PhD Candidate in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Duke University
My interest in science and technology dates back to childhood, when my father, an electrician, allowed me to help him around the house with projects that molded my love for engineering. In addition to completing hands-on projects, my dad fostered my love for nature through careful observation of animals in nature and watching environmental documentaries together.
Before coming to Duke, I earned my bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut in electrical engineering. As an undergraduate, I was introduced to research through the Naval Research Enterprise Internship Program, which allowed me to work on an ingestible device with the ultimate goal of minimizing injury to service members. This experience inspired me to research nanotechnology and wearable sensors at UConn. My current research work melds my disparate interests together: as a doctoral candidate at Duke, I’m investigating sustainable inks and printing processes for flexible electronics, with a focus on novel printing techniques for unconventional electronics and material enhancement.
I am driven to develop new technologies to better understand nature and to find creative solutions to ensure that electronics and nature can coexist sustainably. I hope to find a faculty position that will enable me to further that research in my own lab. I’m also eager to teach; I’ve had the opportunity to guest lecture hundreds of students, and I’ve found it to be a thrilling and rewarding experience. I get a lot of satisfaction from mentoring and am dedicated to increasing diversity in the STEM workforce. I’m a co-founder of Duke’s Engineering Graduate Ambassadors program, which pairs prospective grad students with current ones, and I am motivated to continue such efforts wherever I end up.