Biography
I graduated from River Hill high school in 2003 where I was enrolled in a Tech Magnet program. Initially, I was in Tourism & Hospitality, but quickly changed to engineering after spending a summer in a bakery. I did not enjoy waking up at 3 am, be at work by 4 am, and spend the day icing cakes. While I still enjoy baking and cooking, I couldn't picture myself happy being anything other than an engineer. Of course, I have doubted myself throughout my 4 years at the University of Maryland. Engineering is hard. We all struggle. The workload, at times, feels insane. When your economics roommate is pledging a sorority, taking a day off to go shopping, or enjoying the weekend off, you're off in a computer lab working on difficult homework assignments and projects. Trust me when I say, it's worth it. After graduation, I worked at GE Aviation for three years. Never a dull moment in my life! With a starting salary more than twice what my econ roommate had and an apartment all to myself, I found myself in an exciting, challenging position. I chose to return to university for a MSc and then a PhD because I realized I wanted to teach the next generation of engineers. Now, I work in the Busemann Advanced Concepts Laboratory at the University of Colorado and am a NASA Aeronautics Scholarship recipient. It's been a whirlwind of a ride but I wouldn't trade my life for anyone else's!
Education
BS in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park (2003)
MSc in Aerospace Engineering Sciences from the University of Colorado, Boulder (2012)
PhD in Aerospace Engineering Sciences from the University of Colorado, Boulder (exp 2015)
- I am willing to be contacted by educators for possible speaking engagements in schools or in after school programs or summer camps.
- I am willing to serve as science fair judge or other temporary volunteer at a local school.
- I am willing to be interviewed by interested students via email.