Alexis Jaramillo Cartagena first became fascinated by science and nature while hiking with his brother near their home in Colombia, where he’d marvel at the strange insects and wildlife they encountered. Jaramillo Cartagena inherited an interest in engineering from his technically minded father who worked as an industrial mechanic. While helping him on weekend projects such as building backyard chicken coops and constructing street adornments for the neighborhood’s Christmas displays, Jaramillo Cartagena realized that a career in the STEM fields might be a great fit for him.
