Krystal Starke is a third year PhD student in Curriculum, Instruction and Science of Learning. She researches early childhood development and the science of learning through play in young children with developmental disabilities. In particular, she aims to create more authentic play-based learning opportunities through a universal design framework that is inclusive of all children, at all ability levels. Krystal is an active member of her community, serving as a lead teacher at the Early Childhood Research Center (ECRC) and as a program lead at GiGi’s Playhouse Buffalo, a Down Syndrome Achievement Center. Prior to attending UB, Krystal received her BS in Psychology from St. Bonaventure University. In the future, Krystal would like to apply her research to the iterative process of product design in early childhood through user experience testing. When she is not studying, Krystal enjoys attending barre classes, playing with her dog Benny, and watching Disney movies.