I am a trained experimental scientist, and have done work in rodent behavior, histology, neuroanatomy, systems neuroscience, molecular biology, and models of neurological disease. I received my degree from the Neuroscience Training Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, exploring learning and memory in rodent models of aging via behavioral, cellular and molecular methodologies. I’ve been a member of the faculty at the W.M. Keck Science Department of Claremont McKenna, Scripps, and Pitzer Colleges in Claremont, CA, and the Biology Department at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, before joining the Center for Neuroscience & Society at the University of Pennsylvania as the Associate Director of Education.
In addition to experiences in the classroom and lab, I’ve worked as a consulting Documentary Researcher for Tangled Bank Studios at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, helping the editorial film team understand the science behind Alzheimer’s Disease and fine-tune scientific content for the lay audiences of PBS/NOVA. As the Policy & Advocacy Fellow at the Society for Neuroscience, I’ve developed communication materials about science, policy, and activities of Congress for a variety of audiences.
My primary goal remains teaching students of all kinds about neuroscience, both in a traditional classroom and in informal settings through a variety of courses, educational programs, and mentoring opportunities.