I grew up in a small farming community in Wyoming. I was the third of four kids, raised by a single mother. We were very poor. This forced me to be creative about how I completed projects in school. I used materials I found around my house and in the alley. I didn’t really have any female STEM role models growing up, but I was really stubborn. I knew that I wanted to end up in a STEM field from the time I was really young and despite many things that made it hard for me, I never gave up.

What inspired you to explore STEM when you were young?

I always loved nature, science, and figuring out how everything works.

What do you enjoy most about what you do in your STEM career?

I love teaching others and making products that are going to help people live a good life.

What is an interesting fact you would like to share with students about your STEM field?

I help law makers understand the science behind making safe products so that they can make laws that will protect people.