For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Romans 8: 38-39
Future Fire Safety Diagnostic Engineer
My efforts are focused on the intersection of polymer engineering, materials science, and fire research. I have a particular interest in the area of fire protection. My passion lies with the materials that are commonly encountered by industrial athletes: individuals who push their bodies to the extreme to meet the challenging mental and physical demands of their profession. Examples of such athletes include firefighters, astronauts, health care workers, and electricians.
My long-term goal is to advance public safety through origin and root cause failure analysis, collaboration with and the education of industry partners, and the refinement of safety standards and certification requirements. I want to understand and translate the effect of molecular level interactions on product performance to prevent and proactively mitigate the number and impact of catastrophic failures long-term.
I am a...
Ph.D. Student
& Engineer
I plan to create a career with the perfect combination of science and crazy.
Powerlifter & Strongwoman
Every time I step on the platform, I desire to be the fearless and resilient leader the future generation will resemble.
STEM & Sport Advocate
I support and encourage individuals to evoke positive change in this world by starting where they are at today.
International Traveler
I dream of living and working bilingually in a Spanish-speaking country.
90
Consecutive days of ice cream consumption
5:00
Wake up time
8
Favorite chapter of Romans
25
Books read annually
My Story...
The human body’s resiliency to succumb to death and psychological strength to overcome and persevere despite grueling torture absolutely fascinates me! I originally intended to pursue an M.D. However, one day it hit me. I don’t want to save the lives of individuals on the brink of death, I want to be one step ahead – protecting individuals before their condition becomes critical.
As a child, I was fascinated by crime shows, forensic evidence, and sci-fi movies. The technical experts ability to uncover monumental evidence from small pieces of broken plastic enthralled me. I fell further in love with failure analysis and detective work in the 4th grade when I attended the National Young Scholars Program (now Envision Experience) the summer of 2006. I was selected to study forensic science for one week in Chicago. It was my first time in a university laboratory setting and I knew I was home; I rode my newfound passion-filled energy high through my undergraduate studies in material science and engineering at Iowa State University. After graduating, I accepted a position with Schneider Electric. I served as a Technical Product Owner for residential circuit breakers. In other words, I was a failure analysis engineer for product and component non-conformances related to standard requirements (e.g., IEC, UL, NFPA, IEEE, ASTM), specific ratings, product specifications, new product development, and customer returns.
My work spanned the spectrum of materials science: from conductive metals for current paths to low flammability polymeric materials for arc interruption. Through sitting on calls with the legal team, making the decision to quarantine product/stop production, and approving the shipment or recall of products, I became captivated with public safety, protective materials, and codes and standards. I started to understand the true power of the engineering profession and the necessity for ethical decision-making.
I was stuck in a loop. I identified, validated, and proposed long-term solutions; however, due to time, money, and quality constraints, I was often asked to hand my work off to a project team of techncial experts after creating a minimum viable product. This transfer of innovative work allowed me to focus on putting out production line "fires," but made me eager to see my original solutions through to implementation. Seeking a new oppertunity to delve deep into technical problems, I decided to go back to school. I am now pursuing a Ph.D. in Energy Science and Engineering at the University of Tennessee - Knoxville.
I love to pursue this exhilarating work: the kind with no clear answers, multiple interconnected variables, and a need for asking the right questions. These deep-rooted engineering mysteries are the type of problems I thoroughly enjoy solving.