With 12 years of research experience, I am a passionate and driven Assistant Research Scientist at the University of Maryland (UMD), where I both perform and supervise cutting-edge research on the dynamics of biological systems, with a focus on neuroscience. My academic research in neuroscience has been motivated by the challenge of understanding the complex mechanisms that regulate neuronal development, function, and plasticity. I value collaboration, innovation, and diversity, and I strive to contribute to the UMD's mission of advancing knowledge, discovery, and learning. I now seek to bring my skills to industry to have a broader impact on human health, ideally but not necessarily in the area of neuroscience.As an Assistant Research Scientist, I work in the laboratory of Prof. Wolfgang Losert, where I manage a high risk/high reward Department of Defense (DOD)-funded project to integrate living neural networks with hardware and software components. When I was a Postdoctoral Associate in the Losert laboratory, I led an international collaboration that discovered how non-neuronal glial cells use cytoskeletal dynamics to respond to extracellular stimuli. Throughout my research, I have developed novel data analytics and generated creative experimental solutions to address ambitious research questions. I do not shy away from complex, difficult projects -- rather, the opposite -- as is evidenced by my publication record (13 peer-reviewed publications). Additionally, I am an enthusiastic mentor and take my leadership roles seriously, having mentored 22 trainees ranging from high school students to PhD candidates. I have strong skills in neuroscience, programming (MATLAB/Python), data analysis, and communication, and I excel at sharing my findings and insights with the scientific community and the public.