What inspired you to become a scientist?rnI wasn't sure I wanted to become a scientist until I actually became one. I was always good at math and science and that was the easiest way for me to get into Princeton University (US). I did mechanical and aerospace engineering, which had the fewest requirements, but I always thought I'd be a diplomat or perhaps the CEO of a corporation. I had no thought that I'd become a scientist, because I was far more interested in economics and languages. But after college I started working as an engineer in Brazil and at the Solar Energy Research Institute in Colorado (under President Carter, who believed that alternative energy research was important) and found that I enjoyed it. It wasn't until I went to graduate school to get a PhD in chemical engineering, however, that I realised how much I loved biochemistry and that I could have a marvelous career in research.
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