My academic interests are deeply informed by my background and prior training. I earned my B.A. in Political Science and International Affairs from University of California, Riverside, where I worked in Professor Kim Yi Dionne’s Publicly Engaged Research Lab. During this time, I co-authored — and served as first author on — Undergraduates and Political Science Research: Insights from Research Assistants in a Minority-Serving Institution Lab, published in PS: Political Science & Politics.

Prior to beginning my Ph.D., I participated in the University of Southern California Political Science and International Relations Summer Predoctoral Institute for First-Generation and Diverse Scholars, which provided early mentorship and preparation for doctoral study.

Before transferring to UC Riverside, I earned Associate Degrees for Transfer in Political Science and Psychology from Imperial Valley College. During this period, I was actively involved in community leadership, including co-organizing Brawley Union High School’s first Mental Health Awareness club. In recognition of this work, I received the Imperial County Office of Education Superintendent’s Scholarship.

Across my academic and community experiences, I remain committed to research that is methodologically rigorous, publicly engaged, and grounded in the concerns of communities most affected by political and environmental inequality.