I am very grateful to be part of the Deheyn Lab community, and biomimicry particularly interests me. I think it is fascinating to explore Nature's genius and apply what we've learned from Nature into our modern lives and technologies. In the lab, I am working on a project with the ice plants. We are figuring out what purpose the bubbles serve, hypothesizing that they may protect the plant from UV rays and enhance photosynthesis. In relation to biomimicry, these ice plants ultimately have the potential to improve the efficiency of solar panels. I am super stoked to work with and learn from these unique plants in such a welcoming community at SIO!

Additionally, I am an undergraduate transfer student at UC San Diego, majoring in Environmental Systems: Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution. I am transferring from University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. As beautiful as it was over there, San Diego is my home. I love our sunny beaches here, and I enjoy long beach walks, meditation, dance, vegan food, and swimming in my free time. I am also an intern for the Scripps Coastal Reserve at UC San Diego, where we lead in-person and virtual hikes. Essentially, my greatest passion is connecting with Nature, so being in the Deheyn Lab feels just right!