Growing up in Sartell, Minnesota, Franklin Ph.D. candidate Justin Scherer developed an early appreciation for the natural world, shaped by his close-knit community and the surrounding landscape. What began as curiosity grew into a commitment to understanding how living systems work and how that knowledge can help address real-world challenges. After earning his B.S. in plant biology from University of Minnesota, Twin Cities in 2021, Scherer will graduate this May with a Ph.D. in genetics.