Gracie Valdez explains how traveling around the world helped her to want to pursue a career in international agricultural development and trade.
Growing up, the question of the day often started with “why” or “how” because I loved discovering things. Though my specific interests morphed from archaeology to geology to biology, I knew I wanted to be a scientist since the 5th grade. In college, I chose to study biology, which exposed me to many different aspects of the field. College was the springboard that sharpened my focus and led me to becoming the ecosystem ecologist I am today. Recognizing National College Signing Day, I hope that today’s inbound students consider studying science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) subjects to help meet our future agricultural challenges.
