Education

🎓 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Quantitative Genetics, 2015-2020 Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences (IBiS), Northwestern University, Evanston, IL

🎓 Honors Bachelors of Art (HBA) in Cell and Molecular Biology, 2011-2015 University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT

  • Minors in Chemistry and Spanish

Research Experience

💻 Data Scientist (2022-Present) Precision Biosciences, Durham, NC

  • Leverage advanced computation approaches and collaborate with Genomics team members to create advanced assays for genome editing outcomes
  • Analyze experimental data produced by next-generation sequencing (NGS)
  • Maintain current and develop new computational and bioinformatic tools

🔬 Bioinformatician (2021-2022) Andersen Lab, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL

  • Manage, organize, and analyze whole-genome sequence data for thousands of strains across three Caenorhabditis species including all data releases for the C. elegans Natural Diversity Resource (CeNDR)
  • Develop and maintain all bioinformatic pipelines for the Andersen Lab including those for variant calling, population genomics, and genome-wide association mappings (proficient in R, Nextflow, and bash scripting)
  • Main contributor of a small team that adapted our GWAS pipeline, NemaScan, to be run on the Google Cloud Platform so that researchers can perform their own mappings through our web resource, CeNDR
  • Provide detailed documentation for computing in the Andersen Lab

🔬 PhD Candidate, 2015-2020 Andersen Lab, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL Thesis: Investigating the Genetic Mechanisms of Phenotypic Variation in Caenorhabditis elegans

  • Investigate the genetic variation underlying responses to chemotherapeutics, heavy metals, and anthelmintics to better predict drug responses using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model system
  • Analyze large datasets with R and generate scripts, pipelines, and R shiny applications to facilitate data analysis
  • Mentor and train five undergraduates on their own independent research projects
  • Invited speaker at international conference and published five first-author and three co-author manuscripts

🔬 Undergraduate Researcher, 2012-2015 Graves Lab, Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt Lake City, UT

  • Described protein interactions between oncogenic transcription factors and transcriptional coactivators; discovered a novel binding site to better inform therapeutic strategies for prostate cancer
  • Reported and presented results in an undergraduate honors thesis and co-authored one publication

Teaching Experience

📒 Course Instructor, Fall 2021 Northwestern Driskill Graduate Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL

  • Designed, executed, and taught DGP 484 (Quantitative Biology: Statistics and Data Analysis for Life Scientists) for 45 graduate students. This practical, applied course introduces basic data analysis concepts and methods, with application to the experimental biological sciences. Emphasis is on the application of basic data analysis techniques; developing statistical intuition & the ability to interpret results; familiarity with situations in which advanced analytic skills may be needed; the ability to critically review statistical analysis presented in relevant manuscripts; and the ability to clearly describe the results of statistical calculations when writing papers and grant applications. Course materials can be found here.

💻 Data Science Research Consultant, 2019-2020 Northwestern Research Computing Services, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL

  • Coach Northwestern faculty, staff, and students through data analysis and visualization, programming, and other computational research questions
  • Independently developed and taught an R Tidyverse workshop through Computing Services for 120 trainees
  • Created and designed an R shiny application to assist a research group to gather, analyze, and interpret data

📒 Teaching Assistant, 2015-2018 University of Utah & Northwestern University

  • Instructed 130 students across three biology courses (Honors Principles of Cell Science, Genetics and Molecular Processes Laboratory, and Genetic Analysis) and designed and taught a computational bootcamp in R
  • Designed test questions, evaluated student performance, reviewed course materials, and consulted with students one-on-one for specific guidance

🔬 Undergraduate Research Mentor, 2016-Present Andersen Lab, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL

  • Mentored several students in their independent research projets: Kimberly Collins, Grace Park, Britney Sun, Katie Introcaso, Ellen Chao

Leadership & Outreach

💡 President & Executive Board Member, 2016-2019 Northwestern Graduate Student Association, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL

  • Lead an executive board to organize opportunities for 3,200 graduate students to serve the Evanston community and coordinate engaging social events to encourage inter-departmental networks and friendships
  • Initiate and engage in collaborations and partnerships with The Graduate School and other student organizations
  • Thrice coordinated an annual charity 5K race for graduate students, assembling 75 runners, managing 30 volunteers, and donating $1000 to Girls on the Run each year

💡 Student Director, 2018-2019 Northwestern Alumni Association Board of Directors, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL

  • Served as student director for the Northwestern Alumni Association Board of Directors as a representative of the graduate student population

💡 Volunteer, 2017-2019 Morning Mentors, Nicols Middle School, Evanston, IL

  • Motivate and instruct middle school students weekly to review basic arithmetic skills, complete homework assignments, and study for exams

Select Honors and Awards

  • Outstanding Dissertation Award (Sept. 2020)
  • Invited speaker at international conference: Anthelmintics IV: From Discovery to Resistance (Feb. 2020)
  • Trainee: NSF-Simons Center for Quantitative Biology (Jan. 2020 - June 2020)
  • Trainee: Cellular and Molecular Basis of Disease Training Program (Sept. 2017 - Aug. 2019)
  • Undergraduate Research Scholar (May 2015)
  • T.V. Hanks Endowed Scholarship in Science and Mathematics (March 2012))

Skills & Interests