Introduction- Emerald Cordova

 Hello, everyone!  

    My name is Emerald Cordova, and I am a RaHP VEC intern at Colorado State University. I am an upcoming third-year undergraduate student majoring in Biomedical Sciences with a concentration in Microbiology and Infectious Disease. I am still relatively new to the research world, but I love everything that I have done and learned so far. There are many future career options that I am still considering after graduation, but I'm most interested in pursuing a PhD in microbiology or molecular biology. I work in Dr. Rebekah Kading’s lab and plan to focus my RaHP VEC project around public outreach to inform others about mosquito-borne illnesses, such as West Nile Virus. 

In my free time, I love being out in nature, writing or reading, and spending time with my family. I am from Colorado Springs, so I am fortunate to be able to visit home often. However, I also enjoy living in Fort Collins. When given the opportunity, I will take part in any activity that involves camping or hiking. I especially enjoy the sites where I can stargaze. Sand Dunes National Park and Arches National Park are a couple of my favorite spots, but I want to go on more trips to explore other areas. In addition to hiking, I am an avid runner and plan to start training for my first 14er soon. Also, at my home in the Springs, I have a leopard gecko (whom I adore) named Hadeon. 

I included a picture of myself and, of course, my little leo. 

I’m excited to get to know all of the interns more this summer, and I look forward to becoming immersed in the world of mosquitoes!