Many don’t know that before I began researching small humans, I conducted research with small animals! I began conducting this psychological research using rodent models during the first week of my undergraduate career. Although this work was quite different than my current work, I will always value these experiences because they made me fall in love with the process of scientific discovery.

The first lab I joined was under the supervision of Dr. Neil Rowland. In this lab, we investigated how food predictability was related to health and behavioral outcomes in mice. This experience was formative for my career as it allowed me to apply my coursework in psychology, neuroscience, and biology in real-time. This experience also introduced me to scientific thinking and speaking as well as behavioral neuroscience methodologies.

I was then recruited to join Dr. C Shawn Dotson’s lab at the UF college of medicine. In this role, I similarly researched food-related behaviors. I led behavioral testing to a project aiming to functionally define the gustatory system. I focused on two peptides: PYY (which is important for appetite and satiation) and adeponectin (which is important for glucose regulation). I have one second-author publication as a result.