I found my passion for writing in a creative writing elective in high school. When I entered college, it was only as an Environmental Science student. However, after completing my first year and taking several English electives, I decided to add the English Language and Literature major and follow the creative writing path. At the time, I wasn't entirely sure how my degrees would go together but I found I really enjoyed writing about the environment whether it be in a creative way from the perspective of a tree, or in a more scientific way.
View my latest work
Follow the links to find writing samples!
Study abroad
I was lucky enough to study abroad in New Zealand for a winter semester in 2024. It was a month-long plant science intensive course that explored the entirety of New Zealand's epic landscapes. We started in Auckland, and made our way down the east coast to Queenstown. We examined everything from ancient rainforests with local Maori tribes, to small mining towns, to major sheep stations, learning about how local farmers are renewing wetlands and increasing biodiversity on their land. We weighed the pros and cons of carbon farming and ecotourism and dove into the best ways to create a sustainable country.
I also hiked an active volcano, went sky diving, and rafted down a waterfall!
Projects
My senior capstone project was to improve a permaculture garden on campus by creating an irrigation system with a budget of $500. We designed a structure to catch rainwater that would go over part of the parking lot that surrounded the garden which would then feed into rain barrels that would dispense the water through drip irrigation powered by a small solar panel and pump. We did not have the funding for the structure and while a grant was written and presented, there was not enough time in the semester to go through the permitting process. So, only the drip irrigation was funded and finished with plant science interns filling the barrel from a hose and nearby building over the summer until the next group finishes the permitting and builds the structure. In addition to the drip irrigation, compost was spread across the garden to improve soil health and clover cover crop was planted to help with nitrogen fixation and water retention.
