Hi, I’m Steph

I’m a scientist and science communicator who loves to explore and talk about the natural world.

I’m currently a postdoctoral fellow at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, where I design laboratory tests to identify environmental chemicals that may pose risks to the immune system. I earned my PhD in the Biology Department at Stanford University, in the lab of Dr. Lauren O’Connell, where my research focused on poison frogs, examining how the alkaloid toxins they carry shape the communities of microbes living on their skin. Before grad school, I worked in health care policy advocacy and research at the Commonwealth Fund and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. I received my bachelor’s degree in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology from Harvard University.

Alongside my research, I’m deeply invested in science communication. I enjoy telling stories about unusual animals, overlooked organisms, and the people who work behind the scenes to make the science happen. I’m a Digital Science Communication Fellow with the Museum of Science and a freelance science writer, creating work for broad audiences that aims to spark wonder and showcase the beauty of nature.

Outside of work, I love spending time outside, and I am slowly working towards visiting every national park in the US. I also enjoy making art and experimenting with microscopy and photography.

If you want to talk about poison frogs, microbiomes, science writing, or anything else, please reach out.