When I came to the University of Utah from Bogota, Colombia, as an eager graduate student 13 years ago, I was hungry for opportunity. American universities had a reputation for encouraging groundbreaking research, and the lack of red tape made the United States the best place in the world to start a business. After a decade researching nanotechnologies in Utah and California, I recently co-launched a company that’s creating consumer applications of sophisticated laser technologies.
Yet I’m deeply worried that a new generation of international students won’t get the chance to make their mark — at a time when Utah needs them more than ever.