Dr. Smith holds a Ph.D. in Immunology and Infectious Diseases, a Master's in Public Health from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, and a Bachelor's of Science in Microbiology from Texas Tech University. Her doctoral work focused on polymicrobial Interactions and biofilm-associated chronic Infections. She is a certified technologist in microbiology for clinical diagnostics (M(ASCP)CM) and has experience working in a hospital laboratory setting. Prior to joining the faculty at Texas Tech, she worked at RTLGenomics in Lubbock, Texas, a biotechnology company focused on next-generation sequencing for molecular characterization of microorganisms. Her research includes a sponsored research project to validate a handheld bacterial fluorescence imaging device for clinical use, and examining the effects of polymicrobial infections on the efficacy of antimicrobial therapy. Dr. Smith teaches Honors College courses on microbiology, public health and epidemiology. She is also a Transformative Undergraduate Experiences (TrUE) Scholars Undergraduate Research Program Faculty Fellow.