How did I end up studying flounder in the Burford Reiskind Lab at NC State? Well…
I grew up in Dallas, TX. Despite being a five-hour drive from the ocean, I was fascinated with sea life from a young age. At eight years old I started telling my family and friends I was going to be a marine biologist someday. I spent my free time on the family computer looking up pictures of sea creatures, and I begged my family to let me get scuba certified when I turned 12.
By the time I graduated high school, my goals hadn’t changed. I applied to schools around the country known for their marine science programs, and ended up attending the University of Miami where I majored in marine science and biology. It was at UM that I discovered a love for genomics! I realized in my introduction to genetics class that I was fascinated by the subject, and I understood it naturally. In my junior year, I took an elective called Marine Conservation Genomics, where I learned how to analyze large genomic datasets and apply this data to the conservation of marine species. At this point, I knew I wanted to pursue conservation genomics in graduate school.
After graduating with my B.S. in marine science and biology, I pursued a master’s at Nova Southeastern University, where I studied the population genetic dynamics of scalloped hammerhead sharks in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. As I finished my master’s, I decided I wasn’t done learning, and chose to pursue a PhD program.
As I began researching PhD opportunities, I stumbled across the Burford Reiskind lab website. I knew immediately that this lab would be a great fit for me – the research topics and lab code of ethics aligned perfectly with my goals and values. After meeting with Martha and learning more about her lab and the Genetics and Genomics Scholars program at NC State, I knew this University, lab, and program would be my home. I was thrilled when I received my offer and accepted it the exact same day.
In 2021, I packed up my car and moved from South Florida to North Carolina, and it’s the best decision I’ve ever made. The GGS program exposed me to topics in genomics I’d never explored and further ignited my passion for the field. I learned valuable professional development skills such as how to make a visually appealing poster, and I even won the poster contest at the Genetics and Genomics retreat in 2022! I officially joined Martha’s lab in the Spring of 2022 and started working on my dissertation research. My dissertation focuses on the genomics of southern flounder, a valuable finfish species found along the coast of North Carolina and neighboring states. My research is fascinating, and I’ve so enjoyed diving into this subject. Every day, I feel like new questions are popping up that can give us insight into this enigmatic species.
As I progress through my PhD, I’m excited for the exciting questions I’ll get to ask and answer in the future. While I’m not sure exactly what I want to pursue after finishing my doctorate degree, I know I want to continue solving genomic puzzles and unraveling the mysteries of the marine environment.
