Photos from around the world and my backyard

I always like to say I had a reverse teenage rebellion when I confessed to my parents that I wanted to be a scientist instead of going to art school. It started in middle school when I hijacked my mom's camera and discovered a passion for photography that consumed me. Over the next few years, I won awards and caught the attention of recruiters from top art schools across the country. But when decision time came, I chose the lab over the darkroom. Looking back, I realize I didn't have to abandon one for the other - both photography and science come from the same place of curiosity and observation. Now, as a PhD student studying cellular engineering, I bring that photographer's eye to everything I do. I've never stopped seeing the world through a lens, whether I'm documenting Bay Area adventures, my travels, or finding beauty in the everyday.