Outreach and Mentorship

Tools for conducting and teaching microbiome science

I am committed to making microbiome science more accessible to anthropologists and human biologists at all career stages. My collaborators and I continue to develop “field-friendly” methods for sample collection alongside resources for analyzing microbiome data and teaching about the microbiome in university settings.

Research Mentor

I provide hands-on training to students and other trainees. This includes training in microbiome sample collection, laboratory ‘omics methods, bioinformatics and statistical approaches, and manuscript writing.

Youth Science Mentor

As a Science Club Mentor, I met with teams of middle-school students to work on science projects and strengthen teamwork skills. Science Club is supported by the Boys & Girls Club of Chicago and Northwestern University’s Science in Society program.

Co-Lead, Duke Global Health Institute’s Equity Task Force

The Equity Task Force was formed in June 2020 to address systemic racism within higher education and global health research. As an alumna of the Institute, I co-led a working group that focused on global health education, including decolonizing the curriculum and improving equity in international research.

STEM Workshops

I volunteered with multiple programs that serve underrepresented students in the greater Chicagoland community. I taught STEM workshops for middle-school girls and exposed high-school students to microbiome science.

Pen Pal Program

I started a pen pal mentorship program that matched elementary school students with local university professors and graduate students. This program introduced young students to topics and careers in STEM while improving their writing and communication skills.