Biography

  I would like to take a brief moment to acknowledge my mentors and letter writers: Dr. Benjamin Martin from Texas State University in San Marcos, TX and Dr. Robin L. Garrell from University of California at Los Angeles. Without their dedication and support, my path to graduate school would not have been possible. I am also an NSF GRFP Fellow and could not have had this 2nd-lease on life without the financial resources and support of the National Science Foundation. I am a 1st-generation Mexican-American. Before joining Penn, I grew up and finished school in Austin, TX with a BSc. in Chemistry and have 7 years of work experience in both government/private sector (KEEP AUSTIN WEIRD!!!).

  My decision to cross over from Chemistry to pursue Computer Science came about at one of my prior places of employment where I was introduced to Data Analytics using SQL while working for a Start-up company. I worked with large data sets and maintained their database to bring formula/pathogen traceability to their finished product when I had no formal SQL or Database training. I found fulfillment in Data Analytics and it brought purpose to where I was once feeling a lack of job satisfaction before. From this moment on, I knew I wanted to dedicate the rest of my life to Computer Science.