I am a PhD candidate in Caroline Williams' lab (Integrative Biology, UC Berkeley), and an NSF GRFP Fellow, with an emphasis in Computational Biology. I have been obsessed with studying tardigrades since a sophomore in high school (2006), and I've continued down the path of a research scientist thanks to the initial training and support of my long-time mentor Dr. Diane Nelson. For my dissertation research, I am interested in unraveling the biochemical mechanisms and evolution of cold tolerance in tardigrades or “water bears”—using a combination of wet lab techniques, computational biology, and field work.
Before starting graduate school, I worked as a 7th Grade Science public school teacher, working in the Bronx for the New York City Department of Education. I'm a first generation college student from rural Michigan (from a village of ~300 people), and I hold a B.S. in Biology & Philosophy from MIT (‘12) and a M.A.T. in Secondary Science Education from Relay Graduate School of Education (‘15). I have a strong passion for making STEM education more engaging and accessible for everyone. As a dyslexic learner, I am also involved in my local chapter of Eye-to-Eye, which works to support and empower local youth with learning differences.
