This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Stonehill chapter.
She’s smart, she’s athletic and she’s afraid of skunks. Here is the Campus Cutie of the week, everyone’s favorite short, sassy and scientific friend, Caitlyn (Tav) Taveira.
Hometown: Mineola, New York (STRONG ISLAND!)
Major: Biochemistry
Nicknames: Tav, Tavvy, T-Money, Notorious T.A.V., T-Bag, Tizzy, Tav Kardash
Sign: I don’t have one. My birthday (July 5) lies in the Cancer range, but I do not believe I am a Cancer. Apparently Cancer’s are emotional and sensitive, both of which I am not.
What are your future goals/graduation plans?
I was accepted to the Biomedical Forensic Sciences program at Boston University, of which I will be attending after graduation. What I like most about this program is that I don’t have to choose a speciality or area of interest in forensics, rather I get to learn and take classes on all the different areas of forensics, such a forensic chemistry, toxicology, DNA analysis, etc. I’m super excited to be living in Boston for the next few years and I hope to get a job with the Massachusetts State Crime Lab and then ultimately work for the FBI or another government agency.
What is your favorite element?
Carbon. Carbon=Organic Chemistry. You can’t live without carbon. I love organic chemistry. It’s my all time favorite class. My favorite metal element is Mercury, because it’s the only metal existing naturally in a liquid state. Google a picture of Mercury and you will surely understand my fascination.
What is your favorite Twitter account?
Obviously, AngryTav (@AngryTav911) because now I can never get angry anymore since my friends will just tweet it and make me laugh. Ahem Coco and Fig.
Favorite thing about Stonehill/best memory
113 Days, the documentary made about the Stonehill College Women’s Lacrosse team during the Spring 2012 season. Having Duff, Betsy, and Denny, our camera crew, follow our entire team every day at practices, games, spring training, and sport related events, was probably the best thing I’ve ever experienced. The documentary brought our entire team (including the camera crew and coaches) together. Although we didn’t make it to that last 113th day, the NCAA National Championship, I wouldn’t have changed a thing about the entire season. One cannot simply explain 113 Days, except for the fact that it was truly an amazing experience with the most amazing people on the planet. #113days
Who is your celebrity crush?
Patrick Dempsey aka McDreamy. Perfect hair, perfect smile, brain surgeon on Thursday nights…perfect.
If you could be any famous scientist, who would you be and why?
Rosalind Franklin. She is an underrepresented scientist and didn’t ever receive the credit she deserved for discovering the structure of DNA using X-ray crystallography. Watson and Crick both got all of the fame for “discovering” the double helical structure of DNA, when in fact it was the amazing WOMAN Rosalind Franklin who obtained the structure of DNA. Her critical contributions have lead other scientists to study disease, genome mapping, genetic engineering, and everything we know about biology and biochemistry.
What is your biggest fear?
One of my fears may seem a bit irrational but I have a phobia of skunks, and getting sprayed by a skunk. Social suicide, and the smell is terrible. I would rather smell bacteria in media in the lab rather than a skunk.
Favorite accessory to wear
D’adore by Christian Dior perfume. You can always walk into a room looking like a squid with sweat pants, but you can never walk into a room smelling like a skunk. D’adore is a crowd pleaser and a pleasant to all nostrils.
Describe your love of the Kardashians
The Kardashians are some of the funniest and most entertaining people to watch and read about. Keeping Up with the Kardashians and reading tabloids about their family is my guilty pleasure. Their family dynamic is one of a kind and I identify with Kourtney’s personality the most. Watching their A-list lives air on television is extremely humorous because of their lack of common sense and the closeness of the entire family. I’ve read Kris Jenner’s book, and I must say I thought it was going to be a trashy autobiography, but her life, especially during the OJ trial, was one of the most interesting things I’ve read. Sometimes I really think I am a Kardashian because of my “diva” tendencies and because I have so many similar interests to the Kardashians. I actually feel as though I am the lost Kardashian. I can go by Kaitlyn Tav Kardashian, to coincide with their names all starting with “K.” I follow them all on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to keep up with their busy A-list lives, and hopefully someday they will retweet me and realize I too am a Kardashian.
Shoutouts
Shout out to my family, especially my little brother Alex!
Shout out to my best friends, including the Stonehill College women’s lacrosse team and fellow NARPS.
Shout out to the Kardashians.
Shout out to Professor Marilena Hall and Professor Magda Pederson.