Meet Taylor (and her speckled shadow, Milo!), READi Lab’s newest full-time Research Study Assistant! While she’s still quite new to Seattle, she has personal experiences with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) that motivated her to change career paths. Her goal of reducing barriers to evidence-based ASD services means she fits right in with our team! Learn a bit about her below.
You’re pretty new to the READi lab team. What attracted you to the READi lab?
It has been demonstrated that early identification and intervention helps people with autism reach their best outcomes, but these systems also face unique challenges and demands. Our READi lab team uses multiple approaches to answer big questions about early autism care in a manner that also provides resources and supports for study participants and local communities. The location between two gorgeous mountain ranges definitely helped, too!
What do you want to be when you grow-up?
At one point, I wanted to be a wildlife rehabilitator – that’s what I originally pursued during my undergrad! Today, my aspirations are to combine my desire to ensure all people with autism have access to evidence-based diagnostic and therapeutic services, my biological roots, and my budding interest in machine learning. Now, what title best suits that… I’m not entirely sure.
What’s your favorite R Color Brewer palette?
I usually favor Spectral or Set 2.
What’s your favorite dinosaur?
Spinosaurus Rex! Spinosaurus was bigger than both T. Rex and Giganotosaurus, making it the largest carnivorous dinosaur who ever lived. Some paleontologists argue it was the first dinosaur to swim, too!
What types of animals did you most enjoy working with while in wildlife rehab?
My favorites would have to be raptors. I had the unique opportunity to work with owls, hawks, vultures, falcons, and even a golden eagle (who was not native to Wisconsin, unlike me).
Two truths and a lie! (Scroll down to see Taylor’s fib!)
- I brought a live snake to class on accident (he fell asleep in my sweatshirt pocket and thankfully, he stayed asleep!)
- I had pillow fights with rats… for science!
- I had a pinata party with Reticulated Giraffes… also for science!
I was fortunate to have the opportunity to build upon Jak Panskepp’s work on the importance of play and instrumental conditioning concepts. So, I tickled rats… for science!