Jing Huang’s career path was influenced by where she grew up — the eastern coastal province of Shandong, China’s largest agricultural exporter. Huang’s small town was surrounded by farmland rich in varied crops, including cotton, maize and wheat. Given the setting, she recognized early on what she wanted to study. “I know agriculture is very important and the basis for development of the society,” she says. “I’m interested in how to improve the productivity of crops.” She majored in horticulture at Shandong Agricultural University before earning a master’s degree, also in horticulture, at China Agricultural University in Beijing. A colleague in her master’s program had studied in the U.S. and encouraged Huang to consider doctoral programs abroad. Huang knew Purdue Agriculture by reputation. “When I wanted to find a PhD position, this is the place I really wanted to come,” she says. Based on conversations with Cankui Zhang, assistant professor of crop molecular physiology, and her strong interest in his research, she came to Purdue in August 2015 to join his lab. Zhang’s guidance, she adds, has been key to her progress and improving her critical thinking skills. Her move to West Lafayette proved an easy transition. “I don’t like living in big, crowded cities,” she says. “I like peaceful places, and this community is really friendly.”