My Story
Ever since I can remember, the field of vision science has interested me.
As I have moved forward in my career, I began by investigating how our brain and eyes work together to create a visual system that actively perceives it’s environment. My Biology degree at Keene State College prepared me to enter the field of visual science through studying both the mechanisms and anatomy behind visual perception.
During my junior year of college, I started an internship as an optometric technician at Keene Eye Care. There, I learned about vision deficiencies, eye anatomy and physiology, and the value of patient care. This soon turned into a full-time employment, where I worked daily between optometrists and patients. This knowledge helped me understand both the clinic environment, as well as the different struggles practitioners are faced with on a daily basis. This experience showed me one of the many ways that I could help bridge the knowledge gap between scientists/clinicians and the public.
After I graduated from college, I continued to work at the optometry clinic, as well as at Keene State College teaching undergraduate courses and labs. There, I continued learning about how our current knowledge of vision was being implemented in both a clinical and classroom setting. I still felt as though there was a larger audience that was not being reached. Due to my class, research, and clinical experience, the importance of research was reinforced in me, or as some may say, "I caught the bug", and I realized how important it was to share research in an easily comprehensible way with the general public. If individuals understand current research, clinical intervention can be more effective. For this reason, I decided to pursue a career in vision science research.
I started my PhD studies at the University of Rochester.
Because of the unique resources this institution has, we have the ability to research questions on the cutting edge of science, including oculomotor research. Generally, the eye is thought to be stationary during fixation. In reality however, the eye is constantly moving tiny amounts. These movements are known as fixational eye movements (FEMs), which are responsible for redirecting central vision onto a specialized region of the retina known as the fovea. When I first learned about FEMs during my optometric internship, they were presented as being generally trivial, and not worth considering when performing eye exams. Recent research, however, has highlighted how critical FEMs are towards high acuity vision. Because of this controversy, I wanted to learn and study how these specialized eye movements impact vision in everyday tasks. In the Active Perception Lab in the Brain and Cognitive Sciences department, we focus on the important impact that FEMs have on visual perception, specifically within the fovea.
Through all of my research and work, I strive to create an environment that promotes equality and opportunity to all individuals of all backgrounds.
By participating in and encouraging outreach programs, we can create an environment that allows people to ask questions and learn about topics that have previously been inaccessible. I hope to pursue a career in teaching and research, and serve as faculty one day to show other’s the importance of research and sharing results with the public.
I currently serve as a committee member and volunteer at the University of Brain Awareness Program, a program that visits local elementary schools to teach about the human sensory system via different in-classroom activities. I discovered my passion for science during my elementary years, as do many others. Activities like this can help spark interest, encourage more people to enter the field of science someday, and allow for a larger population of scientists to help educate and impact the general public.
I also am apart of the Brain and Cognitive Science's Department Graduate Student Leadership Committee, and serve as the representative on the Graduate Student Association. Here, I serve as a liaison between faculty and graduate students, and help promote a work environment the promotes open conversation between the department.