I am an MPS student at ESF. I attended Denison University from 2016 to 2019 as a chemistry major, then transferred to Duquesne University and graduated in 2023 with a degree in environmental science. After completing my degree, I entered the workforce. First, I worked at Conti Testing Labs, a physical properties testing lab, as a lab tech, where we primarily tested the physical properties of samples ranging from sugar cane, shredded tires, and shredded diapers, but we largely focused on coal and coke. Then I switched to a water pathogen testing lab, where I worked as a lab tech again, preparing water samples on a variety of Petri dishes and testing for pathogens such as Pseudomonas, Legionella, Burkholderia, and more. 

My work, though, never felt like it fully applied the skills I had learned, and I often felt held back by a lack of more in-depth education. Further, I have a passion for environmental science and environmental preservation, which I never found satisfied. I am here at ESF to learn practical skills so I can return to the workforce and help to ameliorate issues stemming from environmental degradation. I hope to do this by gaining deeper knowledge of bioremediation and how bacteria can help clean the environment.