I am broadly interested in microbial ecology and fungal-plant interactions within coastal ecosystems. In the Bowen Lab, I’m interested in understanding plant-fungal interactions in salt marshes and how they impact carbon cycling and marsh function. My goals are to determine what roles fungi play in salt marshes using molecular and culture-based approaches. I am currently a Strategic Advancement of Rising Scholars (STARS) Fellow. I earned my B.S. in Biology and Environmental Science with a specialization in ecosystems from the University at Albany (SUNY). As a woman of color in STEM, I hope to further contribute to diversity and inclusivity efforts within STEM and make science more accessible to all through mentorship and outreach.