Tara Spencer-Drakes

Tara Spencer Drakes is a microbiologist who completed her Ph.D. in the Biology Department at UC San Diego. She focused her study on the molecular mechanisms underlying host-phage interactions within a simple microbiome. Tara has an extensive teaching background. Her students become engaged in knowledge application and collaborative problem-solving, two critical skills that will serve in the classroom and will continue to be indispensable beyond.

• Ph.D. in Biology, University of California, San Diego, CA (2018-2023)

• B.S. in Biology, Howard University, DC (2014-2018)

• Primary Instructor, General Microbiology, UC San Diego (Summer 2022 & 2023)

• Primary Instructor, Biology of Plagues: Past & Present, UC San Diego (Summer 2022)

• Instructional Assistant, Biology of Plagues: Past & Present, UC San Diego (Winter 2022)

• Instructional Assistant, HHMI SEA-PHAGES Laboratory, UC San Diego (Winter 2020)

• Instructional Assistant, General Microbiology, UC San Diego (Spring 2019)

• HHMI James H. Gilliam Fellowship (2021-2023)

• Edward Alexander Bouchet Honor Society Induction Award (2022)

• Ray Thomas Edwards Award (2021)

• University of California – Historically Black Colleges and Universities Fellowship (2018)

• Phi Beta Kappa Gamma of DC James A. Bayton Scholar Award (2018)

• Finalist for the Jamaica and the Commonwealth Caribbean Rhodes Scholarship (2017)

• ABRCMS Poster Presenter Award (2016)