CV

Education

• Ph.D. in Integrative Biology, University of New Hampshire (in progress)
  • Advisor: Dr. Melissa Aikens
  • Thesis: Statistical programming persistence in the life sciences: Investigating student motivation in diverse biology courses
• M.S. in Biology with a concentration in Ecology & Evolution, University of South Florida, 2022
  • Advisor: Dr. Luanna Prevost
  • Thesis: Mixed method analysis of undergradute student interpretation of different phylogenetic trees
• B.S. in Marine Biology, University of South Florida, 2020

Work experience

• Summers 2023-2025: Graduate Research Assistant
  • University of New Hampshire
  • Duties included: Conducting and analyzing qualitative interviews, and qualitative coding of open response questions
  • Supervisor: Dr. Melissa Aikens
• Spring 2024: Graduate Research Assistant
  • University of New Hampshire
  • Duties included: Creating teaching materials for introductory and intermediate statistics and R concepts, and assisting with recuitment for a data science training program
  • Supervisor: Dr. Easton White
• Summer 2022: Graduate Research Assistant
  • University of South Florida
  • Duties included: Creating and organizing online resources for k-12 instructors.
  • Supervisor: Dr. Luanna Prevost

Skills

• Programming languages: R
• Markup languages:
  • Rmarkdown
  • Quarto

Publications

For trainees, by trainees: Supporting Discipline-Based Education Research Scholars-in-Training through career transitions with inclusive, accessible professional development

Esparza, D., Amin, N. E., Frings, F. G., Halmo, S. M., Hazlett, Z. S., Heim, A. B., Uminski, C., Von der Mehden, B., Wright, A. M., & Yang, M. (accepted). For trainees, by trainees: Supporting Discipline-Based Education Research Scholars-in-Training through career transitions with inclusive, accessible professional development. Lexington Books.

Talks

Characterizing biology students’ mindsets and task values towards programming

April 15, 2025

Talk at Graduate Student Research Conference annual meeting, University of New Hampshire

Mixed method analysis of undergraduate student interpretation of different phylogenetic tree styles

October 22, 2022

Talk at Graduate Student Seminar Series, University of New Hampshire Department of Biological Sciences

Teaching

Graduate Teaching Assistantships

Shoals Graduate Teaching Assistantships

Workshop Teaching Assistant

Service and leadership

• September 2025: DBER-SiT Chair
• January 2025 - September 2025: DBER-SiT Chair-Elect
• August 2023 - September 2025: DBER-SiT Funding Committee Co-Chair
• January 2025 - present: UNH R Users Group Instructor
• August 2022 - May 2023: Co-founder of the Department of Biological Sciences Graduate Student Committee at the University of New Hampshire
• May 2021 - May 2022: Co-president of Biology Graduate Student Organization at the University of South Florida