Tell us a little bit about your research (or job, mentoring work, etc.). I am a trainee in the Vanderbilt Chemistry-Biology Interface training program. I use mass spectrometry to analyze proteins in blood plasma from sepsis patients. My goal is to better understand what molecular-level factors influence racial disparities in sepsis; for instance, why Black patients have higher rates of sepsis than white patients and are an average of ten years younger than white patients when diagnosed with sepsis. I am also working on automating my lab’s sample preparation workflow so that we can easily and quickly analyze hundreds of plasma samples. Outside of lab, I am a member of GWIS Nashville, Vanderbilt University Women in Science & Engineering (VU-WiSE), and the Chemical Biology Association of Students (CBAS).
What got you interested in STEM? I was in gifted classes in grade school, and I skipped fourth grade. My classes never truly challenged me until I took chemistry in tenth grade. I had a wonderful teacher, Mrs. Keriann Mizerak, who was honestly the first teacher who challenged me intellectually. I was also so intrigued at how chemistry could explain the world around me and be used to make the world a better place. I majored in chemistry at Gannon University for my undergraduate degree, where I was again fortunate to have several female chemistry professors who continued to challenge and inspire me to pursue a Ph.D. in chemistry. I want to be a chemistry professor someday so that I can be for young women what these women were (and are) to me.
What is your involvement with GWIS? I am the event planner for the 2020-2021 year. I am excited to help build a community of women scientists here in Nashville! Hopefully we can have some fun virtual events, even if we can’t meet in person!
What is your favorite thing to do around Nashville? Nashville is such a fun city; it’s hard to pick one favorite! I enjoy shopping at Opry Mills, eating at Hattie B’s, and finding good books and games at McKay’s. I’m also a member of the White Rose Alumni Chapter of Gamma Sigma Sigma National Service Sorority here in Nashville, and I love volunteering with White Rose! One of our favorite organizations to support is The Little Pantry That Could.
Fun fact: I grew up on my family’s beef farm in Pennsylvania where we raise Angus-Hereford cattle.
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