From coffee break to PhD, a conversation with Dr. Andrea Pacheco. Andrea Pacheco, 2025 Optica Ambassador, found solutions in her PhD program over informal coffee talks. During these breaks, Pacheco learned from doctors, scientists and engineers across fields very different than her own. Interdisciplinarity is a mindset that Pacheco has taken throughout her work as an Optica Ambassador, supporting students and early-career researchers so they can become the best version of themselves. In this conversation with OPN, Pacheco discussed her inspiration for becoming a physicist, the importance of outreach, how mentorship shaped her career and becoming a parent as an early-career academic. Read more at the link in our bio. #InternationalCoffeeDay #Careers #Physicists #Scientists #Outreach