I grew up in Ibagué, the capital of Tolima, in Colombia; the city where I developed a profound passion for science and the way it reshapes society, while pursuing my undergraduate degree in agronomy. During my program, I had an internship in Brazil where I learned much more about other cultures through my interaction with international students from across the world. I strengthened this knowledge and interest when I came to the United States to pursue my Master of Science in plant breeding and molecular genetics at the University of Minnesota. My research focused on uncovering morphological plant features that while not easily perceived by humans, are fundamental to plant survival and evolution. I am deeply interested in using computational approaches to understand what causes diversity in plants, humans, and ecosystems. This is not only because I am fascinated with biology and mathematics but also because it helps me better understand society and myself.