I was born in Pittsfield, MA but grew up mostly in a small town in Maine. Since I was a small child, I have always wanted to have a career in the biological sciences. In 2008, I was the first student in my high school’s history to be admitted to Yale University. Four years later, I graduated from Yale University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology (Neuroscience). I was a premedical student throughout my undergraduate career; however, I was uncertain whether my path lie in medical school or a PhD program. After graduating, I took two years to work as a research assistant at the Yale School of Medicine. Here I examined the neural underpinnings of autism using zebrafish as a model organism. Still unable to decide, I took an additional two years to explore the world!
During this time, I lived in Washington D.C. for a year, where I attempted (and failed) at starting up an urban composting business. I grew up in 4-H and am an avid gardener. Plants are a close second to neuroscience in terms of my interests. The following year I moved to Dakar, Senegal. During this time, I started a math and science tutoring business for locals and expats alike. I have appreciation for how difficult these life decisions can be, but also how important taking some time to digest them can be for your future. I also understand how life can throw obstacles in your way, and that the path you take is not always linear. Thus, after four years of reflection, I made my decision to return to the United States for a PhD program.
When I was young, engineering courses were not taught in my high school. My junior year of college, I was talking to some friends in the Biomedical Engineering degree. The discussions we had made me realize that the mind-set of an engineer was more in line with how I saw the scientific process. The beautiful thing about the brain and neuroscience in general however, is how interdisciplinary the field is. It requires biologists, engineers, and even mathematicians. In my eyes, interdisciplinary collaboration is the lifeblood of science. I thought that a PhD in Biomedical Engineering was the right direction for my education.
As such, in 2017 I joined the highly interdisciplinary Biomedical Engineering Program at the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering at Purdue University. Under the direction of Dr. Riyi Shi, I examined the mechanical and biochemical cascades of damage (primarily inflammation and oxidative stress) within the central auditory processing centers of the brain, following mild traumatic brain injury. After completing my PhD in August 2022, I joined the labs of Dr. Cari Vanderpool and Dr. Katy Heath as an IGB postdoctoral researcher. I was able to learn some interesting bioinformatics techniques during this time.
Despite my lineage of research, whenever I looked back at the most memorable moments of my academic career, they were all when I helped students excel. Whether as a TA or working with undergraduate students in the laboratory setting, I realized that advising and educating are a true passion of mine. Thus, I have started as the new Coordinator for the Undergraduate Neuroscience Major here in the School of Molecular & Cellular Biology, and I look forward to using my life experiences to help guide the future generation of neuroscientists!