“I am a doctoral candidate in the Applied Chemistry department, with a minor in Materials Science. I am a graduate research assistant at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and the work I perform there is being used for my dissertation.

I attended the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology for my undergraduate degree (BS Chemistry), a school very similar to CSM. I attended a summer internship at NREL before graduate school, which caused me to pursue graduate work in Colorado. I had funding from NREL, and chose CSM due to proximity to my research position. My work at NREL offers an opportunity for me to experience the policy side of scientific issues, and I have a lot of interaction on the science and renewable energy education side of things.

I try to balance work with a lot of the outdoor activities that Colorado offers, and spend a lot of time rock climbing and practicing and studying yoga.

I think that CSM is a very unique place, and not necessarily for everyone. The small environment is very different from the experience one would get at a large university. I’ve benefited from this small environment through smaller classes, knowing more of my peers, being more involved on campus and in classes, and more one-on-one time with professors.”