University: Universidad de Costa Rica

Pronouns: she/her

Michelle is from San José, Costa Rica. She got her B.S. in Chemistry at Universidad de Costa Rica in 2017. During her undergraduate studies, she explored different areas, such as chemical quality control, industry R&D, and academic research in electrochemistry. The latter was the project that got her interested in academia and it was the reason why she decided to pursue a Ph.D. Michelle joined Rice University in July 2019 as a doctoral student in the Chemistry Department.

She is a Ph.D. Candidate in Matteo Pasquali’s group. She studies the fundamental chemistry of nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs). Her main goal is to produce macroscopic materials, like fibers, with promising properties for applications in energy, aerospace, biomedicine, and others. Outside of her academic interests, Michelle loves music and art. She enjoys exploring museums and going to live concerts. She also enjoys sports (mostly soccer and tennis). I’d love to chat about my experience at Rice and answer any questions that you might have! Feel free to contact me. Pura Vida!

Why I decided to go to grad school:

I love to do experimental work in the laboratory, I really enjoy doing research and making advances in a specific field so grad school felt like a good fit for me.

Fun fact about me:

I was not a cat person until I adopted a cat.

Favorite thing about Rice:

The collaborative environment and the support that international students get when coming to Rice.

Favorite thing about Houston:

Most bands are artists who usually have a date in Houston, so I can go to many live music events. Also the food, there are so many great restaurants to explore.