I am currently majoring in biology at the University of Dayton with a minor in Spanish. I am passionate about the natural environment, and I am willing to work hard to defend it. I love running, hiking, camping, and backpacking. On UD's campus, I am fortunate enough to engage with these hobbies as the social chair of running club and the treasurer of the outdoor adventure club. I am always looking to make professional connections and meet new people!I am currently searching for a graduate program in the Fall of 2024 with a focus on freshwater aquatic macroinvertebrates or a related field. Looking to join a motivated academic team that is dedicated to science and intellectual growth. My research experience both with Battelle, the US EPA and the University of Dayton is listed below.During the summer of 2020, I volunteered at the US EPA’s Experimental Stream Facility in Milford, Ohio. For the summers of 2021 and 2022, I worked at the same location full-time as a contractor through Pegasus Technical Services. I conducted laboratory work including sampling and maintaining mesocosms, measuring light intensity, identifying and categorizing insect emergents (such as Chironomidae, Trichoptera, and Ephemeroptera), measuring and recording algal concentrations, and processing weekly water samples by vacuum filtration. I also assisted in field work including daily sampling and transporting stream materials for use in mesocosm experiments; all samples were collected from Harsha Lake and nearby streams. Our research goal was to better understand how treated wastewater affects freshwater ecosystems, with particular attention to algal growth, macroinvertebrate populations, and fish health.From October, 2021 to the present day, with the exception of academic breaks, I have been assisting in research at the University of Dayton with Dr. Jeffrey Kavanaugh. Our goal has been to assess the health of the Great Miami River through the biodiversity of its macroinvertebrates. A low-water dam was removed from the river four years ago, and we are evaluating the current level of biodiversity in this area in order to understand how the removal of the dam has affected the macroinvertebrate populations. I have assisted with kick net and pole net sampling of the Great Miami River, processing of the samples, and taxonomic identification of the captured macroinvertebrates.During the Summer of 2023, I worked as a field technician for the National Ecological Observation Network operated by Battelle. More detail in the "Experience" seciton below.