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Tara Mahendrarajah is a PhD student at NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research since February 2019, with a strong background in microbiology and microbial ecology. Previous experience includes serving as a research assistant in the Mackelprang Group at California State University-Northridge, where responsibilities involved handling ancient permafrost samples and conducting enzyme assays. Tara also worked as a graduate teaching associate, delivering lectures and designing syllabi. Earlier roles include laboratory technician at Framingham State University, where Tara organized educational materials and developed laboratory experiments, and science teacher at STEM Beginnings, focusing on STEM education for elementary students. Tara's academic journey includes a Master of Science in Biology from California State University, Northridge, and a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, complemented by research positions at Harvard University and UMass.