My research involved analyzing the evolutionary history, distribution, and functional significance of the sialic acid catabolism and biosynthesis gene clusters in the bacterium, Vibrio vulnificus. My dissertation work has given me a strong background in bacterial genetics, phylogenetics and bioinformatics, biochemistry and metabolomics. I have a passion for teaching and have experience tutoring introductory chemistry and biology courses, teaching undergraduates in a laboratory setting, and mentoring incoming graduate students. I have lectured sections at the undergraduate and graduate level of biology, focused on general biology and microbiology. I have also furthered my knowledge in pedagogy by taking courses in teaching the natural sciences through case-study based learning, as well as on the challenges of teaching the natural sciences in general. In the future, I hope to become a principal investigator at a research institution to continue to do excellent science involving bacterial metabolic evolution and mentor students.

My hobbies are soccer, racquetball, board games, and trivia.