Mary Catherine is a counselor and tutor who blends storytelling, arts, and science. A Baton Rouge native, she earned a B.A. in Physics and an M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Princeton, where she received department honors including the Burnell and Allen G. Shenstone prizes. She began researching quantum physics at fifteen after joining Prof. Jonathan Dowling’s Quantum Science and Technologies group at LSU, producing multiple projects and a co-authored publication by seventeen. Her work in quantum optics and science communication has won more than ten national and international awards, including ISEF special awards, a bronze at the International Sustainable World Project Olympiad, Yale’s Science and Engineering Award, and top finishes at JSHS.

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Mary Catherine describes herself as existing in a “quantum superposition” of artist and scientist. She helps students discover and embrace their stories and strengths, combining curiosity-driven rigor with empathetic listening and creative coaching. She enjoys working with learners who feel they don’t fit a box, encouraging them to own their uniqueness and let it shine.