Sharing my love for mineralogy and geology is one of my favorite pastimes, and I especially enjoy sharing my passions with elementary school students through hands-on activities with geologic specimens. Although fascinated by rocks and minerals from a young age, coming from a family of non-scientists and living in an area with low geologic diversity, I did not discover I could pursue a career in hard rock geosciences until high school. Through Zoom meetings and in-person workshops, I have discussed with elementary school classes what it means to be a mineralogist and geochemist, and I hope to help others learn that they can pursue their interests in science. I have also created and led a workshop for several hundred Cub Scouts comparing the differences between Minecraft versus the scientific realities of real-world minerals and mining, and have been very impressed by the mineralogical knowledge elementary school students have gained through the video game.
For the last several years, I have participated as a mentor at Cornell University’s Expanding Your Horizons (EYH) conference and given lab tours and demos through the Pre-Collegiate Summer Scholar Program, a program to introduce minority and first-generation students to different research opportunities. Over the course of my studies, I have been a teaching assistant for Physical Geology, Mineralogy & Crystallography, and Petrology courses, and I enjoy teaching on the undergrade and graduate level on the topics I am most passionate about.