I will be starting my PhD this fall in the University of Minnesota’s ecology, evolution, and behavior program working under the mentorship of Dr. Jim Cotner. I am an alumni at the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse (B.S. ‘20 & M.S. ‘23). In my undergraduate degree I started getting involved with research through the McNair Scholars Program. Now, my research focuses on the microbial influence on dissolved organic carbon and global “browning” trends in freshwater lakes. I am also passionate about DEI and broadening participation in green STEM fields, and am an alumni of the Society for Freshwater Sciences Instar and Emerge Fellowship programs.