Claudia grew up in Brazil and developed an interest in soil and climate after a frost destroyed many of the coffee plantations in her region. The plantations were replaced with annual crops such as soybeans and corn, and that brought with it a lot of soil erosion. Her first summer job as a student working with a researcher on no-till and cover crops furthered her interest in soil and ways of managing it. The experience also sparked an interest in agriculture. After completing her bachelor’s degree, she took a research position in Germany looking at soil erosion, which inspired her to eventually pursue graduate research. Today, she is a world-renowned environmental science researcher focusing on the mitigation of greenhouse gases emitted by agricultural production systems.