Schaler completed her BA in Bioinformatics at Augustana University in Sioux Falls, SD. There, she was part of the Olson-Manning lab as well as the Ibore-Natukunda lab, focusing on genetics and evolution research in different plant models. As part of the Olson-Manning lab, she studied speciation in milkweed; her capstone project focused on using weather models to predict shifting ecological niches of Asclepias syriaca and speciosa due to the changing climate. Currently, as a member of the Sung Lab, she performs single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) analysis of the whole cochlea to investigate cell-type-specific transcriptional responses to cisplatin, with a particular focus on immune cells.

What do you enjoy doing outside of research?

Schaler enjoys donuts and reading.