I am a junior at the University of Central Florida majoring in biotechnology and biomedical sciences with an emphasis on molecular microbiology.  I find microbial pathogens and how they interact with the environment extraordinarily interesting. I currently study mycobacteria in Dr. Kyle Rohde’s research lab at the UCF Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences. My short term goals include learning the Python, R, and SQL programming languages, attending my first research conference and having a successful fall semester. My career aspirations are to obtain a Ph.D. relating to immunity and pathogenesis, go into either academia or the biotechnology industry, and possibly start a biotech business based on a conceptual computer program that I have been brainstorming about. 

When I'm away from the lab bench, I enjoy playing intramural sports with friends and reading manga. If it has anything to do with microbes or The Boondocks, I'm interested and can be directly contacted at gwaltersmarrah@knights.ucf.edu