Education

• Master of Education, University of Georgia, Athens
     January, 2007 - Present
     Concentration: Science Education, Biology
  
• Bachelor of Science, University of Georgia, Athens
     August, 2001 - December 2005
     Major: Biology
  
• College Prepatory Diploma, Armuchee High School, Rome, Georgia
     Graduated May, 2001

Awards and Acheivements

• Presidential Scholar
     University of Georgia, Athens
     Summer 2005
• Dean's List
     University of Georgia, Athens
     10 Semesters 2001 - 2005
• Hope Scholarship Recipient
     University of Georgia, Athens
     10 Semesters 2001 - 2005
• Member of UGA's Study Abroad Program in Rome, Italy
     University of Georgia, Athens
     Studied Latin and ancient Roman civilization, art and architecture.    Summer 2005

Bioinformatics Research

• Lab Coordinator & Researcher, Polistes Foundation, Athens GA, 2004 - current
  Research Assistant to Dr. John Pickering, Institute of Ecology, University of Georgia.
  
  • Manage 5 - 10 employees and their projects.
  • Researched and developed the online identification guides to 1339 species of North American Trees, Shrubs and Vines, 121 species of marine mammals of the world, 190 species of Opuntia cacti of the new world, 165 species of Panamanian frogs, and 1752 kinds of North American Birds. Also coauthored on several other guides.
  • Assisted online translation of scientific databases, including some from USGS, American Museum of Natural History, Chicago Field Museum, Smithsonian Institute, and Missouri Botanical Garden.

Biodiversity Research

• Research Assistant, Biodiversity Science and Education Initiative, Athens GA, August 2006 - December 2006
  Research Assistant to Dr. Stephen Hubbell, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Georgia.
  
  • Investigated what is known about biodiversity by using Perl programs to survey web search engines.
  • Analyzed data to see how biodiversity has changed over time.

Tropical Research

• Field Assistant & Data Manager, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama, 2006
  Grant recipient with Dr. John Pickering and Discover Life.
  
  • Integrated the Smithsonian's Shorefish of the Tropical Eastern Pacific's Access database, pictures and maps to Discover Life.
  • Collected, photographed, and vouched flora from Barro Colorado Island to help build an online identification guide to the flora of the island based on leaf morphology.
  • Offered assistance and maintenance for Dr. David Roubik's Orchid Bees of French Guiana database and Dr. Donald Windsor's Wolbachia database.

Infectious Disease Research

• Undergraduate Research Assistant, Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, Athens GA, 2003-2004
  Undergraduate research assistant to Dr. Rick Tarleton, Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia
  
  • Studied the immunology and the pathogenesis of Trypanosoma cruzi infection and the resulting syndrome known as Chagas disease.
  • Assembled a genomic library of T. cruzi by using PCR techniques, culturing bacteria, and screening.

Teaching Experience

• Substitute Teacher, Athens Clarke County School District, 2006
  Substitute grades 9-12 at Cedar Shoals High School and Clarke Central High School.