I'm originally from Ethiopia and moved to the United States at a young age. I earned my B.S.c from the University of Minnesota with a focus on Plant Biotechnology and a minor in International Agriculture. Prior to graduating, I carried out a semester internship at the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research center working on identifying the corn and wheat varieties available in the country through DNA fingerprinting. Upon returning, I have been working as a research associate in a plant biotechnology company called Calyxt located in New Brighton, Minnesota. I am now pursuing a Ph.D. in Plant Biological Sciences with a long-term objective of working to utilize agricultural biotechnology for improving food security and nutrition in sub-Saharan Africa.