Elsie Adams completed her dissertation work at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in the labs of Bruce McKee and Jae Park studying mechanisms that ensure accurate chromosome segregation in Drosophila meiosis. Her studies focused on understanding paternal chromosome loss and chromosome nondisjunction events in a fly strain mutant for a core kinetochore protein. As a graduate teaching assistant, Elsie taught multiple biology courses such as Genetics and Foundations in Neurobiology, during which time she realized her love for teaching and engagement with students. She has been the recipient of multiple graduate teaching assistant awards for her commitment and dedication to students receiving a higher education in biology. Outside her academic life, she enjoys crocheting and baking. She admits her creativity and critical thinking skills from her bench work translate quite well to following patterns and recipes. Starting fall 2025 as a teaching assistant professor, she is excited to teach neurobiology courses in the Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology. She looks forward to continuing to meet new UT students and facilitating their understanding of neurobiology topics.