When did your love of STEM begin?

I didn't realize realize it early on but my love of STEM began as a really really young child. My grandpa actually taught me everything that I knew about plants and soils because he had a massive garden so I would follow him around and he would show me everything that he knew. And so you know while I was thinking oh he's you know just talking talking talking a lot of it actually settled in and it turned out to be my career. So that's when it started.

What did you love most about study in your field of STEM?

The best part about working in the field of STEM is just you know the amount of the way that you're able to inspire other people and being a woman also. And sometimes the only woman in a room you get a lot of respect for that too and I think it's amazing to see that and just being able to talk about your career and you know sometimes people ask me about what I do and they don't even know that that exists. That type of career. And so I love talking about it and sharing kind of what I've done to reach to where I am.

What advice would you give to young women considering a career in STEM?

The advice that I would give to younger women starting their careers and some are looking into going into STEM is you know the bigger the challenge the more proud you are going to be of yourself for achieving that challenge. So I think that it's really important to go after what you want to do and not let anybody stop you.