I am a graduate student in chemical engineering at University of Florida. Before UF, I studied mechanical engineering at Tacoma Community College in Washington State and then earned my bachelor's and master's degrees in physics at York University in Canada. I am the first author of two peer-reviewed journal publications in space mission design. I was also a member of the winning team at the Mars Society's University Rover Challenge in 2012, where I did the chassis design and stress analysis. Before coming to York, I interned at Tethers Unlimited and did the experiments that led to their water-electrolysis rocket for CubeSats. My focus is currently on making life support systems for human spaceflight more reliable, more effective, and easier to maintain - which led me to this challenge.