I am currently studying towards my PhD in the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences at SUNY Buffalo. My HBSc in Microbiology & Immunology is from the University of Western Ontario in London, Canada. Being in a gifted program throughout grade school gave me the opportunity to interact with other academically ambitious students and investigate my own interests. I have always been interested in the philosophy of science and in the communication of science between scientists and the general public. The Student Guide to DNA Based Computers is based on a 3rd year project on DNA based computers that was simplified into "Everyone's Guide to DNA Based Computers" and featured on the Discovery Channel.

I fondly remember my high school education at Earl Haig Secondary School where I learnt of my love for science and began to specialize in biology. As gifted students, we were given many experimental and special modules. I still remember many of these lessons and how powerful they were. I have also been a guest in several medical school lectures and labs and witnessed the unique teaching styles employed. In my final year of high school I was allowed to teach science classes to younger students. In my undergraduate years I was part of a program teaching girl guides and brownies about science using hands-on examples.

I think that no matter what subject students choose to specialize in, it is imperative to have a solid knowledge of the philosophy of that subject. Beyond a good basic history of your field, you must also appreciate the "why and how" of the field. I also feel quite strongly about the way that science is presented to the general public. Knowledge is so much more powerful if people are able to apply it. That is why I try and stress a productive understanding, rather than just presenting the facts. I feel the same way about many classroom subjects. While mass memorization is often necessary to provide a solid foundation for further learning, I think that a very important question should be always asked of new knowledge: Why is this relevant and what are its implications? Too often students are encouraged to memorize a phrase or equation so that they can simply pass a test.

For more information, please visit my home page or see my resume.

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