I was born in New Jersey, USA in 1992 and moved to Utrecht, the Netherlands in 2002. In 2010, I enrolled at Utrecht University in the Double Bachelor Program Mathematics and Computer Science. In 2014, I continued my studies with the master program Game and Media Technology, also at Utrecht University. With my thesis, Immersive Multimodal Virtual Reality Experiences – Using Visual and Auditory Stimuli to Improve Tactile Experiences, I won the Ngi-NGN Informatie Scriptieprijs 2015, awarded by the KHMW in Haarlem. Based on a self-written research proposal, I was later granted a PhD position in Game Research at Utrecht University in 2015. During my PhD I helped establish the ICS PhD Council together with fellow PhD candidate Nico Naus, and was a member of the Science Faculty Council in 2017-2018. I obtained my PhD degree in November 2021.
Outside of work I enjoy learning and cooking/baking. I try my best to live as sustainable as possible, and our household of four is now happily living a low-waste, low-energy lifesytle. We are always on the lookout for ways to live a greener life.
As of July 2021 I took on a senior research position at Milieu Centraal that aligns well with my personal interests. I was in the Sustainable Consumption team, where my larger projects concerned Microplastics and Food Certification Labels (in Dutch: keurmerken).
As of August 2022 I rejoined Utrecht University as a teacher and researcher. In my research, I focus on immersive technologies for pro-environmental behavior.