I am working in Dr. Syed’s Neural Diversity Lab in the Department of Biology using Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism to better understanding how different neural circuits are formed from neural stem cells. My research is focused on the investigation of the role of the transcription factor Imp has on regulating the formation of the sleep-wake circuit and its function in sleep homeostasis. I plan to pursue my PhD in Neuroscience or Biology and start my own research lab in my hometown’s community college to further bridge the research pipeline network to indigenous communities.