I grew up just a few miles from the start of the Boston Marathon in Hopkinton, MA. I graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s in Materials Science and Engineering.

My experience with research began the summer prior to my freshman year of undergrad through an internship at CapeSym, a company near my hometown that specializes in semiconductor development. I was first introduced to polymer research when I had the opportunity and pleasure to work with Professor Karen I. Winey, an alumni of PSE. For the next three years, I worked with both precise acid copolymers and polymer nanocomposites. During my time in Winey Lab, I shared my budding love of polymers with the Greater Philadelphia Area through outreach events such as Philly Materials Day and NanoDay@Penn. It was my experience working with Professor Winey that inspired me to study polymers into graduate school.

I am so happy to be studying at PSE. I love the camaraderie of the department’s tight-knit community. PSE’s greatest strength is that it takes full advantage of its interdisciplinary network of graduate students, professors, and staff to produce fascinating, top-quality research and an altogether pleasant and collaborative work environment. It was because of this interdisciplinary environment that I decided to study here. This program offered me a unique opportunity to expand my skill set and supplement my engineering background with training in advanced chemistry and physics. I chose PSE because I knew that I had the most to learn from the program.

For my research, I am working with Professor Ryan Hayward to create mechanical logic devices using stimuli-responsive hydrogels. I am grateful to have been awarded a Spaulding-Smith Fellowship and to have been named a fellow of the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP). As a relatively new student here at PSE, I look forward to delving into my research project and passing my cumulative exams. After I graduate, I hope to find a position in academia so that I can continue to learn and perhaps one day inspire the next generation of budding researchers.