Our Student Spotlight allows the opportunity for you to get to know our students a little better in their own words.  More information about Student Life at UCLA and in the surrounding Los Angeles area can be found at our Student Life website.  Check back regularly to read about the differing backgrounds and perspectives that make up our GPB Bruin community.

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Physics and Biology in Medicine

Fellowship Support

Graduate Dean’s Scholar, NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

Where is your hometown?

I grew up in Kingston Springs, a small town near Nashville, TN.

Where did you attend for undergraduate?

I went to the University of Tennessee (UT), Knoxville and majored in Nuclear Engineering with a Math minor. I graduated in 2013.

What led you to pursue research training in graduate school?

While at UT, I had the opportunity to intern with the Energy and Transportation Sciences Division and Neutron Sciences Division at the Spallation Neutron Source at Oak Ridge National Lab. This work, along with a summer research assistantship in the Nuclear Physics department at UT allowed me to experience the research process and realize I enjoyed helping to advance scientific knowledge in my field.

Who is your mentor?  Which lab do you currently work in?

I currently work with the Radiation Oncology Physics department at UCLA under Dr. Anand Santhanam.

What are your research interests?

I’m interested in improving radiotherapy treatment for breast and lung cancers using methodologies for deformation based elasticity estimations.

What are your future goals?

I plan to do a Medical Physics residency and then begin working as a clinical medical physicist, hopefully at a hospital that is affiliated with a university so that I can also pursue academic work.

Why did you choose UCLA?

I chose UCLA because the department felt like a family that encouraged everyone to succeed. I also appreciated the amount of collaborative research opportunities and many resources that are available to all of the students here.

What are your interests and hobbies other than research?

Outside of research, I enjoy martial arts, reading, hiking, and exploring the amazing restaurants and wineries around LA.

What do you like best about UCLA?

The best part of UCLA is the people, everyone is so knowledgeable and welcoming. I also feel that UCLA, as a large well-respected research university, offers its students so many opportunities—the possibilities are endless!