Student


		I have always loved learning. The question game was a favorite of mine; I often annoyed my father with consistent questions about how light bulbs worked and what makes bones break, and then my usual response of “why” after his responses. Thankfully, after a while, my elementary school teachers took over in that role, and I thrived in a distinct learning environment, where my questions were always met with at least some type of answer. My questions continued to grow in quantity and depth, only contributing further to my qualities as a student. Iny my younger years I was fascinated with King Tut–perhaps even obsessed–to a point where I spent all of my time reading the same book about ancient Egypt. In high school my interests shifted ever so significantly to Physics, English and Biology. I focused on centripetal force, Shakespeare’s Macbeth, and the virus life cycle. My teachers can attest that I have always been an engaged and dynamic student who does not just learn to get A’s on exams, but rather learns because she just loves learning. My love for Biology, and now Computer Science has only been compounded at Allegheny College, where each day I am both challenged and fulfilled by learning new ideas, concepts and often having hard discussions with my professors, peers and colleagues.

Scientist


I never really liked science when I was a child. In reality, I can be honest and say that I actually hated it. Perhaps that is because my introduction into the natural world was through identifying trees and digging in the dirt, two things of which I was never particularly interested in. I was first introduced to Biology in fourth grade, with a small primer on what a cell was, which quickly escalated my curiosity in living things. I absorbed information about cell and gene theory, evolution, genetics, homeostasis and organism interactions rapidly, all which contributed significantly to my education as a biologist. Microbiology, specifically virology is where my passions lie now. The study of viruses, and viral diseases is a dynamic field that allows me to combine biochemistry, physiology, microbiology, ecology and evolution all to advance the field of public health. I am a scientist who is interested in learning more about teeny tiny microscopic organisms that have the ability to wreak havoc on so many diverse populations. But, more than anything, I am a scientist with one goal: to help people.


		As a student who is ridiculously passionate about epidemiology and understanding the pathways of viruses, it may be a bit of a leap to call myself a software engineer; however I am just that. I started coding as a 16 year old with a computer science professor for a father who told her to “just try it.” While my love for programming was not immediate, I do have one now. As a student at Allegheny College, I have tremendous experience in software development, both independently and as in a group. I have learned about teamwork, industry best practices, and the problems that can be solved as a software engineer. With my experience in programming, I am able to leverage skills in data analytics, machine learning, and software development to become a dynamic and diverse student and scientist to eventually expand the field of epidemiology.