Directory

Originally from Irvine, CA, I completed my BS in Psychobiology at UCLA, where I studied the neural mechanisms of emotion regulation. At Cambridge, I am exploring the neural mechanisms of human motivation and decision making under the supervision of Prof Trevor Robbins in the Department of Experimental Psychology. In particular, I’m investigating how the neuromodulator serotonin influences decision making in social contexts. Following my PhD, I plan to conduct postdoctoral research on the neural mechanisms of prosocial behaviour. Ultimately I hope to direct my own research centre and advise policy makers on human behavior.

I am a biological anthropologist interested in the evolutionary context of chronic disease and the biosocial relationships between grandmothers, mothers, and children.

I grew up in rural southern Illinois and earned a Bachelor’s and an MFA in Creative Writing while building a career as an author and lecturer. My work explores the cultural and historical dimensions of horticulture through public-facing scholarship.Over the years, I developed a deep passion for archival research. My work has taken me to archives across the U.S. and the United Kingdom, as well as various historical sites and societies, where I have explored the intersections of literature, botany, and environmental ethics.During my PhD in English, I am expanding this research by examining controlled environments—glasshouses, conservatories, and container gardening—in nineteenth-century popular literature. These spaces provide insight into ecological intervention, gendered interactions with nature, and the tensions between the wild and the cultivated. Through this research, I aim to contribute to discussions on the Anthropocene, environmental stewardship, and literature’s role in shaping human relationships with nature.

Previous Education

Columbia College Chicago Fiction Writing
Emerson College Creative Non-Fiction