From Valedictorian Dreams to a PhD: Lessons From My Decade in Higher Education
- Tye Martin
- Aug 18
- 3 min read
I grew up in a small rural community in New Mexico in the 90s and early 2000s. In my family, academia was tradition and I embraced it wholeheartedly. Writing, literature, math, science, history, art, agriculture, and even yearbook publications (El Oso ‘07!) were all part of my world.
By senior year of high school, I had my sights set on becoming valedictorian, which meant taking every advanced placement course offered. That spring, I began writing my graduation speech for my class of 64, delivering it in a packed gymnasium in May. I ended with a quote from football coach Vince Lombardi:
“The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have.”
With tassel turned and diploma in hand, I set my focus on the next chapter: starting my freshman year at the University of New Mexico.
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The “What Do I Want to Be?” Years
At 18, I did not have a clear idea of what I wanted my degree to be. Honestly, even here in 2025, I am still not entirely sure what label to use for my career.
My first choice was computer science. Quick aside: if you are starting college, choose an easy email address because it will follow you for years.
At the time, I did not really know what computer science involved until I dove into programming classes. I learned Linux, Java, and Python, writing programs to make website graphics and even draw shapes, which turned out to be far more complicated than I expected. By the end of my first year, I realized my passion was not there.
I still wanted to stay in STEM, so I continued taking prerequisites while figuring out my next move.
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The Lunch That Changed Everything
One afternoon, I met my dad for lunch in the small park near UNM’s biology annex. We talked about my options, and I told him about my incredible genetics professor who could explain complex biological processes with ease.
Her class, along with my love for math and chemistry, pushed me toward chemical engineering with a bioengineering focus. This was a turning point. From that moment on, I stayed rooted in engineering through my postdoctoral studies, weaving together different disciplines to solve problems.
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Potatoes and Prototypes
Chemical engineering was equal parts theory and creativity. In one class, we had to design a working prototype car entirely out of food. I recommend avoiding potatoes as the car body because of the smell and moisture issues.
It was a tough program. In high school, I worked hard to maintain straight As, but in college, I ended up with two Cs. It turns out that perfect grades are not required for success, a lesson I wish I had learned sooner.
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Finding My Footing in Research
As my undergraduate program wound down, I began looking for research experience. That search led me to Initiatives to Maximize Student Diversity, a program offering mentorship, hands-on research projects, and funding. I attended national conferences, presented my work, and discovered my interest in studying disease.
One important piece of advice I wish I had received earlier is to embrace diversity in your research experiences. At first, I resisted computer-based research because of my earlier struggles in computer science. However, when lab work required physical strength my muscular dystrophy did not allow, I gave computational tools a chance and it changed everything.
In graduate school, I used modeling simulations to study a pharmaceutical chemical that could both kill infectious bacteria and help diagnose Alzheimer’s disease. My work relied heavily on supercomputers across the country, which brought me full circle back to computer science.
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The Big Lesson
Over my ten plus years at the University of New Mexico, the most valuable lesson I learned was this:
Be open to adjust, pivot, change, experiment, and make mistakes.
Higher education is rarely a straight line. Adapting to uncertainty is a skill, one that for me parallels living with a progressive neuromuscular disease.
If you are passionate about learning, dive in. You never know where your curiosity will take you.
Thank you for reading Tye’d and True.
Your friendly neighborhood PhD,
Tye

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