Hello

I'm a PhD candidate at NYU Biology working with Dr. Enrique Rojas. I am broadly interested in the question of how biological form is created and what makes the shapes of life possible. I believe residing at the interface between biology and physics will provide an avenue to derive fundamental principles on life.

Curriculum Vitae

My Story

I am originally from Uganda and growing up, I aspired to be a scientist. However, I had never met a scientist in Uganda, and witnessed barely any representation of black scientists in general. Fortunately, I had access to media and books, as well as amazing science teachers, that championed scientific wonder and exploration.

This aspiration led me on a journey that took me across the world to Italy and eventually to the United States. Along the way I have been graced by mentors who have helped me grow. Ms. Sheila Bogere at Kings College Budo in Uganda and Ms. Laura Arnoldo at the United World College on the Adriatic are passionate biology teachers who encouraged joy and a love for learning that encouraged me to go to university.

In the United states at the University of Richmond, Dr. Rafael De Sa was my first research mentor in college and taught me how to study evolutionary biology.

Dr. Omar Quintero, a talented Black scientist with expertise in cell biology, helped nurture my interests in fundamental cell and molecular biology He connected me with Dr. Roy Wollman who developed my quantitative skills and encouraged me to pursue a PhD.

My PhD mentor, Dr. Enrique Rojas (Rico) has challenged me to apply cross-disciplinary thinking from continuum mechanics and cell biology. This has given me the ability to think broadly, yet deeply on how concepts and techniques from disparate fields can be synthesized to understand complex problems.

My story is just a part of the many interconnected stories of the people with whom I have had the pleasure of meeting in this lifetime. I am immensely grateful to the mentors who have guided me on this journey. I aim to pay forward the opportunities that I have been given.