I had always wanted to be a marine biologist, which seemed like an ambitious goal for a kid from Arizona. I actually think that living far from the ocean made me appreciate it more. When I decided that I wanted to pursue marine biology, my parents sent me on a trip to the British Virgin Islands to learn how to SCUBA dive, and I was hooked. However, even without that opportunity, I had enough motivation to pursue this field since high school, and that drove me to apply to universities on the coasts with strong marine science majors. I found my dream school, Eckerd College, which was known for its hands-on marine science courses and its beautiful campus in St. Petersburg, Florida. My four years in undergrad strengthened my passion and knowledge in marine biology and I was sure I had found my calling. I was fortunate enough to have amazing mentors at Eckerd College who helped me apply to the NOAA Hollings Scholarship Program. I was accepted into the Hollings program which awarded partial scholarship for two of my fours years at Eckerd and an opportunity to conduct research in a summer internship. This internship gave me invaluable experience and networking with NOAA, which I believe catapulted me into my next endeavours. After graduating from Eckerd College, I had plans to teach marine science at a local elementary school when I found an opportunity to do research in the Red Sea at a university in Saudi Arabia. I applied for this internship and was accepted probably due to my persistence. After learning how to SCUBA dive, I had always dreamt of diving in the Red Sea because it is one of the most colourful coral reefs in the world. To me, this seemed like an opportunity I could not pass up. My internship at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) was focused on the endangered giant clams of the Red Sea and their associated symbiotic algae, which is the same type of algae that live in corals. My research here motivated me to continue in graduate studies and I returned to KAUST to pursue a Master's degree in marine science. My Master's research was also on these giant clams and how they respond to high temperatures. Because the Red Sea is not as extensively studied as other regions where coral reefs exist, much of my research was novel and I was able to produce novel research on a study subject I was very passionate about. After completing my Master's, I applied to a PhD program in Australia. My entire reason for pursuing a PhD was because I had been reading the names of expert researchers in published articles about giant clams, coral bleaching, and this symbiotic relationship between these organisms and microscopic algae. One name that kept popping up was the professor who is my current supervisor. I was lucky that I found a person I wanted to work with before I applied to a PhD program. I think this is one of the most influential aspects of graduate school that any perspective student should be aware of. If you find the right person to work with, you will have a much easier time getting your degree. Now, I am a PhD candidate at the University of New South Wales studying the same microscopic algae in corals. I am very passionate about my project because it has direct implications for the future of our reefs. I feel empowered to work on a project that aims to solve some of the problems caused by climate change. This feels like a very selfless thing to dedicate my life to, and I have found a lot of my own purpose through my studies. Additionally, I have found a passion for communicating my science. I am one of the pioneers of SciArt communication, where I aim to join science and art together to better communicate climate change topics to the general public. There is so much beautiful and impactful science in academia that does not get noticed by the public or those who actually manage marine resources, and I hope to help bridge that gap.