I approached my professor and asked how I could get involved in research, and soon we developed a project together. For the rest of my time in college, I spent hours running experiments in the greenhouse, reading and writing about ecology, and taking measurements in the field. I found research incredibly exciting: I got to ask all kinds of questions about what was happening in the world around me, and I loved the challenge of designing experiments to try and answer those questions. Plus, I got to explore all sorts of exciting places. In Florida, I spent lots of time in our beautiful pine savannas. I even got to travel and live in California one summer, where I studied Californian native shrubland.
In addition to botany, I also grew increasingly interested in math, a subject that hadn’t appealed to me very much before college. As I started taking more science courses, I saw how useful math was. It showed up in every subject, and it helped scientists solve problems that were otherwise impossible to answer. With my new interests, I pursued degrees in botany and math.
As my time in college was coming to an end, I had to think seriously about what I wanted to do next. I had a few different priorities. I wanted to continue doing ecological research, and I especially hoped to use more of my mathematical training in my research. I also wanted to travel abroad and explore different ecosystems. One of my advisors suggested that I apply for a Fulbright grant, which enables college graduates to spend time abroad doing research. I applied, and in May I received exciting news: I was headed to Australia!
My research in Australia is focused on understanding how Eucalyptus trees deal with heatwaves and droughts.
