Profile

• Time Zone

  Mountain

  
  
• Organization

  New Mexico highlands University

  
  
• Role

  Scientist Mentor: I will mentor teams of students online

  
  
• Research Interests (300 words)

  I am particularly interested in how plants interact with other organisms. I like to study a group of fungi, called mycorrhizae. myco means fungus, rhiz means root, so mycorrhizae literally mens root fungus. These fungi live on plant roots and are dependent on plants for carbon, in exchange they give their plant host soil nutrients.

  
  
• Profile Question 1

  What is best about being a scientist?

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

  I love the endless oppertunitiy for curiousity and knowledge sharing. Being a scientist means I get to investigate questions and learn from my peers. We all know a lot about something, and in the science we get to learn from each other. I think the best thing about this is that every day is stimulating with new knowledge. Another aspect of this is being humble and comfortable with being wrong. The truth is we are constanly wrong in what we think we know, and by being open to learning we can adjust and recalibrate our perceptions of what is.

  
  
• Profile Question 2

  What is tough about being a scientist?

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

  One of the biggest challenges of being a scientist is work-life balance. By pursuing something I am passionate about it becomes hard to seperate my profession from my identity and my work from my day to day life. This challenge has resulted in me working long hours and prioritizing my career, and it also led to amazing oppertunities. Because of my passion and dedication I have gotten to go to Europe three times for work!

  
  
• Profile Question 3

  Can you describe your attitude toward science when you were in high school?

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

  In high school, I struggled academically. I did not like the rigor of science and the rules of being in the lab. I held disdain towards homework and I am dyslexic so I sturggled to read and keep up with homework. In truth, my favorite thing about science in high school was the explosive chemistry demonstrations that occusionally occured. It was not until college that my passion and interest for academic freedom through the sciences emerged.

  
  
• In addition to English, I am comfortable communicating with students in the following languages:

  (not set)

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

  2