Carly is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Horticulture and Agronomy with the UC Davis Strawberry Research Group. She earned a Master of Science degree in 2021 from the University of Arkansas, where she worked under the guidance of Dr. Margaret Worthington. Her master's thesis focused on the genetic mechanisms underlying blackberry quality traits, particularly soluble solid content (SSC) and acidity. Following her Master’s, Carly worked at Plenty Inc. where she joined the breeding program aiming to develop fruit varieties optimized for controlled environment agriculture. Her current research at UC Davis explores the molecular genetics of strawberry fruit quality, with a particular focus on consumer flavor preferences and aroma.