Laura K. van der Pol is a National Science Foundation (NSF) Fellow pursuing a PhD in Soil Ecology in the Graduate Degree Program in Ecology at Colorado State University. She studies soil organic matter dynamics in agroecosystems with a focus on pathways to sustainable food systems. Prior to beginning graduate studies, Laura taught high school science in Colorado Springs, worked as a research assistant studying terrestrial vegetation in the arctic, and served on the high seas as an Officer in the U.S. Coast Guard. Laura hopes to pursue a career that supports sustainable agriculture, biodiversity, and enhances societal recognition of the essential value the natural world and food production have to our continued existence.