Coyla Munson

Experience

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  U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)

  Apr 2015 - Jun 2015

  Laboratory Assistant

  Maintained pesticide testing equipment and lab spaces for the Pacific Northwest Water Sampling and Quality Analysis Project as a student contractor. My role was a temporary summer position as the Columbian River Basin pesticide testing project was concluding.• Prepared daily materials for field water testing, including pesticide testing field kits for rotating contractors• Performed routine laboratory upkeep and organization, including filter prep and inventory

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  University of Portland

  Aug 2015 - May 2018

  Enthusiastically training and sharing my knowledge as a TA at UP involved teaching laboratory techniques and guiding students through lab and lecture. Supported students and provided peer skills training for Intro to Cellular and Molecular Biology Lab, General Chemistry Lab & Workshop, and Biochemistry Lab. As I became more senior, my responsibilities escalated to even proctoring and substituting Biochemistry Lab and guiding enzyme purification projects.Courses: General Chemistry Lecture & Lab, Introduction to Cellular Biology Lab, Biochemistry Lecture & Lab• Developed lesson plans with professors for leading weekly supplementary graded and student discussions• Trained and coached students in lab etiquette and instrumental technique on various instrumentation. (NMR, HPLC, Electrophoresis, Western Blot, UV-Vis, IR, Titrations ect.)• Prepared lab materials (stock solutions) and maintained virtual and physical inventory of Chemicals• Provided peer feedback, evaluation, and guidance on laboratory technical writing and experiment design• Assessed laboratory hygiene and Good Laboratory Practices (PPE, safety, risk assessment)• Led workshops, grading, and exam proctoring Show less The project management skills I gained as an independent researcher on three projects at UP are invaluable. Developing projects from proposals to finished presentations, participating in methods development, and working with advanced instrumentation was a privilege. My foundation in risk assessment and safety came from my independent work in research biochemistry (enzyme kinetics), organometallic synthesis, and crystallography.Projects: Wastewater Treatment using Turnip Peroxidase, Air-free Synthesis of Organometallic Complexes, and Crystallography of Nonlinear Optical Crystals Nitrophenolate Crystals• Developed an unbuffered assay on Jasco and Carry UV-vis to evaluate the reaction efficiency of waste treatment• Gained proficiency in handling caustic material, including organometallic reagents, vapors, and pyrophoric hazards • Became well-versed in adapting to assessing safety standards for laser, high-pressure, and radioactive instrumentation• Proficient in organic separation techniques, air-free synthesis (Schlenk Line and Glovebox), and cyclic voltammetry for the efficiency redox efficiency of phosphine nickel complexes Show less My role as a Student Office Assistant in the Department of Sciences encompassed the Chemistry, Biology, and Physics departments at the University of Portland. Working as a friendly, dynamic administrative staff member, my role centered on organization and coordination for the department to run smoothly.• Managed the front desk and correspondence for the Departments of Chemistry, Biology, and Physics• Directed students through campus resources• Handled registration and final edits to course waitlists coordinating with professors • Communication of staff schedules in departments for staff meetings, office hours, public message boards, and room reservations• Organized mail, product orders, stationary department inventory, and department records• Coordinated with third parties for shipment and lab facility maintenance• Maintained record privacy for past students Show less

  • Student Teaching Assistant

    Aug 2015 - May 2018

  • Undergraduate Student Researcher

    Mar 2015 - May 2018

  • Student Office Assistant, Department of Sciences

    Aug 2015 - May 2017
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  Bella Stella Maternity Store

  Aug 2018 - Jan 2019

  Retail Associate

  Bella Stella was a maternity resale store that sustainably served families in NE Portland until 2019. Mastering multitasking was integral to my work as a retail associate at Bella Stella before they closed in June 2019. There, I would perform the following tasks as the only employee in the store:• Independently ran the store sales, inventory, supply intake, and routine processes• Appraisal and intake of resale items based on inventory, sales based on brand, and quality assessment• Quickly gained knowledge of maternity and infant goods, including competitive pricing based on frequent marketing research• Managed customer accounts and store credit as the sales representative. Supported sales system transitions, including customer credits, purchase histories, and store credits• Guided new parents through apparel fitting and product choices suiting their lifestyles • Staged the store and presentation for social media marketing Show less

