Historic limitations to the identification fly families such as Phoridae attributed to morphological uniformity are shrinking with the application of integrative approaches to taxonomy. Ongoing research efforts at NTNU are changing the narrative of Phoridae as an under-explored fly family with multidisciplinary techniques that enable species discovery within the hyper-diverse group. As a scientist whose research experience is rooted in Diptera, my objective is to better understand the biodiversity and prevalence of the fly genus Megaselia (Diptera: Phoridae) across the latitudinal gradient of Norway with a focus on methodological sustainability. I will utilize university arthropod collections, sequencing technologies, and DNA barcoding to efficiently sort phorid flies. Data will be analyzed with phylogenetic and biogeographic tools; my focus on comparing phorid fly diversity across Norway's latitudinal gradient will take increased interest in comparing the variance of phorid flies in urban areas to remote regions, as I am interested in deciphering changes in species composition between industrialized areas versus remote regions. Early months of my work in Trondheim will be based in the laboratory learning the sequencing technologies behind DNA barcoding, while the later months of the award will be dedicated to assisting with the early stages of a diurnal sampling scheme fieldwork project led by Dr. Hartop. This fieldwork would encourage application of integrative methodologies to a prospective initiative within the collaborative research environment at NTNU.

I plan to pursue a Master of Design to investigate our attitudes toward human waste within the Critical Inquiry Lab Program at the Design Academy of Eindhoven (DEA). Our excreta carries immense value—in the taxes paid to treat it, the aquatic life it pollutes, the information it holds about our bodies, and its nutrients that we can process into fertilizers and energy. We all use a toilet every day, but led by taboos, denial, and cultural undertones taught from birth we are detached from its ubiquity in our lives. Our aversion to speaking and even thinking about our waste constrains our discovery and implementation of innovative waste management systems. I use art and science to investigate the chemistry of waste while exploring its subjective reality in human perception through public art- spurring conversations about our waste taboos. With collaborative installations in the North Brabant province, I will probe two assumptions of our "flush and forget" mentality toward waste. The first is that once excreted, our waste is no longer "ours." We do not need to, and shouldn't, think about it further: potty language stays in the bathroom. The second is that the Western "gold standard" of sanitation is the best and cleanest option—we are lucky to have it as civilians of the "developed world." I will examine these assumptions through public art installation and performance in North Brabant. 

My project examines the mechanisms that foster sociocultural transnationalism within the Tibetan Children's Village, the largest Tibetan education system in exile, and how it fosters a sense of kinship. As a six-decade-long running institution, founded in Dharamshala, India, TCV has evolved in tandem with the sociopolitical "Tibet issue" within the India-China-U.S. triangle. As a result, there has been a rise in Himalayan descendants and overseas Tibetan, as well as a decrease in Tibetan refugees directly from Tibet. I will conduct this project in Dharamshala, particularizing the term "Himalayans" to analyze what regions are experiencing the most out-migration into TCV and why TCV is a more favorable schooling option compared to students' more proximate schools. I will contextualize these trends with current events, such as the conversion of a TCV branch to a school solely for overseas Tibetans, and how their mechanisms of promoting kinship in exile resemble or differ from the original TCV branch. Through semi-structured interviews, archival and ethnographic fieldwork, and participant observation, I will examine how TCV students have been key components in the institution's operational longevity. After I return to the States, these findings will help guide collaborative efforts with the Tibetan Alliance of Chicago to promote domestic language and cultural preservation among Tibetan-American students amid the politicization of schools in Tibet. 

I propose to investigate the use of herbal medicine in combination with prescription cancer medication. Over 80% of cancer patients in Kingston, Jamaica, use herbal medicines for pain relief and palliative care treatment. Among these medicines, psilocybin containing “magic mushrooms” are some of the most effective. However, many clinicians remain hesitant towards herbal medicine use, leading to poor communication between oncologists and patients. Since so many physicians are unaware of their patients' self-medication habits, and because some substances give rise to serious repercussions when co-administered with prescription medicine, the interactions between psilocybin mushrooms and oncological pharmaceuticals is an important area for investigation. Specifically, psilocin's interaction with drug metabolizing Cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes is vital for determining the safety of co-medication. I propose to collaborate with Dr. Rupika Delgoda at the Caribbean Centre for Research in Bioscience of the University of the West Indies to investigate the impact of Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms on cancer cells and the activities of CYP enzymes to determine implications of co-medication with cancer therapies. In addition, I will work with Dr. Dingle Spence at the Jamaica Cancer Care and Research Institute to perform a qualitative study exploring physician perspectives towards psilocybin use in oncology clinics throughout Kingston. This may improve understanding and communication between physicians and cancer patients. This project will inform us about psilocybin and cancer therapy co-medication, spark conversations about herbal medicine use, and promote avenues for holistic cancer care.