As a kid I loved making and mixing things. Have you ever watched the food network show Unwrapped? That show was a pivotal moment for me knowing I wanted to make things that I could relate to at a product level within consumer goods but wasn't sure what that translated to in terms of a degree. As I knew math / science were strong areas, it started with exploring the different degree options. My dad was an engineer but I always thought engineering translated to automobiles or airplanes. Chemical engineering opened my eyes that engineering could mean different exposure to certain industries. I was accepted to the University of Cincinnati and as part of the Bachelors program you have to co-op for 1 year of experience to graduate. I had done my co-op with Duke Energy, testing water chemistry within the process of creating electricity. The gas/electric industry wasn't for me. I had taken a surfactant science class my junior year and found it fascinating. I started researching what companies that could translate to when I realized beauty and food were top contenders (which linked back to my childhood love for food network haha). L'Oreal was local so I applied knowing that I had a passion for their products and appreciation for their company values. I was accepted into their management development program in operations and my journey started there. There were several roles I had within operations from packaging engineer, processing team lead, process expert, operations development. What I realized was that I still wanted a deeper understanding of the formula but still linked to the business / brands. One of the many benefits for working for a company like L'Oreal is the wide array of cross-functional opportunities. I made the transition to R&D this year within the product performance evaluation's team and feel closer to formula than ever.