I have been intrigued by earthquakes since I was a young girl of just 10 years old, and always knew that someday I wanted to become a seismologist. As a young adult, still fascinated, I believed this path was just a dream and instead fell into an 11-year medical career that paved the way for my husband to obtain his college education. By the time he finished, I knew that my dream was still alive and decided to pursue my dream career as well. I began my education at Portland Community College, where I right away contacted an academic advisor at Oregon State University to outline my path to a B.S. in Geology, bypassing an Associates degree. After my lower-division courses were nearly completed, I applied for a transfer to OSU and was accepted.

As a female, non-traditional, first-generation student trying to pave my path into a STEM field, I knew graduate school was a long-shot for me, especially acceptance into a Ph.D. program, so I dedicated all of my spare time to becoming involved in undergrad research while at OSU in hopes that I would learn the valuable skills needed to set me apart from other applicants. It was a rough road, but well worth the effort, as I was graciously accepted by the University of Oregon to become their next Geophysics Ph.D. student in Fall, 2023.

My dream is alive, and I encourage others to pursue theirs as well. Never be afraid to go after something you want. With passion and determination, the future is yours to take!