BIOGRAPHY

My long-term career goal is to become an independent principal investigator in academia, conducting translational behavioral pharmacology and addiction research, while teaching, mentoring students, and contributing to a more representative scientific workforce. I aspire to build a tenured academic career at a research-intensive institution where I can lead an independent laboratory focused on substance use disorders and train future scientists from diverse backgrounds. Growing up, I rarely saw scientists who looked like me, and a career in science often felt more like a distant aspiration than an attainable path. Despite this, I remained relentless in pursuing my goal of becoming a scientist, even taking full-time, in-person coursework while serving as an active-duty combat medic at Brooke Army Medical Center. Through mentorship, teaching, and training, I hope to increase representation in science and inspire students from backgrounds like my own to view scientific careers as both attainable and meaningful. My past experiences as a graduate teaching assistant and high school student mentor have also strengthened my commitment to education and the development of future scientists. These experiences allowed me to begin developing the teaching and mentorship skills that will be central to my career as an independent investigator in academia. As both a scientist and mother, I strive to serve as a positive example for my daughter and other students by demonstrating the value of persistence, dedication, and lifelong learning.