Emerson is an MPH student studying Infectious disease and Vaccinology and UC Berkeley, and is currently a graduate student researcher in Dr. Ashely Wolf’s Lab at UC Berkeley. Emerson graduated from the University of Washington in 2023 with a degree in Global Public Health and a minor in Microbiology. During her time at UW, she worked in the Weil Lab which focuses on understanding how the gut microbiota impacts enteric disease. She primarily studied how the gut microbiota can affect Vibrio cholerae infection. This fellowship will support her project in the Wolf Lab that focuses on identifying human gut microbiota that impact Shigella growth and virulence. Outside of science, Emerson enjoys running, photography and hiking around the Bay.