I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Neuroscience from the University of San Diego in 2022. After finishing my degree I became a fellow in the NIH Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program and am now a PhD student in Dr. Ingram’s lab. I was drawn to Dr. Ingram’s lab due to its alignment with my research interests in pain and addiction as a prevalent and impactful disease. These topics are capable of completely derailing lives. My academic journey has involved studying the impacts of adolescent cannabinoid exposure on cocaine reward and dopamine release, as well as investigating molecular changes in myelin dynamics following adolescent binge drinking. I am ecstatic to have the opportunity to be able to work at the basic science level and grow as a researcher in Dr. Ingram’s lab. I hope to one day be able to contribute my own findings to this field and have a greater impact on the world around me. In Dr. Ingrams lab I am working on elucidating the mechanisms underlying the rewarding and aversive effects of methamphetamine within the lateral habenula.