Adrianna earned her undergraduate degree in Engineering Physics from the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, CO in 2007. As a senior design student at Mines she participated in two astroparticle physics research projects, both of which focused on the detection of ultra-high energy cosmic rays, the highest-energy particles in the known universe. She then went on to complete her Master’s degree in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at the University of Colorado in Boulder in 2017 as a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow. Adrianna also participated in summer internships at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) as both an undergraduate and graduate student, wherein she studied energetic particle precipitation and solar-terrestrial coupling and was granted the opportunity to present her research all over the world.
Adrianna has extensive experience working with diverse learners at the high school and undergraduate levels. Prior to pursuing science, Adrianna worked at two Charter high schools as an instructor, registrar, and cheer coach. During the pursuit of her engineering degree, she continued working with these schools as a mentor and STEM advocate. During that time, she led multiple STEM outreach projects including two weather balloon launches and mentored diverse students as they engaged in their first research projects. After earning her Master’s degree, Adrianna continued work in STEM Education and Outreach at NCAR, planning and leading immersive research programs for visiting undergraduates. Many of these programs included students from underserved communities (in STEM) and minority-serving institutions across the nation. Adrianna continues to mentor many of these students as they navigate the next steps in their academic paths.
Adrianna acknowledges that the learning process is highly individual, and is skilled in identifying boundaries to learning, as well as creating solutions to overcome obstacles. Adrianna enjoys assisting students in identifying their unique learning needs and talents and helping them develop into capable learners and leaders.