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  Wyzant

  Aug 2018 - Jul 2023

  Wyzant Chemistry Tutor

  • Created study plans within my lesson planning to develop tailored student learning strategies.• Coached study skills, energy tracking, and time management for students.• Assessed goals and progress throughout the sessions.• College-Level Subjects: Environmental Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, and Accelerated General Chemistry for Nurses.• Wyzant Subject certification areas: Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, English, and Study Skills

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  University of California, Davis

  Sept 2021 - Sept 2022

  My self-starting, entrepreneurial spirit is highlighted in my graduate work as one of the first graduate students in the Murray Lab at UC Davis. I lead the research area on plant cell wall polymers using NMR and electron microscopy. As a part of my Master's thesis work, I adapted industrial processes to lab scale to understand how plant polymers changed structure when converting plants to products. My role centered on data analysis, collection, and presentation in an interdisciplinary team and collaboration with the DOE.• Directed and organized project timeline, events, meetings, fiscal documents, research, and proposals• Strengthened relationships and maintained communication with collaborating partners at the UC Davis, Department of Energy, and University of Adelaide Plant Physiology Department• Pitched project proposals in industry, government, and acedemic settings• Pioneered an independent, interdisciplinary research project in a new lab, culminating from multiple fields(physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering) for effective conversion of biomass to biofuels• Presentation skills are recognized as I was recognized as the research poster winner at the Southern California Users of Magnets Meeting in August 2020• Analyzed data for specialized software, including Sparky, Spectrograph, and Bruker• Performed routine multivariable analysis of polymers to assess crystallinity and 3D composition of the plant cell wall by interpreting data in Excel, Python, and Sparky• Independently collected data with advanced instrumentation (NMR, FE-SEM, Raman, Confocal Raman Microscopy, IR ect.)• Developed reference scripts in Python for data analysis and figures (pandas, numpy, sympy, and matplotlib libraries)• Trained advanced computer skills translating and presenting data(Mac, PC, Linux) • Copyediting, Technical writing and graphic design skills (Adobe, CorelDraw) culminating my work and the field is captured in my perspectives article. Show less As a Lab Instructor, I supervised students and trained them with essential safety and technical skills. This role was in conjunction with being the teaching assistant, where I supported the principal lecturer by creating content, grading, and creating workshops to supplement significant discussion topics.Courses: General Chemistry, Physical Chemistry in the Life Sciences, Advanced Instrumental Methods, Magnetic Resonance• Winter 2020 Teaching Award Recipient for creating a productive, inclusive teaching environment • Facilitated productive group environments and organized weekly 40-90 minute workshops for 20-40 participants• Adapted teaching modes for in person and remote teaching for 20-200 students (ex. Zoom)• Created and facilitated grading website pages, question boards, and final grade reporting for 40-500 students• Outlined regular training and safety demonstrations of 20-50 undergraduate students as a Lab Instructor • Led conflict resolution and mentored lifestyle skills for students• Increased engagement and managed group dynamics in teaching and laboratory environments by 50%• Evaluated QC/QA project lifecycles across instruments (Flame AA, SPME, GC, HPLC, UV..ect)• Provided feedback, evaluation, and guidance on laboratory experiment design and technical writing• Created demonstrations and provided training for data analysis in Excel, MATLAB, and Python• Maintained Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) waste management, maintained chemical segregation, ordering, and inventory for special student projects• Maintained lab safety with safety staff remaining up to date of common hazards and incident reports as needed• Trained students on chemical hazard communication, safety, and proper chemical handling (including in pressurized systems HPLC/GC-MS, heating, centrifugation, and fume hood work with hazardous vapors)• Maintained ergonomic safety procedures, specified relevant SOPs, evaluated risk assessment, incident and near miss reports Show less The program is an immersive professional development program through the UC Davis Entrepreneurship Academy, School of Business, and Graduate Studies for excellent graduate students to professional leaders beyond academia. As a fellow, I clarified my future direction and went through entrepreneurial and formal business training.• Exposed to scalable modeling and product communication in the Entrepreneurship Academy • Increased effective communication by refining business writing, pitches, and marketing skills Show less

  • Graduate Research Associate

    Sept 2019 - Sept 2022

  • Chemistry Lab Instructor and Teaching Assistant

    Sept 2019 - Jun 2022

  • Leader for the Future Fellow

    Sept 2021 - May 2022
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  AirOmatix Inc

  Feb 2023 - Jul 2023

  Associate Product Developer
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  Kyocera International, Inc. (North America)

  Jul 2023 - now

  Research And Development Engineer