Research Interests: My research is primarily on the Ancient Greek philosopher Plato’s views of moral psychology (why and how we are motivated to act ethically), and my dissertation deals in particular with how Plato understood the role of spirited motivations (courage, confidence, shame, etc.) for virtuous and non-virtuous action. Recently, I have decided not to pursue a career as an academic doing philosophical research and have become much for interested in research in best practices in education and teaching teachers how set up their classes to help students succeed.

About Me: I am a first-generation college student from the warm climate of Arizona. Prior to coming to Cornell (6 years ago), I attended Northern Arizona University, majoring in business, philosophy, and German. There, my excellent mentors helped me find my footing in higher education and were excellent role models of a student-centered approach that has inspired my approach to mentorship and teaching. I am constantly looking to improve myself and having others see that one’s learning is never done by taking creative perspectives and discovering more efficient ways of doing things. I am particularly good at making connections between topics and helping people see value in their abilities and what they have to bring. I also believe strongly in everyone’s ability to succeed and try to inspire trust, confidence, cooperation, and independence in those around me. In my free time I love to listen to metal and Jrock, play video games (Animal Crossing, Pokémon, Ensemble Stars!!) and the card game Yu-Gi-Oh!, develop new recipes, and collect dolls and figures. I probably have something to say about just about everything, so feel free to ask me anything!