About Me
I am from the vibrant and coastal city of Mazatlán, México. I moved to the United States to pursue my undergraduate studies at UC Davis, where I majored in Biotechnology with an emphasis on plants.
During my time at UC Davis, I worked in Dr. Alan Rose’s lab, where I studied how stimulatory introns influence gene expression in plants. This experience sparked my love for introns, non-coding sequences, and their intricate roles in gene regulation.
After completing my undergraduate degree, I joined Dr. Maeli Melotto’s lab, where I explored the spatio-temporal localization of JAZ4 in Arabidopsis thaliana. JAZ4’s function is modulated by alternative splicing, which further deepened my interest in gene regulation.
Currently, I am pursuing a PhD in Dr. Grey Monroe’s lab, where I study how introns affect chromatin biology in plants. My research is driven by a desire to understand the broader implications of non-coding sequences on chromatin structure and gene expression, contributing to our knowledge of plant biology and epigenomics.
I am deeply committed to fostering equitable and accessible spaces in STEM. As a Mexican immigrant and the first person in my family to pursue a doctoral degree, I have faced significant barriers on my journey to higher education, which has only strengthened my resolve to support historically underrepresented groups in science. I actively engage in mentorship and outreach programs to inspire and guide the next generation of diverse scientists.
Currently, I serve as the President of the Graduate Student and Postdoctoral SACNAS Chapter at UC Davis, where we lead outreach efforts across all levels of education. Our mission is to increase representation in STEM through mentorship, professional development and community-building.
Additionally, I am the Program Coordinator for EnvironMentors, a college access program that pairs high school students with graduate student mentors to guide them through independent research projects and college preparation.
If you are passionate about increasing representation in STEM or would like to collaborate on outreach, mentorship, or educational programs, I would love to connect! Please feel free to reach out to me via email at avpierce (at) ucdavis (dot) edu