I started as a Zoology major, because I thought the questions in biology were so fascinating, but had always loved doing math. I eventually realized that I had a talent for math, and I should use that to my advantage. The math department was also smaller, and I was able to receive excellent mentoring. Once I realized I could use math and simulations to investigate biological problems, I was hooked.

• Time management/project management
• Curiosity
• Knowing how to model and validate a model
• Coding
• Keeping organized data and results

Mostly through classes. Many of the best classes I took were not program requirements. I completed my program requirements in foundational math and biology and then took other interesting classes in modeling, simulations and computing, computing languages, quality control, statistical modeling, population genetics, quantitative genetics, conservation biology, speciation, issues in teaching college and more.

I have had to teach myself new things like graph theory and network theory along the way now that I am beyond college. It isn't easy, but with a broad foundation, I am prepared.

I started in the area of computational neurobiology, looking at how neuronal networks process sensory information. I then moved into evolutionary theory and study how ecological and community interactions affect community composition and stability. Lately, I am progressing into research in math education. I want to help educate the next generation of interdisciplinary mathematicians and also help prepare other faculty to educate at the boundaries of mathematics and biology.

We have a brand new NSF-funded project called QUBES, and soon we will be able to nurture a virtual community of educators and students in all areas of mathematical, quantitative, or computational biology on QUBESHub.org. QUBESHub.org has a post-doc position opening in the lab of collaborator Jeremy Wodjak at Radford College in VA. We also will be posting soon a graduate student opening in Science Education at UPitt under Dr. Sam Donovan.

I unfortunately will not be at SACNAS since I will be traveling to another conference, but look for one of my research students, Kieu Tran, from Unity College at the meeting and say hi!