Ella T. (IN A NUTSHELL)

Ella graduated recently from Stanford University with degrees in Symbolic Systems and Environmental Communication. Her interests include neuroscience, public health systems, and Environmental Justice. During their undergraduate studies, Ella worked in Dr. Jennifer Raymond’s lab exploring the neurological processes involved in learning, where she developed new experimental protocols to understand how the brain uses feedback signals to adaptively tune the visual system. In their graduate studies Ella conducted epidemiological research in Dr. Erin Mordecai’s lab to understand how social distancing and shelter-in-place protocols have affected the spread of COVID-19 in Georgia, and the ways that different social factors could show which populations are most vulnerable to infection and severe illness. Aside from lab work Ella also spent much of their time at Stanford teaching other students, working for the Computer Science Department first as a Section Leader for the introductory CS sequence, and then as a Coordinator training and managing the Section Leaders. Ella was also highly involved at The Bridge, Stanford’s student-run peer counseling center, volunteering as a counselor, TA, and administrator for the organization. Outside of academics Ella is an avid reader, enjoying everything from literary fiction to YA novels to non-fiction. They spend as much time as possible being active, always convincing her friends to go indoor rock climbing, backpacking, and running.