Temperance is a graduate student in the department of cell biology and physiology at UNC Chapel Hill. She works in the lab of Rob Tarran, characterizing the effects of increasingly popular flavored e-cigarette products on lung epithelia.
Temperance has always been captivated by science, especially anatomy and physiology. “For me, it’s all about learning. I love to learn! Growing up I was always watching nature or medical shows because animals and humans are so fascinating. Organisms are so complex that there are many things even about the human body that we have yet to understand.”
Temperance grew up and attended high school in Lodi, CA where she was an avid musician and yearbook editor, mentored by one of the best book editors Australia ever had. She then went on to complete a BS in Biology – Anatomy and Physiology and a minor in Chemistry at California State University, Fresno. While at Fresno, she conducted undergraduate research with tilapia including an experiment where she weighed and measured over 1200 fish.
Though conducting her own experiments is important, Temperance has always had a passion for mentoring and teaching others. She joined CONNECT last spring, working with Charles Kessel’s biology students at Ayden Griffith high school. She finds that being able to de-mystify the scientific process and help students understand how science influences their lives’ every day is the most rewarding experience. “I just want students to go away from a videochat understanding that they do not need a PhD to understand science at the broadest level. I’m currently trying to base sessions around student-chosen science topics.”
After obtaining her PhD, she would like to pursue science outreach or administration to be a part of the bigger picture and disseminate scientific information at a broader level. But for now, she continues to enjoy watching documentaries, baking, hiking, concert-going, and visiting as many zoos, aquariums, and museums as she can.