February 11, 2026
What do you like about your job and/or about working at the Lab?
I enjoy the variety of disciplines and people that I get to work with. I like that I can use my design skills to help people communicate about the work that they're excited about.
What do your day-to-day work activities include?
I work on a pretty wide range of design projects, helping my team with anything from slides for talks, flyers/posters for recruiting or other events, illustrations and image editing, email announcements, and website mock-ups.
What is one project you’re really proud to have worked on?
The High Energy Density Science (HEDS) Center website. This was the first website where I had the opportunity to do some web development work in addition to the design. It was a good learning experience!
What is your educational/career background?
For my academic background, I have a B.A. in art with an emphasis in design from San Jose State University. Before being an art/design student, I attended U.C. Davis for two years as a biochemistry and molecular biology student. Prior to working at the Lab, I was a graphic designer at a biotech company, and before that, a graphic/web intern at NASA Ames.
What inspired you to go into your field of work?
It's hard to pinpoint anything specific for me, but I've always had a natural curiosity for learning about how things work, and I've always enjoyed drawing and other forms of visual art. When a career in science didn't work out for me (organic chemistry is pretty hard!), I went back to art, then pivoted to design in hopes of better job prospects. I figured if I wasn't going to do science, I could still use design as a tool to help communicate about it.
What advice would you give to a new employee at the Lab?
Ask lots of questions and reach out to people if you need help. The Lab can be really overwhelming at first, but it's a good place to be.
What are your hobbies/what do you do in your free time?
Gardening, bird watching, listening to music, reading, drawing, and spending time with my husband and two dogs.
How many years have you worked at the Lab?
6.5
Where are you from?
California
February 4, 2026
What do you like about your job and/or about working at the Lab?
I love the diversity of people and projects I interact with every day. New and cutting-edge science and experts from every field surrounds us here, and I can't imagine a better environment to work and create.
What do your day-to-day work activities include?
I manage a suite of electron microscopes (EPMA, FIB-SEM, SEM), collect data and advise users on their use, and develop cutting edge machine learning approaches for computer vision and high-throughput data collection through automation. There's plenty of fun work to keep me busy through it all.
What is one project you’re really proud to have worked on?
Due to the nature of my position, I work on the order of 30–50 projects a year, so it's hard to pick just one... but I would say the contributions I get to make to fundamental nuclear forensics problems through machine learning and microscopy, as well as collaborations with international collaborators, make me really proud.
What is your educational/career background?
I obtained a PhD in geology from Washington State University and worked as a postdoc at the University of Hawaii, Manoa studying volcano Kilauea and conducting cold-seal pressure vessel experiments. I owe a lot of my ability to collaborate in interdisciplinary science to geology, because we had to have a strong grasp on chemistry, physics, math, and computer science to conduct much of our research.
What inspired you to go into science/your field of work?
As a child, I always migrated towards science and curiosity, and I think a career where I could create, innovate, and explore ideas was always in my future. I just never stopped being curious and sort of said yes to a lot of things and experiences. I let the “river” carry me to where I am, I didn't fight the current or follow any specific marker on the horizon.
What advice would you give to a new employee at the Lab?
Take advantage of all the expertise around the Lab. Ask questions and don't be afraid to create and innovate.
What are your hobbies/what do you do in your free time?
We have a toddler at home, so she takes up most my free time these days. However, if I get free time I love to hike and explore the foot hills, rock climb, ski, and fish.
How many years have you worked at the Lab?
2
Where are you from?
Nebraska, United States
Do you support disciplines or programs outside PLS?
Global Security, Strategic Deterrence
October 23, 2025
What do you like about your job and/or about working at the Lab?
I enjoy working with and learning from colleagues who have incredible expertise and interests. They have taught me how to be a better scientist and have expanded my skill set considerably. I continue to learn how to use instruments that have been intimidating but are so powerful and unique.
What do your day-to-day work activities include?
Developing and conducting experiments, coordinating logistics and communicating with onsite and external colleagues, analyzing data, and writing reports, manuscripts, and proposals.
What is one project you’re really proud to have worked on?
I'm proud to have contributed to the numerous algal and bacterial projects that range from fundamental understanding of how microbes shape our world to leveraging their fast growth and unique metabolisms to generate sustainable bioproducts. There are several projects that have specifically looked at how bacterial communities (also known as microbiomes) contribute to algal health—whether they're helpful if they're attached or not, which bacterial species are helping, if they can protect algae from high light and temperature, and which are providing and/or regenerating algal nutrients. I am proud of these outputs and am grateful to have developed them with some amazing colleagues.
What is your educational/career background?
I have an associate’s degree from Solano Community College. Then, I transferred to UC San Diego for a B.S. in cell biology and biochemistry and stuck around for M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in marine biology at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
What inspired you to go into science/your field of work?
I remember talking with my dad when I was 8 or 9 about what I wanted to be when I grew up. He threw out some ideas and one of them was "biologist," which prompted me to ask, "what's that?" One example he gave was understanding how and why gorillas walk on their knuckles. It was then that I learned a person's job could be to study how organisms worked, and it…Blew. My. Mind. I later learned that organisms impact their environment physically and chemically and that microbes do this constantly. I was, and continue to be, hooked.
What advice would you give to a new employee at the Lab?
Short advice: Learn, think out the box, and be merry.
Long advice: Attend talks and ask questions. Become indispensable. Think of new ways to answer old questions and vice versa. Try to make friends with fellow new employees that work on similar projects or have an office near you. Meet for drinks, coffee, tea, lunch, dinner, etc. This is the first step to creating a network that will last your entire career since those connections will snowball into more connections. Ask for introductions to other staff if you'd like to learn about their work and possibly drum up a collaboration.
What are your hobbies/what do you do in your free time?
You'll find me hanging out with my 7-year-old son, 5-year-old daughter, and wife. We do most things together, including growing vegetables, cultivating and maintaining our California native plants, hiking, and working on/maintaining our cars and my motorcycle (this is usually a solo hobby).
How many years have you worked at the Lab?
10
Where are you from?
Vacaville, CA
Do you support disciplines or programs outside PLS?
Global Security
October 22, 2025
What do you like about your job and/or about working at the Lab?
Working at the Lab, I am fortunate to have the opportunity to address the grand challenges that our nation faces and solve challenging scientific problems. It has been a great experience working with talented colleagues, postdocs, and students, expanding my research portfolio, and building a broad collaboration network.
What do your day-to-day work activities include?
My day-to-day activities may vary depending on my research and management priorities. As my research area expands and I devote more effort to program development, I spend the majority of my time mentoring postdocs and students, engaging with my management team, and keeping track of recent research developments.
What is one project you’re really proud to have worked on?
It is pretty hard to choose one project. I started my career at the Lab working on modeling solid-state batteries. Over the years, I have become established in the battery field for applying multiscale modeling and machine-learning approaches to address interfacial heterogeneity, multimodal degradation, and various transport and mechanical phenomena across the scales.
What is your educational/career background?
I have a PhD in materials science and engineering, with a strong emphasis on atomistic modeling and simulations.
What inspired you to go into science/your field of work?
To understand the fundamental working principles of advanced technologies and gain the required knowledge to develop new technologies that will benefit human society.
What advice would you give to a new employee at the Lab?
I would recommend immersing yourself in the Lab’s cultural and working environment and being a strong team player. There are many career development opportunities offered by the Lab that the new employees can take full advantage of.
What are your hobbies/what do you do in your free time?
Traveling, exploring nature, sketching, playing puzzles.
Where are you from?
China
Do you support disciplines or programs outside PLS?
Global Security
