Fauna worked her way through community college before graduating from San Jose State University and joining the Biomedical Sciences program at UCSF. Her graduate research in the Chou lab focuses on how ticks interact with other organisms, including the bacteria that cause Lyme disease and the vertebrates ticks feed on. Fauna cares about supporting students and scientists who have been underserved by science. For that reason, Fauna was eager to work with the other organizers to support the #BlackInMicro movement and help create a platform to amplify and support wonderful scientists.