Profile

• Time Zone

  Mountain

  
  
• Organization

  University of Colorado Colorado SpringS

  
  
• Role

  Scientist Mentor: I will mentor teams of students online

  
  
• Research Interests (300 words)

  I am interested in fungal genetics, epigenetics, gene expression/regulation and genome organization. My laboratory studies how fungal genome organization is established (e.g., what factors are important for genome topology) and how this genome organization contributes to genome function. we are finding that fungal genome organization is not random (like a bowl of spaghetti) but is specific and non-random, and requires multiple epigenetic marks for chromosomes to properly organize.

  
  
• Profile Question 1

  What is best about being a scientist?

  
  
• Answer the question you selected for profile question 1 here (300 words):

  Every day, you get to come into the lab and learn something new. The discoveries you make are often the first time anyone on planet Earth has seen or learned that piece of information. The feeling of discovery, and communicating it to your peers, its extremely rewarding.

  
  
• Profile Question 2

  What is tough about being a scientist?

  
  
• Answer the question you selected for profile question 2 here (300 words):

  As a scientist, you have to learn to deal with failure. Sometimes experiments don't work, or papers get rejected, or grants get triaged. So rather than getting depressed about it, you learn from these failures and work harder to improve yourself and your work.

  
  
• Profile Question 3

  Do you have advice for students about preparing for a science career?

  
  
• Answer the question you selected for profile question 3 here (300 words):

  Get into the field early, and reach out to your teachers in high school or your college professors. We are not scary! We love to talk to students who want to pursue their dreams. Ask them nicely if you can get into their lab and perform research. Ask LOTS of questions and be excited about their science - over time, you'll grow to love it too!

  
  
• Capacity: How many teams at a time are you comfortable working with?

  1