What led you to pursue a career in STEM?

My entry into STEM was sparked by a life long interest in the relationship between the brain, behavior and our place in the universe. That curiosity became a lot more tangible during my research experience, where I was able to see how neuroscience, engineering, and data science can come together to answer questions with immediate implications for human health and performance. I like working with eye-tracking and oculomotor data because even something as simple as an eye movement can provide insight into complex neurological processes. These experiences have prompted me to seek a career where I can keep asking interdisciplinary questions and converting research into tools that can ultimately help people.

What is your chosen field, and how does your work benefit society?

My work sits at the intersection of neuroscience, biomedical engineering and computational research. Much of my recent work has been on eye movements and how changes in oculomotor behavior can be used to reveal changes in neurological or physiological function. I have experience working with NASA’s COBRA eye-tracking data, where I have used computational methods to study changes in eye-movement dynamics under different physiological conditions. I am especially interested in developing non-invasive approaches that could ultimately assist in more timely and objective detection of changes in neurological function. My current work is spaceflight-related but has broader implications beyond spaceflight, including applications to neurological assessment, rehabilitation, and human performance monitoring.

What challenges do you face as a caregiver, and how do they impact your career?

As a STEM caregiver, the demands don’t stop when research, school, conferences, or professional opportunities arise. Providing care can be time-consuming, flexible, and financially demanding, and those demands can make it more difficult to pursue opportunities that require travel or additional costs. At the same time, caregiving has informed the kind of scientist I want to be. Caring for others has made me more sensitive to the realities facing patients and their families outside the clinic, and has reinforced my commitment to doing research that truly matters. Juggling these responsibilities with my career has also taught me resilience, adaptability, and the importance of the availability of a supportive scientific community.

How will this award help you advance your career or follow your passion?

This award means I can take advantage of opportunities that might not be as easily accessible while I’m balancing my caregiving duties. Funding to attend conferences is especially important because conferences provide more than an opportunity to present research or hear about research. They allow me to meet scientists whose work inspires me, get feedback on my ideas, learn about new methods and areas of research, and create relationships with other women in STEM. The support from AWIS and the Every Page Foundation eases some of the financial barriers to pursuing these opportunities and allows me to concentrate on my growth as a researcher. I hope to take what I learn back into my own work, and continue building toward a career developing innovative, accessible approaches to understanding neurological function.