School:	University of Pittsburgh
Email:	kmgst52@pitt.edu
Major:	Bioengineering Microbiology
Year:	Sophomore
Advisor:	Dr. Rich Debski
Hometown:	Houston, TX
Birthdate:	June 13, 1981
Honors:	Engineering Honors Scholarship University Scholarship Target All-Around Scholarship for Volunteer Service

I was born in 1981 in Corpus Christi, Texas, and seven years later, I moved with my family to Houston, Texas. Although I was not born in Houston and I now live in Pittsburgh, I will always consider Houston to be home. I grew up there with my parents, an older brother, and my dog. In junior high, I discovered I had an interest in medical research and in high school my volunteer experiences at Memorial Hospital Northwest spawned in me an interest in medicine. I attended Klein Forest High School and North Harris College in Houston. Then I found myself on my way to Pittsburgh to study bioengineering and microbiology at the University of Pittsburgh.

I spent the first semester of my freshman year adjusting to the university and to Pittsburgh in general. The second semester I began to work at the MSRC on a volunteer basis and in May of 2000 I became a summer student. During my time at the MSRC, I have learned a great deal about bioengineering and have significantly improved my problem solving skills. The emphasis placed on learning and the attention given to students has made my time here in the MSRC most enjoyable.