I completed my undergraduate degree in exercise science here at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in May, 2006. Throughout my undergraduate career, I found exercise physiology and neuroscience to be particularly interesting. Having been an athlete and recreational sportsman throughout my life, I was intrigued by the human response to exercise; specifically, that of skeletal muscle. During my undergraduate curriculum, I had a strong desire to understand physiology from a molecular level and why systems function the way they do. Since kinesiology is an umbrella term for many specialized fields it encompasses, I found it necessary to explore different research areas within exercise science in order to make an educated decision as to what I was most interested in. During my junior and senior years, I became heavily involved as a teaching assistant and assisting with research in the department. In the spring of 2005, I assisted with a study in the motor control laboratory examining locomotor-respiratory coupling and assisted with a dissertation project on the development of postural control. Assisting with these projects gave me a first hand glimpse into the intricacies and challenges of research. During this time, I was also the head teaching assistant in the Human Anatomy course where I conducted several large scale review sessions and truly developed a passion for teaching others.
In the summer of 2005, I did an independent study in the muscle biology laboratory where I assisted with a study involving statins and exercise. I quickly realized that the research focus in the Muscle Biology and Imaging Laboratory was exactly the type of research I was most interested in: examining the underlying mechanisms of skeletal muscle adaptations to environmental stimuli. Thus far, I have assisted with two studies and gained countless hours of experience in human subjects research. I have learned how to administer resistance-training protocols, stress-tests, and become proficient in blood drawing procedures. The extraordinarily positive experience with human subjects research and my interaction with other members of the lab have helped me develop my research interests within the scope of kinesiology. As a first year graduate student, my current research focus is to examine the potential benefits of an antioxidant/anti-inflammatory supplement to attenuate muscle soreness and improve recovery time after strenuous exercise. I hope to further develop my knowledge of muscular adaptations to exercise at the molecular level for future research endeavors.
In my spare time I enjoy mountain biking, hiking, running and snowboarding to name a few. I have come to love the Pioneer Valley and the greater New England area for its overwhelming possibilities for outdoor recreation. It’s not exactly the Lake-Tahoe area in the Sierra Nevada’s where I am from, but it’s a great home away from home. I enjoy the vibrant colors of Fall and Spring, cold clear winter nights, and mild summer days. Most of all, I love learning and being at an institution with a profound history of excellence.
