Project Title: Shrub Influence on Tundra Herbaceous Communities at Niwot Ridge LTER

Mentor: Katya Jay, Jonathan Henn

Bio: Lex is a student at Front Range Community College with aspirations of transferring to a 4-year neuroscience degree and pursuing a career in research. She was born and raised in Colorado, but has since lived in Chicago, Grand Teton National Park, and Big Sur as a seasonal worker.

Lex always dreamed of being a scientist, but struggled in school early on and entered adulthood believing she wasn’t fit for an academic path. Her favorite hobbies of painting and photography were what she excelled in, and what her friends and family encouraged her to study. After spending her early 20s in art school, film school, and a variety of jobs, Lex began questioning her reasons for turning away from science. Her curiosity and passion for it had only intensified since childhood, and she soon became determined to turn back around and pursue her old dream.

The realms of art and science overlap and inspire each other more than many people realize. Lex believes that her eclectic pursuits prior to this degree were never a waste of time, but have imparted open-mindedness and a unique perspective to influence her work.

View Lex's elevator speech and oral presentation.