Undergraduate student at the University of Montana

Field: physics with an astronomy focus

"My mentor and high school math teacher from the Washington State School for the Blind gave me the confidence to pursue physics, helping turn my dream into a goal."

As a kid, I loved watching "The Magic School Bus" and Bill Nye. My mom is a high-school teacher, and her classroom was right next to a physics classroom. I was fascinated by all the mathematical equations on the board. I have always loved math; numbers just make sense to me. When I was 16, I worked at the Pacific Science Center and met amazing women physicists who taught me about the possibility of life on Saturn's moons.

The best part of my job is meeting people from all different backgrounds and knowing that we can connect and learn about our universe together. In my free time, I enjoy trying to make new dishes from different cultures and playing board games. Going out for a really good cup of coffee is my jam!

Learning science is important to all people, no matter what age. Science gives us what we have today: bridges, video games, medicine, agriculture. It's so valuable and so exciting.