I am a graduate student of biochemistry finishing my PhD in the lab of Rachelle Gaudet in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Harvard University. My training has focused on protein biochemistry and structural biology in the context of neuron development. I have expertise in molecular biology methods, bacterial and mammalian cell culture, affinity purification techniques, and microscopy. I have also written and co-written several successful fellowship and grant applications, and co-reviewed papers in my field.In my future postdoctoral work, I aim to explore the field of cell biology, obtain training in advanced microscopy techniques, and consider a broad range of biological questions. My experience with reductionist approaches will complement my future work looking at whole cells. Together, my training experiences will ultimately prepare me to address my own research program with an interdisciplinary tool kit of experimental strategies.Throughout my education, I have often been inspired by teachers and mentors who taught with a visible excitement to pass their knowledge on to their students. As a graduate student at Harvard, I have had the opportunity to engage in many programs that similarly give back to the community through mentorship and teaching. These experiences exemplify the balance between research and community participation that I hope to carry with me throughout my scientific career.