How my Experiences Connect

One may look at my work experience in neuroscience, environmental advocacy, and community engagement and think there is a big disconnect. However, these experiences share a common final purpose, which is understanding and improving how people view and interact with the world. Regardless of whether I'm analyzing neural circuits in the lab, advocating for environmental health, or mentoring students, the skills and insights I've developed in each role enrich and inform others. My journey started at San Diego Coastkeeper, where I conducted water sampling and testing to ensure accurate data for advocacy efforts, which emphasized the importance of evidence-based methods. I further developed these skills during my time at Dr. Kay Tye's Lab, where I researched how psilocybin impacts fear and reward processing in mice, enhancing my critical thinking and attention to detail when spike sorting. Currently, at the Ocean Discovery Institute, I apply this analytical mindset by providing students with the tools and knowledge to address academic and personal challenges.

Apart from the technical skills I learned, these roles have strengthened my ability to communicate effectively with people of diverse backgrounds. In the lab, I had to make my findings understandable for an unknowledgeable audience in my final presentation. At San Diego Coastkeeper, I transformed environmental data into persuasive messages for public outreach, grant proposals, and when working with the high school students who did the water sampling. Working with students at Ocean Discovery has further aided my communication skills, requiring me to adapt my approach to meet each student's needs and be able to talk to them in Spanish. Effective communication and my bilingual background tie these experiences together, as they allow me to bridge the gap between knowledge and impact.

This combination of abilities reflects my career path and illustrates how interdisciplinary collaboration can address complex challenges.

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