What’s something you saw recently that made you smile?
Seeing someone attempting to eat their lunch without removing their mask. People are still learning to adapt to the new normal and these simple errors sometimes. However, despite the situation, there is still always a reason to smile or laugh.
 
What’s your favorite thing to do on the weekends?
Weekends are usually quiet time with my family. I have made it a practice not to watch TV on weeknights, so on the weekends, I indulge. I mostly prefer to watch with my girls – even if I must watch Hamilton for the fiftieth time. Seriously, how many times can a 9-year-old watch Hamilton?!
 
What’s something you’ve done, but will never do again?
Clean a lake while canoeing. In 2004, while an undergraduate at the University of Central Florida, my sorority volunteered with Hands on Orlando to clean one of the lakes in Orlando. The lake was extremely dirty and I was not the most experienced at rowing a canoe. Needless to say, my canoe capsized and I was drenched in the murky water. I’ll canoe again. I’ll clean a river again. But I will never do both at the same time.
 
What’s the best concert you’ve been to?
I have been to many concerts (Beyoncé, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Chaka Khan, Kirk Franklin, Ziggy Marley, Beenie Man, Buju Banton, DMX, David Rudder, Shirley Caesar and many more), but the most memorable for me was Brian McKnight’s performance at the 1996 St. Kitts Music Festival. Do you know that Brian McKnight plays nine instruments? The singer, songwriter and producer plays the piano, guitar, bass, drums, percussions, trombone, tuba, trumpet, and Flugelhorn. I relived that May 1996 performance in my head every night for almost three months. It was that good to me.
 
What’s a topic you wish you knew more about?
Investment Portfolios. I would love to build a solid financial future for my two daughters, ages 9 and 13.
 
What’s one habit you’re trying to incorporate into your life?
Drinking more water. Water is one of those things that I have a strange relationship with. I love coconut water. I just wish I could get it directly from the coconut tree as I did during my childhood years living in the Caribbean – St. Kitts, to be exact. It hydrates me much faster than water.
 
If you could nominate any invention for the Better World Project Award, what would it be?
I would nominate Clean Straww for the Better World Project Award. Clean Straww is a patented technology developed to address water contamination, particularly to remove lead from drinking water. I may be little biased, as the inventor is the first student I advised through the technology transfer process.
 
If you were going to try and recruit post-docs to a career in tech transfer, what would you tell them?
Take as many AUTM courses as possible. Join committees and SIGS, and network as much as you can. Utilize these connections and resources; do not be afraid to ask questions. Although I joined AUTM over nine years ago, I only recently became active on committees, which means that I have a lot of catching up to do. Additionally, do not be intimidated; we are all still learning.
 
What’s the resource you rely on the most in tech transfer and why?
The network of peers that I have developed over the years. When I was first introduced to tech transfer, I shadowed Tanaga Boozer while she was the Director of the Florida Agricultural and Manufacturing University tech transfer office. She introduced me to AUTM, and today we both serve on two AUTM committees together. I will always be grateful to those who have and continue to willingly serve as a valuable resource for me.