BIO
I am originally from California, but through my childhood lived all across the United States. I love hiking, reading, baking, traveling, volunteering, and practicing mindfulness. I obtained my A.S. in Biology from Southwestern Illinois College (2022) and then received my B.S. in Conservation Biology from Warren Wilson College (WWC) in North Carolina (2024).
During my time at WWC, I completed an undergrad research thesis investigating macro- and microplastic pollution in Carolina chickadee nests, mentored by Dr. Olya Milenkaya and Dr. Yuemei Zhang, while also working in the Population Genetics Lab run by Dr. Alisa Hove, where I studied American pika and American ginseng populations. It was during this time that I fell in love with conducting research, and I continued my passions after graduation through an ORISE research internship with the U.S. Forest Service in Burlington, Vermont. During my year-long internship, I led a genetics project that studied various E3 Ubiquitin genes related to poplar wood development, under the guidance of Dr. Andrew Groover.
I am now a Plant Biology PhD student under the mentorship of Dr. Tim Rademacher at the Proctor Maple Research Center. I am researching various aspects of biodiversity within sugarbushes. Through this work I hope to obtain a better understanding of sugar maple genetics, how these trees impact their ecosystem, and how these ecosystems impact human agriculture. I am passionate about genetic research, conservation education, and environmental justice. I hope to continue to cultivate these skills through my time at UVM and beyond.
Bio
I am originally from California, but through my childhood lived all across the United States. I love hiking, reading, baking, traveling, volunteering, and practicing mindfulness. I obtained my A.S. in Biology from Southwestern Illinois College (2022) and then received my B.S. in Conservation Biology from Warren Wilson College (WWC) in North Carolina (2024).
During my time at WWC, I completed an undergrad research thesis investigating macro- and microplastic pollution in Carolina chickadee nests, mentored by Dr. Olya Milenkaya and Dr. Yuemei Zhang, while also working in the Population Genetics Lab run by Dr. Alisa Hove, where I studied American pika and American ginseng populations. It was during this time that I fell in love with conducting research, and I continued my passions after graduation through an ORISE research internship with the U.S. Forest Service in Burlington, Vermont. During my year-long internship, I led a genetics project that studied various E3 Ubiquitin genes related to poplar wood development, under the guidance of Dr. Andrew Groover.
I am now a Plant Biology PhD student under the mentorship of Dr. Tim Rademacher at the Proctor Maple Research Center. I am researching various aspects of biodiversity within sugarbushes. Through this work I hope to obtain a better understanding of sugar maple genetics, how these trees impact their ecosystem, and how these ecosystems impact human agriculture. I am passionate about genetic research, conservation education, and environmental justice. I hope to continue to cultivate these skills through my time at UVM and beyond.