Stella Baldwin

About Stella Baldwin

I’ll never forget the day I discovered my passion for marine biology. In middle school, my dad told me that mantis shrimp can see sixteen primary colors, arguing that their world must be much more colorful. When I spent all night researching it, I discovered that they have sixteen color receptive cones, but they cannot differentiate between similar shades like mammals can. With this, my dad piqued my interest in scientific inquiry, fueling my desire to become a STEM researcher. As a former USC FSH Fellow, Caltech WAVE Fellow, and Caltech Amgen Scholar, I spent my undergraduate career gaining experience in marine microbiology, microbial ecology, and biological oceanography. My background includes skills in confocal microscopy, HCR FISH, click chemistry, protein assays, and DNA/RNA extraction. During my Ph.D. at Caltech as an NSF GRFP Fellow, I aim to explore the interspecies interactions/ecological physiology of archaea and bacteria in extreme marine environments.

Experience

1. Laboratory Assistant

   Carnegie Science

   Jan 2025 — Present · Pasadena, CA, US

   Perform confocal microscopy, click chemistry, and nuclear proteomics research in Dr. Margaret McFall-Ngai\'s laboratory

Education

• University of Southern California

  Bachelor of Science - BS

  2021 — 2024