Education

  • BA, Biology & Cinema Studies, Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH
  • PhD, Molecular Microbiology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, MA

Biography

I oversee the BioScann project, which introduces high school students to careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) through role-play, data analysis, and group discussion. The BioScann curriculum is hosted on a digital platform that was developed in conjunction with the curriculum. The existing BioScann module teaches students about the careers and process of developing new drugs for HIV. Currently,  the CSE is collaborating with high school educators to develop new modules for the BioScann platform with the goal of integrating each module into the Great Diseases units: Infectious Diseases (the current HIV module integrates into this unit), Metabolic Diseases, Neurological Diseases, and Cancer. For example, the Neurological Diseases unit will be paired with a BioScann module in which the students design a public health campaign for stress.

In addition to BioScann, I serve as the Co-Director of the Tufts Mini-Med School, which reaches students from across the globe, giving them the opportunity to imagine themselves in a medical career. I am also the Co-Director of the Mini-Med Connect summer program for Boston high school students, which provides a scholarship to Mini-Med School and offers near-peer mentor experiences for students from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in STEM.

As a filmmaker and graphic designer, I contribute to several projects at the CSE through creation of curricular videos and images. My research includes understanding how students’ interests, beliefs, self-confidence, and sense of belonging impact their goals to pursue STEM careers. Guided by my research findings and the work of others, I is interested in making STEM classes more engaging, relevant, and inclusive for students from all backgrounds.