Service

My congenital cataract shaped much of my social and educational values. My upbringing in a small town in Maine, enriched by a sizable Somali refugee community, provided daily lessons in human relationships. I vividly remember my peers sidelining my Somali classmates and me during sports – their exclusion was racially motivated, mine due to my inability to catch a ball because of my amblyopia. During this time, I learned that I could master the slower and more predictable flight of a frisbee. Recognizing the importance of community, I started a high school frisbee team that celebrated diversity and embraced all students. I also made a concerted effort to invite my previously sidelined Somali friends. In college, I continued to be involved in frisbee recruitment, supporting inclusivity by encouraging active participation across all genders and backgrounds.

I have prioritized outreach to promote STEM early in a student’s education. I participated in Northeastern’s Young Scholar Program to mentor local high school students. I also mentored Northeastern’s iGEM team, volunteered to judge the Boston Science and Engineering Fair, and spoke at a high school in Maine about my journey into research. Visiting high schools, particularly those in rural areas, and presenting my research is an excellent way of communicating with younger generations. Such community and student interactions are essential for promoting diversity and inclusion, and I plan to continue speaking to high schoolers as a professor.

Ad hoc peer reviewer for: Micromachines, Journal of Visualized Experiments, ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering