Degrees
Ph.D., Cognitive Neuroscience, UCI (Expected 2024)
B.A., Biology, MS Biomedical Visualization, Ball State University
B.F.A., Drawing and illustration, Ball State University
B.F.A., Drawing and illustration, Ball State University
Research
I research how people navigate and make decisions in collaborative cross-reality environments.
Biography
Tiffany is a graduate student in Cognitive Neuroscience at UC Irvine working with Dr. Mike D'Zmura in the Cognitive Neurosystems Lab. She studies how individuals and teams navigate and make decisions in virtual and augmented reality systems. As an artist and scientist, Tiffany is passionate about translating complex, scientific concepts to specific audiences through visualization and creative experiences. In her free time, she enjoys dancing, painting, hiking, teaching young children how to program, and spending quality time with her three cats.
Why is science communication important to you personally?
I passionately believe that knowledge should be accessible to everybody. The impact of science information is critical in our daily lives and will determine our future. As scientists, I believe it's our responsibility to effectively communicate our findings, whether is be through manuscripts, public writing, or visualizations. The more people that are empowered by information, the bigger positive change we all can make.
I want to be part of that change. That's what drives my passion for science communication. The work can be challenging, often requiring the distillation of complex, long-form arguments into digestible, accessible takeaways. But the rewards are high for us collectively, helping to build communities that understand and care about science. Science communication helps us remember that we can learn every day, no classroom required!