The Human Element

While technical skills are essential in engineering and physics, it's the ability to share information and collaborate that makes the impossible possible. Through my past work experience, I've had experiences where I got to work in excellent teams to share valuable information with members of the general public.

From political campaigning to historical interpretation, I've focused on being able to make complex issues and stories accessible and engaging to general audiences. I've also built resilience by working in challenging environments and roles.

Philmont Scout Ranch: I fell in love with the Philmont Scout Ranch from the first time I visited, when I was on the cusp of achieving the Eagle Rank. After two treks, I returned to work in the summer of 2025, serving as a tour guide at the National Register of Historic Places-listed Villa Philmonté. While there, I learned museum skills like collection care, and honed my ability to provide meaningful and impactful historical interpretation. Condensing the Ranch's storied history into a one-hour tour format was challenging, but significantly improved my presentation and public speaking skills. An additional challenge was the remote nature of work at Philmont: living in a tent on the outskirts of a tiny hamlet in rural New Mexico isn't for the faint of heart. Despite the challenges, though, working at Philmont was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I made friends I know will last a lifetime, built skills I know will serve me well, and did some beautiful hikes (including a 35-mile monster known as the Ranger Marathon) along the way.

Mike Levin for Congress: Wanting to make a difference as the 2024 campaign season kicked off, I decided to reach out to the campaign of my local congressman, Rep. Mike Levin of California's 49th district. What began as a volunteer position quickly evolved into a paid position as a canvasser. Over the course of the summer and early fall of 2024, I knocked thousands of doors across the 49th District. Democrat Mike Levin was able to flip the historically red-leaning South Orange County and North County San Diego district in 2018 through an extensive on-the-ground voter outreach operation, one that has continued through his seven years in office. While with the campaign, I learned voter contact strategies, honed my public speaking abilities, and developed an ability to compartmentalize interactions and brush things off. Unsurprisingly, not everyone is terribly receptive to door-to-door political messaging, but I learned to not let it get to me and move on and greet the next voter with the exact same level of enthusiasm. Despite the negatives, I had some truly wonderful and impactful conversations with voters, and was proud to be part of Rep. Levin's resounding 2024 victory. I've also had some incredible opportunities through the campaign, including staffing a campaign event where we hosted House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi.

Space Scout: As a writer for independent space news outlet Space Scout, I've developed my nonfiction writing abilities to present news events with thoughtful analysis for a primarily aerospace-industry audience. I've also developed my skills in writing as part of a team, and being able to respond rapidly as news events evolve in real time. I'm looking forward to continued opportunities with Space Scout, including an upcoming opportunity to cover the Artemis II mission as credentialed media at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

• Communication: Clear, impactful communication to leave a lasting impression on visitors and voters alike
• Empathy: Meeting people where they're at and tailoring outreach for each individual
• Leadership: Displaying informal leadership to motivate teams towards goals
• Conflict Resolution: Navigating disagreements constructively
• Adaptability: Rolling with the punches and switching strategies on the fly to better meet the needs of the situation

While not highly technical in nature, these roles have helped me develop an ability to process and share information both internally within organizations and outward to the general public. I've developed robust strategies for presenting detailed, dense information about disparate subjects in a way that's both accessible and engaging for non-experts.

In a technical setting, this ability becomes all the more crucial. Taking dense, technical details and presenting them in an accessible manner is essential in both engineering and physics in countless situations. These experiences have helped me develop those skills into a formidable tool in my toolbox of abilities.