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About Me

I am an Earth system scientist and communicator passionate about deepening our scientific and societal understanding of the planet.

I am currently an Air Pollution Specialist in the Office of Community Air Protection at the California Air Resources Board working with communities and stakeholders to drive equitable strategies for reducing air pollution in overburdened and systemically disadvantaged communities in California.

I completed my PhD in Earth System Science at the University of California, Irvine, where my dissertation focused on the interactions among wildfires, climate change, and society.

I received my Bachelors degree in Earth Science at Rice University in Houston, Texas. As an undergraduate, I was a pre-med geologist working as an emergency medical technician. Read more about my education and path to Earth system research here!

My Research

My dissertation research combined field work, lab work, satellite data, and modeled data to better understand wildfire behavior and management strategies.

Wildfires can be harmful to the environment and humans. They burn through landscapes, altering ecosystems and destroying habitats. Fire emissions in smoke like PM2.5 (fine particulate matter) affect how much heat gets trapped in the atmosphere and can contribute to hazy skies. PM2.5 can also enter the human respiratory system when we breathe and even make it into the bloodstream and the brain.

Fortunately, effective forest and fire management practices can help us protect our natural resources and public health. In my research, I was working to help inform fire management strategies like prescribed fire to minimize harm from wildfires to society and the environment. Check out my Research page to learn more about my work!

Outreach and Service

I’m passionate about educating students and the public and empowering the next generation of leaders in our fight against climate change. I welcome any opportunities to connect with the community and help make science more accessible to society!

As a graduate student, I was a co-host and producer for Earth Calling, a weekly live radio show about climate change and environmental justice on KUCI 88.9FM in Irvine, and one of five leaders of a graduate student-run non-profit organization called Climate Literacy, Empowerment, and iNquiry Education (CLEAN). I was selected as a Media/Communications Advocate in the American Geophysical Union Voices for Science program, via which I’ve been trained to work with digital and social media, journalists, and members of my local community to communicate the value of Earth and space sciences to the public. I just completed my term as a Graduate Student Engagement Fellow on the California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force, during which I attended monthly meetings of the Science Advisory Panel to the Task Force to understand how science influences policy and management decisions.

In my time as a graduate student, I have participated in and led local events like Earth Science Day and Girls in STEAM Symposium. I am also a Champion (mentor) via Science Champions for Change at UCI and Rice Engineering Alumni at my alma mater.