I am a fourth-year graduate student in UC Davis’ Biological Psychology Graduate Group working in the Trainor Lab. My interests lie within the realm of integrative biology, ecology, neuroendocrinology, and female animal behavior. When not in the lab, I spend my time engaging in outreach, hiking, and playing with my cats.
My Science Journey
From 2014 - 2017 at Palomar Community College, I participated in social justice and student activism regarding many Feminist and Queer issues where I would help host/lead workshops on education of LGBT+ topics, events increasing access to life-necessities like housing and healthcare, and so on. After obtaining my associates degree in Psychology, I transferred to CSUSM and joined the Maternal Behavior and Neuroendocrinology lab ran by Dr. Kimberly D’Anna-Hernandez and shortly after I joined our local SACNAS chapter and the NIH-funded prep program MARC*U-STAR. From 2017 - 2020, I competed in university and state-wide science communication contests, I presented my independent research at numerous local and national scientific conferences (SBN, SfN, etc.), and I participated in science education and mentorship of underprivileged youth in the greater San Diego area. In 2020, I obtained my B.A. in Psychological Science and began my Ph.D. in Biological Psychology at the University of California: Davis, where I’m currently working as a NSF pre-doctoral fellow and graduate student in the Trainor lab. Since joining UC Davis in 2020, I have continued my exploration of female animal behavior which you can learn more about in the Research tab, but I’ve also continued my passion for mentorship, science outreach/education, and creating spaces for cultural celebration. Because of my Tiwe/Taos Native/Mexican heritage, my existence as a queer scientist, and my experiences as a first-generation college student, I am hugely passionate about infusing culture into my science. To learn more about this, check out my page on outreach.