For more details, please see the PDF of my CV.
Education
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2019-2023
Ph.D. in Biology
California Institute of Technology
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2017-present
M.D.
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
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2009-2013
B.A.
Whitman College
- cum laude
- Majors
- Applied Mathematics
- (Honors) Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology
Research Experience
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2019-present
Developing an ultrasonic brain-machine interface
- Advisors - Richard Andersen and Mikhail Shapiro (Caltech)
- Demonstrated online, closed-loop control for 8 target directions in nonhuman primates.
- Begun translating into humans with ultrasound transparent ("sonolucent") cranial implants.
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Summer 2018
Neuronal circuits of value-encoding in humans using high-resolution fMRI -
- Rotation project with Dr. John O'Doherty (Caltech).
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Summer 2017
How do Fragile X mutations induce learning impairments?
- Rotation project with Dr. Carlos Portera-Cailliau (UCLA).
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2014-2017
Elucidating neural pathways of reward, risk, salience, attention, and value in rhesus macaque monkeys
- Advisor - Dr. Okihide Hikosaka (National Eye Institute)
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2011-2013
Eye-head coordination as a biomarker for recovery from traumatic brain injuries
- Advisor - Dr. Thomas Knight (Whitman College)
Teaching Experience
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Summer 2021, 2022
Problem Based Learning Instructor for UCLA SHPEP
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Aug 2018 - May 2019
DGSOM Lecture and Anatomy Tutor
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Spring 2013
Biology Writing Fellow (Whitman College)
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2010 - 2013
Math Computer Lab Consultant (Whitman College)
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Fall 2011
TA for Introductory Biology laboratory (Whitman College)
Select Awards, Honors, and Scholarships
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2022-2023
Josephine De Karman Fellowship
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2021-2025
NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA F30)
- Funded by National Eye Institute
- 4-year graduate fellowship to better elucidate the functional organization of posterior parietal cortex.
- More information
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2021
National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship
- Awarded in 2021, but declined for the NIH NRSA
- 3-year graduate fellowship to elucidate the neuronal circuits involved in cognitive and motor decisions and to leverage these circuits to improve the accuracy and flexibility of brain machine interfaces for medical applications.
- More information
Hobbies
- Running, hiking, practicing piano, knitting gifts, reading