Denise is a PhD candidate in the Department of Geography and Geospatial Sciences at Kansas State University. Her research attempts to assess the ability of agricultural communities to cope to natural hazards-adaptive capacity. Denise has had diverse research interests, from characterizing indoor and outdoor air-quality with a GPS enabled monitor to identifying factors that motivate minority groups to pursue higher education. Through her diverse research attempts, she has always been determined to contribute to a healthier and stronger society by advocating for policy change and community education opportunities.