College doesn’t always go according to plan. Emily Archer found herself at a crossroads after she completed her degree in criminal justice but ultimately decided it was not a good fit. She returned to AACC to pursue psychology, biology and environmental science.
However, sometimes the unexpected leads to opportunities. Archer never expected to be published in AACC's Journal of Emerging Scholarship for her research on aquaponic systems with Professor Paul Bushmann, Ph.D.
"When I started this project, I didn't realize that so much would come from it,” she said. "I didn't realize I would have opportunities to meet Northrop Grumman and big companies like that. … It's just kind of all rolled into this amazing opportunity.”
Through her work, Archer turned her passion for animals into an interest in studying animal behavior.
“I like studying behavior and I just feel like that's a lot easier with animals as opposed to humans because humans don't tell the truth about their behavior and animals can't really lie to you.”
She’s not sure if that’s what she wants to pursue in the long term, but whatever else comes her way, Archer is ready to take advantage of the opportunity.