Meet the Winners:

What drew you to your current research field?

My current research aims to better understand the cellular mechanisms that underlie diabetes. For me, this is a natural extension of my fascination with biomaterials, whose form and function are often impacted by an organism’s environment. In the case of diabetes, the ability of your pancreas to produce insulin is related to a variety of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors, all of which can cause the biology to go haywire. I find this complexity exciting and an opportunity to learn a new skillset that encompasses a genetic engineering toolkit that can help me answer difficult interdisciplinary questions in the future.

Who most inspired and/or influenced your career?

One of the most inspirational people I have had the fortune to work with has been my graduate advisor, Dr. Emily Carrington. I truly value the opportunity I had to learn from her as she overcome both personal and professional hurdles with a grace that I hope to emulate in my own life and career.

What one thing would you like the public to remember or understand about your research?

I want the public to understand how much basic science research contributes to our understanding of the world. At its heart, my graduate work sought to address a problem: why are mussels falling off of aquaculture ropes? It would have been impossible for me to even approach this question without a substantial body of work from scientists all over the world going back decades. In many cases, this previous work did not have a direct application to a human-centric problem, but was funded by people and agencies at the time that understood that the more we know about ecosystems around us, the better position are in to preserve them for future generations.

If you had one piece of advice for someone who wants to pursue research in your field, what would it be?

Pursuing a career in science can be unpredictable, challenging, and at times, frustrating. In my experience, those that are successful have a deep desire to learn new things that drives them forward and keeps their work interesting. Orienting your efforts towards problems that you find meaningful is something that I attempt to do and encourage others to do to ensure their research remains engaging and meaningful.