Information Architect & User Researcher at Factor (www.factorfirm.com) Always one to bridge gaps between disciplines, Sara has played unique roles in her career — you know, the types of roles that are not reflected at all in your job title — often acting as a coordinator and synthesizer of knowledge from disparate teams. After college, she worked as a microbiologist at a start-up for five years, followed by various roles at a diagnostic test kit manufacturing company. As a technical services specialist, she worked with users daily, helping them work through issues ranging from failed quality control tests, interpreting PCR and ELISA results, to installing and configuring software. Her decision to pursue a career in user experience was inspired in part by the problematic user interfaces notorious among scientific instruments. She also has a long-standing passion for design and psychology. She holds a BS in cognitive science and biology from The Evergreen State College and a Certificate in User Experience Design from the School of Visual Concepts. It was at the School of Visual Concepts that she was introduced to the IA discipline, which immediately resonated.