As a AAAS IF/THEN Ambassador, my goal is to inspire young women to be the next generation of STEM pioneers.

When I was deciding my own career path after finishing high school, I was torn between my desire to understand the wonders of life through science or to create beauty with art. At the time it seemed like these goals were mutually exclusive. It wasn’t until halfway through my PhD that I realized combining both science and art could transform my ability to communicate complex biological concepts and share my fascination for science. 

I believe that if we make science more accessible and bring new and unconventional minds into the field, these young people could make enormous contributions with fresh and creative ideas, laying a foundation for innovative research and groundbreaking discoveries.