Mikayla’s goal is to better understand the effects of positive and negative pressure ventilation on alveoli at a microscopic level. Her interest in this topic stems from her clinical experiences working as an Emergency Medical Technician in the Chicago area and rural Iowa for the last couple years. 

Mikayla’s undergraduate degree was in biological anthropology. She completed coursework related to anatomical sciences and human physiology. She participated in forensic anthropology data collection and conducted bioarcheology fieldwork in Ireland. While working at the Iowa Office of the State Archeologist she created data on the skeletal remains in the UIowa-Stanford Anatomical Collection. Current research being completed on the collection is related to how the human skeleton responds to biomechanical forces. 

In her free time she likes to hike and spend time outside.