Sheena is a microbiologist exploring the hidden world of microbes, especially those living in unique and overlooked environments. She first got into research through her work on mangrove endophytes, where she looked at how these symbiotic microbes change across different stages of leaf senescence. Her work highlighted how microbial communities shift as leaves age, offering fresh insights into plant–microbe interactions. Now, she’s focused on leveling up the way scientists isolate and grow microbes that usually don’t make it into the lab. She works with microorganisms from extreme, unexplored, and totally novel environments, aiming to bring more of these “hard-to-culture” species into scientific study. Through her research, she is helping expand what we know about microbial diversity and pushing the boundaries of how we study life at the microscopic level.