I am a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School. My lab studies how information is transfered from the germline to the embryo through the oocyte cytoplasm. I am experienced and knowledgeable in regulatory RNA biology, RNA-guided genome editing, and protein-RNA interactions.My core values are compassion, kindness, respect, and curiosity. These values fuel my passion to learn new things and communicate what I have learned with others. I believe we learn best when share openly with others who have expertise and experience outside of our own. As such, I welcome collaboration, I love to brainstorm, and find innovative ways to achieve our goals. Progress requires teamwork, and for a team to be effective it must include diverse perspectives, experience, and abilities.In my second role, as Vice Chair for Outreach, I am dedicated to bridging the gap between our research enterprise and the broader community in which we reside. I manage a University-funded Outreach office whose primary goal is to help communicate our discoveries to a broad and diverse audience. Our mission is to foster understanding and friendships between the scientists that work in our department and the community that supports our work. We recognize that it is our honor and privilege to engage in scientific inquiry, and we wish to repay this privilege by sharing our time, abilities, and passion for learning with the members of our community. We meet our community peers as equals to share what we have learned through our research and why it matters. The city of Worcester is one of the most diverse communities in the Commonwealth. We host outreach events both on and off campus engaging audiences of all ages and education levels.