Leticia Tituaña Picuasi

Leticia Tituaña Picuasi is a groundbreaking indigenous woman from the Kichwa community in Otavalo, Ecuador, who made history as the first member of her rural community to access higher education, earning a degree in chemical engineering from the Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (Espol). Despite facing significant challenges, including gender bias and economic hardship, she persevered, working as a domestic helper to support her studies. Leticia is now a professor and the director of the Warmi Sten Foundation, which empowers indigenous women in science and technology. She is also a mother of two and has recently completed a master's degree in water resource management, further breaking stereotypes and advocating for women's rights in her community.