Answer the question you selected for profile question 1 here (300 words):
I always knew that I liked biology, but I wasn't sure what to do with that interest. While I was in college, I worked for two summers in a plant pathology lab that studied diseases of corn and soybean plants. The people who worked in the lab were helping farmers by answering one question at a time about the microorganisms that caused the diseases, and how to prevent disease. After I finished college, I spent a year volunteering with an organization that promoted urban gardening in Pittsburgh. I saw first-hand how much work goes into growing food, and how many diseases and other pests can make this challenging. There were so many more questions to be asked and answered. Reflecting on both experiences, I decided that I wanted to learn more about the diseases that can make growing food a challenge, and to "translate" the answers to scientists' questions into advice that will help people.