I am a first-generation college student who immigrated to the US from rural China when I was young. I grew up in Las Vegas, NV and fell in love with plants while I earned my BS in Biochemistry, Cell Biology at UC San Diego. While at UCSD, I was a part of the McNair Scholars program which supports students interested in obtaining a PhD. I earned my PhD with Dr. José Dinneny at Stanford University while studying plants that live in extreme environments. At UC Riverside, I am co-advised by Sue Wessler and Jason Stajich while I aim to understand the impact of transposable elements in rice. I enjoy volunteering, baking, playing with animals, dancing, any outdoor activity, ice skating and watching TV! I am a strong advocate and mentor for inclusion, equity, diversifying academia and solidarity. I hope to promote the mindset of having gratitude, respect, and love toward one another in academia.