Work Samples

As someone that believes industries should strive to reduce ecological impacts, I explored new industrial developments around the world. I found a news article reporting on new offshore wind developments around California and became curious on how offshore wind turbines could affect local wildlife. I found a study that analyzed impacts of offshore wind developments on marine life in Europe, such as whales, dolphins, and seals. For my research, I decided to focus on the potential negative noise disturbances to harbor seals from this new wind development in California. I was able to explore new technical skills and conceptual framework in order to form professional recommendations, which the company utilized in their finalization of site development. If I did not research the impacts on harbor seals and send my work to the developers involved, the wind energy industry would have ignored their effects on marine species like the harbor seals. This undergraduate coursework made a positive impact on the world, which I am incredibly proud of.

It is important, to me, to contribute research to improve the health and wellbeing of everyday people. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a growing concern for women that may consume alcohol when they do not know they are pregnant. While there is a lot of literature on high-dose alcohol abuse and late term alcohol abuse during pregnancy, little was known about low-dose exposure early on. Utilizing zebrafish as a model for human embryo development, this study grew a better understanding of how low-dose alcohol exposure during embryonic development can impact behavior and stress expressed by children later in life. The results suggest that changes in response to probing and stimulus are impacted by both physical and cognitive defects. The results of this project shifted the focus of my faculty mentor's research with undergraduates at HPU, so our university can help mothers better understand the possible impacts of low-dose and early developmental alcohol exposures to their children.

I also have interests in the field of educational research, as it is important the programs, learning targets, and materials help future professionals make positive impacts on the world. Medical schools around the world vary greatly in their values and missions, and this qualitative research study sought to compare values of empathy and emotional intelligence between the US and the rest of the world. We found a great variation in measures of emotional intelligence, as well as how admissions teams define 'empathy' versus 'compassion' in their selection criteria. This project spurred greater conversation on how institutions of higher education should cultivate emptionally and culturally responsive professionals.

This work was inspired from an honors course titled neuroscience-fiction, where I explored how authors utilize fictitious worlds to explore the potentials and boundaries of real world science and technology. For my final, I was tasked to write an academic review for a work of science fiction that piqued our interest. In this academic review of the apocalyptic comedy Hollow Kingdom, I analyzed the real world scientific and educational psychological concepts that Kira Jane Buxton applied to caution readers of the negative impacts of technology reliance on our next generations. The goal of this work was to highlight how over-connection with the digital world can lead to disconnection from our natural world, weaving in the plot of Hollow Kingdom as a story map for a possible worst-case scenario future.

I developed this free educational tool for kids to learn more about nature topics from anywhere. Working with the education team at Disney's Animal Kingdom, I loved helping guests connect to wildlife and our parks and inspiring them to take positive actions to protect nature at home. Our program is something that I would have enjoyed as a kid, but my family was never able to afford a trip to Disney World. I am passionate about making high-quality education programs accessible to people from all backgrounds, so I developed this website for kids to learn more about wildlife and do free activities from home.