Miguel Pinto
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador
Quito, Ecuador
Dear Smithsonian Latino Initiative Fund,
Thank you for providing me this incomparable opportunity to work in the largest museum complex of the world and with scientists of outstanding caliber. This program provided me with the theoretical basis and the experience that will prepare me to explore novel research directions. This was definitely a dream come true. Since I was a freshman, I wanted to participate in the RTP program, and in my last year, I could do it. This experience has been wonderful. It was remarkable to work under the supervision of Dr. Alfred Gardner, one of my scientific heroes. Now, I admire him so much and he is my role model. He gave me excellent advice in Mammalogy and was always ready to help. His quality as a human being is unparallel and I thank him for the long talks of past memories and stories and for all the time he devoted to me.
This experience expanded my vision about science. Before this program, I had doubts about a future career in Biology, but now I am convinced that this is what I want to do for the rest of my life.
Personally, I believe that the cultural interchange was one of the most important aspects of the program. Like a foreign student from Latin America, I could share different cultural aspects with my RTP fellows. It was a good opportunity to tell other people about a small, but beautiful country: Ecuador.
With the funding provided, I also participated in other valuable opportunities
like the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Mammalogists in Arcata,
California. In addition, I was able to extend my time at the Smithsonian to
complete my research. This experience definitively taught more than science;
I will never forget it. Please continue to provide this priceless experience
to other Latino students; I greatly appreciate and so will they. Thank you
for this memorable experience, Muchas gracias de corazón.