"Dr. Ruth Saunders is an Assistant Professor in the department of Physics & Astronomy at Humboldt State University. Ruth is from Ireland. She received her Bachelor of Science in Applied Physics with first class honors in 2000 from Dublin City University in Ireland, her Masters of Science from the University of Oregon in 2004. She returned to Ireland and obtained her PhD from Dublin City University.in 2012. Before joining Humboldt State, she spent 3 years at California Polytechnic in San Luis Obispo. Ruth’s research is into the world of the small, nanophysics. She is committed to exploring the issues surrounding the inclusion of minoritized students in Physics, focusing on the building of communities within Science to support students (and faculty)"