Biology and Computer Science
I've worked with hawks before!
When I was 9, I swam in the Jellyfish Lake located in Palau. I was afraid of the jellyfishes’ sting, but instead, they brushed against my skin like a duster. I became desperate for knowledge about the animals I saw in Palau. What differentiates moon and golden jellyfish? Why couldn’t I feel their sting? Why do sharks circle?
Ever since then, I’ve been as entranced by nature as I was before and I’m passionate about learning and conserving its beauty. When I see songbirds and squirrels while walking outside, I wonder about the mechanisms of animal behavior and how animals interact with the world we share.
To continue my interest in animals, I’ve interned at the Blackburn Lab at the University of Florida to study amphibian biodiversity in Gabon and I’ve gained experience working with animals while interning at the Wildlife Center of Silicon Valley. In my time there, I monitored the physical aspects of animals such as dehydration, depression, and wounds, and I learned to care for animals beyond a purely professional setting. While I love the animals themselves, I’ve wanted to learn more about their behavior and have continued this in a research setting at Duke. I am currently delving into the specifics of how birds process colors in the Nowicki Lab and researching hibernation in the Western Fat-Tailed Dwarf Lemur with Professor Klopfer.
I’m also interested in combining technology’s multiple applications to biology. I’ve joined Duke Conservation Technology to use computer vision to analyze animal behavior. By programming a drone camera to scan QR codes placed safely on the animals, we can detect animal migrations. I’m also in Catalyst, Duke’s technology and pre-professional community, in order to collaborate and learn from like-minded peers.
I’ve intensively studied, taught, and been fascinated by the beautiful and boundless nature of ecological systems. I am intent on becoming a field biologist, devoting my life to studying and preserving critical ecosystems.
I like that the SPIRE program fosters a community of like-minded individuals where we can all learn and collaborate with each other. SPIRE has also provided resources for me to succeed academically and supported me during my college career.
