I've always loved the scientific processes that covertly shape the world around us—from the ancient collision of continents that sculpted our wondrous world to the dual frozen and fizzy nature of Slurpees.

I traveled the world in the name of science, earning a bachelor’s degree in Geology from Smith College and a Ph.D. in Earth Science from The Ohio State University as an NSF Graduate Research Fellow. My research took me to many remote landscapes, from Antarctica to Svalbard and Alaska.

This journey helped me realize that the part of science I loved most was communication: blogging about field research, presenting posters, giving conference talks, working with kids, and more. I completed my PhD and began work at National Geographic as a fellow in the AAAS Mass Media Program—and I've never looked back.

I spent nearly three years as a contributing assistant editor at Smithsonian.com and then almost five years back at National Geographic as a staff writer. I am now a freelance science writer for many outlets, including the New York Times, Science Magazine, and Quanta Magazine. I am also a travel guide for trips with National Geographic Expeditions and Smithsonian Journeys.

My goal as both a reporter and travel guide is to find and tell stories about our wondrous world to help people appreciate the planet through new eyes.