"I am a research scientist with 8 years of experience teaching biochemistry, genetics, cell and molecular biology both to undergraduates and graduate students.

While an undergraduate studying at the University of Florida, I received my training in protein production and purification for rational drug design and drug discovery from the only national cancer institute in the state of Florida, the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Complex. From a novice, I learned how to genetically engineer, produce and purify cancer targets both for x-ray crystallography for structure determination, as well as biophysical assay for characterization. Equally important, I discovered a love for the lab and teaching science!

Fortunately, my university afforded me myriad of opportunities to apply my passions immediately! The Emerging Pathogens Institute hired me as a staff scientist while I finished my undergraduate degree just as soon as I finished my training. This allowed me to continue practicing and developing my skills further as a scientist while studying my greatest interest: infectious diseases.

However, working as a staff scientist also proved as an opening for me to continue developing my other love: teaching others. I supervised and trained three undergraduates in my lab each semester. Under my mentoring, two of my students went onto medical school, and the other into research science. I enjoy passing my knowledge and skills to others, while encouraging them to expand on what we learned, as well as experiment and discover for themselves.

Meanwhile, I also began teaching through other departments at the university. For example, I taught biochemistry to undergraduates as a Supplemental Instructor. I enjoyed experimenting with different teaching techniques and finding the ways in which to reach my students best. Additionally, I taught research design and methodology via the Microbiology Department. In this role, I was responsible for designing, developing and teaching the entirety of the curriculum for this course" less...