I am a master’s student in Biosystems Engineering, where my research focuses on controlled environment agriculture (CEA) and bioregenerative life support systems (BLSS) for space exploration. I earned my Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Tech, and I am now combining my aerospace background with plant science to study how crop production systems can support long-duration human spaceflight.

At the University of Arizona, I am studying nutrient solution management in recirculating aeroponic systems in a vertical farm. Aeroponics is promising for long-duration space missions, but nutrient imbalances can develop over time as crops take up ions at different rates. My research aims to better understand how crop selection and replenishment strategies affect nutrient stability and plant growth.

My interest in space agriculture is deeply shaped by my experience interning in Sierra Leone, where I saw how food insecurity and water scarcity affect communities on Earth. That experience helped me connect my love for space exploration with my desire to contribute to solutions that improve lives. I hope to use CEA to support future missions to the Moon and Mars and to improve food production in communities with limited agricultural resources.

As part of my Space Grant Fellowship, I look forward to developing outreach activities that introduce young female students to space agriculture and provide them with a tangible link between biology and the stars. My goal is to help students see how science and engineering can be used to explore new worlds and to care for this one.