What is your academic background? What research experience did you have before grad school?

I lab-hopped a lot in undergrad, working on everything from the mathematics of different voting systems to the conservation of long noncoding RNAs. My Biology and Computer Science with Math double major in undergrad gave me a great foundation to explore many aspects of the computational sciences and has prepared me well for the BIG program.

How do you like living in Boston? What do you do when you are not working?

I love Boston! It’s an awesome place to be in my 20s, especially for someone interested in the life sciences. When I’m not working, I love walking across the city, trying different ice coffees along the way. I also enjoy baking, reading, and swimming in my down-time.

What advice would you give to college students who are interested in a PhD in genomics/bioinformatics?

It’s a new field. That can be kind of intimidating, but it means that you can help define what it means to be a bioinformatician. And that’s exciting!