Her scientific research focuses on understanding the structural, optical, and electrical properties of semiconductor materials for the development of novel detectors and lasers for infrared applications. She is also involved in physics education research with a focus on improving student performance in introductory physics courses. She is currently serving as the Undergraduate Academic Advisor for the Department of Physics, faculty advisor for the Society of Physics Students and the Sigma Pi Sigma and Mu Delta Pre-Health Association. She received her BS in Physics from Southern University Baton Rouge (1988) and PhD in Physics from the University of Houston (1998). Prior to joining the faculty at UH, she was a postdoctoral researcher at Naval Research Laboratory (1998-2001). She is the recipient of the NSF Early Career Award (2002) and the University of Houston Advising Award (2011).