Growth through the years: Empowering both grade school and Grad school students through teaching and being a role model

I hope you all had a peaceful break with your loved ones. This year, I am thankful for my amazing mother Julie Shi-Branch has been an exceptional teacher to young people in Florida since I was in middle school (Which might explain a little about my passions as a researcher).

Since high school, I have visited her classroom bi-annually to teach her students math and science. I found an old video of my very first time teaching in my mother’s classroom and I combined it with a video I took of me sharing my research with students yesterday! Now, nearing the half-way mark on my PhD, I thought it would be fun to share this journey with all you!

Speaking to a new generation is easily one of the highlights of each year for me. I am lucky to have my mother who has encouraged me, but when I was their age, I did not even know a scientist! This holiday season, I highly recommend pushing yourself to get out of the lab and communicate your science to someone new! You could be the first scientist they meet and you might be surprised what you can learn from them!