmiol

Current Job: R&D Packaging Engineer

Scientific Discipline/Field: Engineering

Country: Costa Rica

Pick some letters (L,G,B,T,Q,+, etc.): G

Website: NA

Twitter or other social media handle: rzc18

What does your job involve?

I work with chemistry, physics and problem solving

How did you get to this job (education etc.)?

I studied materials engineering in a public university with a scholarship

Do you feel being LGBT has affected your career decisions?

Totally

Have you had any reactions from colleagues about being LGBT, either good or bad?

Most reactions have been good, some get surprised but I have never received direct homophobia from colleagues

Did you have any role models growing up (LGBT, STEM, totally unrelated.)?

My dad was an engineer, and I had an uncle who is a gay engineer, both of them were my role models in the STEM and LGBT communities

What are your plans for the future?

I want to get a master’s degree

Anything else you’d like to add?

Most LGBTIQ+ people in my country are afraid to come out because Costa Rica is a homophobic country, even though the laws protect us, there is a huge amount of people who dislike us just for being us. Expressing ourselves and not hiding our nature in Costa Rica before entering the workforce is a huge risk I do not regret taking, I got my job for being myself, and that includes being gay.