Daniel Haller grew up in Waxhaw, NC (Union County) and attended Marvin Ridge High School just south of Charlotte. While he remembers always loving science, he has many other passions which round out his life. In middle school he explored his love for music by learning to play the clarinet. He remembers noticing a high school student with an oboe which piqued his curiosity. It was then that he made the change over to the oboe and has been playing ever since. Daniel also has a passion for reading and writing. Upon selecting his major area of focus for college, Daniel considered career possibilities in Oboe performance and authorship, but ultimately selected a focus in the sciences. In reflecting on this, Daniel remarked that, “pursuing all of your interests is important as they all contribute to your knowledge base regardless of which field you land in professionally.”
Daniel’s passion for science was sparked at an early age through everyday life with a mother and father who work as engineers. A dinner conversation which focused on atoms was not an unusual occurrence in the Haller home. He feels lucky to have them in his life and attributes his early consideration of a career in science to their supporting presence.