"My aunt was a biologist. She was a very strong feminist, very much integral in the women's organizations that emerged in the 1960s and 1970s in the United States," she says.

Her mother also played a pivotal role. "I'd have to say my mother was one of the most instrumental people in my life," says Fuchs. "She was a housewife but she took pride in everything that she did. She encouraged my sister and I in all different ways. My mom always said, 'You're a good cook, you'll make a fine scientist,' when I told her that I like science. So I think those kinds of little things maybe are more important that any of the bigger things."

Now, as a role model herself, Fuchs is reaching out to girls and young women, encouraging them to pursue careers in science.

"This past year, I was a visiting scholar for the Phi Beta Kappa Society and went to small liberal arts colleges in the United States, and not only gave public lectures about science, but also research lectures, and then also spoke with women about the importance of bringing their intellectual force, which is formidable, to the scientific arena in the future."

When she talks to young women, Fuchs tells them that many opportunities await them in the science fields. She also dispels misconceptions about being a scientist.

"The notion that a scientist is some weird person who sits in the corner working at their laboratory bench, never talking to anybody, couldn't be further from the truth," she says. "Science is such an interactive and collaborative area. It's an incredibly social environment that really constitutes the breakthroughs."